Bayern Munich defender Hiroki Ito has suffered another injury setback during his recovery from a broken metatarsal.
Ito, 25, joined Bayern from Stuttgart in July 2024 for €23million ($24.7m), but suffered the injury in a pre-season friendly against FC Duren and is yet to play a competitive game for his new club.
Following an operation, Ito had returned to training at the beginning of October and had provisionally been expected to make his competitive debut after the November international break.
But following what Christoph Freund, the club’s sports director, described as a “small setback”, Ito had a second operation on Tuesday.
“The defender will have to take a break for the time being and will start his rehabilitation program again as soon as possible,” the club announced.
Speaking in his press conference ahead of Bayern’s Champions League tie against Benfica, head coach Vincent Kompany expressed his disappointment.
“He will to be patient now, he has to take a break,” Kompany said. “Then he will definitely get back to his best level. It is bitter for him and for us.”
In more positive news for Bayern, the club have announced midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic, who suffered a broken collarbone against Stuttgart in early October, has stepped up his recovery.
Pavlovic has begun running again and is expected to be available before the end of the year.
Bayern face Benfica in the Champions League on Wednesday before travelling to St Pauli on Saturday.
(Michaela Stache/AFP via Getty Images)
