The worst fears have been confirmed. Serge Gnabry’s season is over, and his participation with Germany in the World Cup is now completely ruled out.
Late last Saturday, hours before Bayern Munich clinched their 35th Bundesliga title by defeating Stuttgart, the club issued a statement revealing that Gnabry had suffered an adductor injury in his right leg. While no specific recovery timeline was given, the club confirmed he would be sidelined for “an extended period.”
The injury occurred during the second leg of the Champions League quarterfinal against Real Madrid. A week later, the player himself confirmed the news on his social media. “The last few days have been difficult to process. As for the dream of the World Cup, unfortunately it’s over for me. Like the rest of the country, I’ll be supporting the boys from home,” he wrote.
According to a report from Sky Sports Germany, the German attacker will be out for the next three to four months. That means he is expected to return in time for the start of preseason with Bayern Munich, a club he recently extended his contract with through 2028.
Gnabry had certainly earned that extension. After losing significant playing time in recent seasons, he stepped up following Jamal Musiala’s injury at the Club World Cup, contributing 10 goals and 12 assists alongside the lethal trio of Olise, Kane, and Luis Díaz.
“He’s calm and stable, but obviously disappointed. When you’re 30 or 31, you probably still have one World Cup ahead of you. I don’t know how much longer he’ll keep playing, but this could have been his last chance,” Bayern sporting director Max Eberl said days ago. Now that he has recovered him for the cause, Julian Nagelsmann will have to find a replacement for Gnabry.