Bayern defender Alphonso Davies has heart muscle issue after virus

Bayern Munich left back Alphonso Davies has been sidelined with evidence of heart muscle inflammation after being infected with the coronavirus, coach Julian Nagelsmann said Friday.

The Canada international will be out of action for at least “the coming weeks” after the inflammation, known as myocarditis, was detected in a follow-up examination after his return to training this week, Nagelsmann said. The coach described the inflammation as “mild” and “not so dramatic,” citing the results of an ultrasound examination.

“Despite that, it needs to heal and that will definitely take a certain amount of time,” Nagelsmann said.

Myocarditis is a mild, temporary condition in the vast majority of cases, according to experts.

Bayern said last week that Davies had tested positive and he was back in training on Wednesday. Nagelsmann said Davies would now stop training until further notice to give his body time to recover.

That could keep Davies out of Canada’s next three World Cup qualifying games in late January and early February, including a game against the United States on Jan. 30. Canada leads qualifying in the CONCACAF region as it tries to reach its first World Cup since 1986.

Bayern leads the Bundesliga and plays Cologne on Saturday.

This story has been published from a wire agency feed without modifications to the text.