FC Augsburg are likely to be without young defender Noahkai Banks for Saturday's key Bundesliga clash against Bayern Munich. The 19-year-old sustained an outer ligament injury in his right knee during Germany's U21 international against Malta on Wednesday and has left the national team camp.
Diagnosis and Implications
Banks picked up the injury in the 4-1 victory over Malta. He has now returned to Augsburg to begin his rehabilitation, with the exact length of his absence still unknown. The defender had started and played the full 90 minutes in all four of Augsburg's league matches this season, performing solidly as the club sits fourth in the table with seven points. His absence presents a selection headache for manager Manuel Baum ahead of the visit of the league's second-placed side.
Potential Replacements in the Squad
Options to fill the left defensive slot include 20-year-old Jumah Bah, on loan from Manchester City, or 27-year-old Young-woo Seol. Bah is yet to make his Bundesliga debut for Augsburg. The team will look to build on their surprising 2-1 away win against Bayern from last January.
Banks signaled a positive message on his Instagram Story, posting "Coming back soon". His injury also rules him out of Germany U21's upcoming European Championship qualifier against Georgia on Tuesday. For Augsburg, all focus is on the home fixture against the record champions.
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