Thomas Muller admits Robert Lewandowski's knee injury could not have come at a worse time for Bayern Munich ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga showdown at RB Leipzig and their Champions League quarter-final against Paris Saint-Germain.
The Poland striker was sidelined for four weeks after damaging ligaments in his right knee last Sunday during their World Cup qualifying win over Androrra.
Bayern lead second-placed Leipzig by four points in their bid for a ninth straight Bundesliga title.
"Injury to Lewy is bitter news for us. It's the worst possible time," said Bayern forward Muller. "Well, others will have to step into the breach."
The statistics show Lewandowski's importance to Bayern. The 32-year-old has scored 35 goals in 26 league games this term to put him within range of Gerd Mueller's record of 40 goals in a single Bundesliga season.
Lewandowski will miss the Champions League first leg against PSG in Munich on Wednesday and the return game on April 13.
Should holders Bayern progress, Lewandowski would even face a race against time to be fit for the first leg of the semi-final against either Manchester City or Borussia Dortmund on April 28.
Against Leipzig, Bayern manager Hansi Flick is likely to start Germany winger Serge Gnabry as a solo striker, playing in front of Mueller.
Selecting Lewandowski's under-study Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting or moving Mueller forward are other options.
Bayern are also missing suspended defenders Alphonso Davies and Jerome Boateng, meaning Niklas Suele is likely to partner David Alaba at centre-back.
Leipzig expect a tough battle "even without Lewandowski", according to sporting director Markus Kroesche.
However, captain Marcel Sabitzer sees it as a chance for the hosts. "We have nothing to lose. The fact the pressure is not on us suits our team," said Sabitzer.
US midfielder Tyler Adams said Leipzig want to "give them [Bayern] a good fight".
Dortmund face Manchester City on Tuesday in their Champions League quarter-final first leg, but are in danger of missing out on next season's tournament.
__________________________________________________________________
Gallery: Bayern 4 Stuttgart 0
-
Robert Lewandowski, left, celebrates with Serge Gnabry after scoring Bayern Munich's opening goal in their 4-0 Bundesliga win over Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, March 20. AP -
Robert Lewandowski heads home his second and Bayern's third goal. Getty -
Bayern Munich's Benjamin Pavard. Reuters -
Bayern's Polish forward Robert Lewandowski celebrates scoring his team's fourth goal with teammates. AFP -
Stuttgart's Marc-Oliver Kempf challenges Bayern winger Leroy Sane. AP -
Referee Daniel Schlager shows Bayern's Alphonso Davies a red card. Getty -
Bayern Munich's Serge Gnabry celebrates scoring their second goal with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting. Reuters -
Bayern forward Robert Lewandowski celebrates completing his first-half hat-trick. AFP -
Stuttgart's Gonzalo Castro fails to find his way past a Bayern wall from a free-kick. Reuters -
Stuttgart goalkeeper Gregor Kobesaves Bayern's Thomas Muller. AP
__________________________________________________________________
On Saturday, they host fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who fifth-placed Dortmund trail by four points with eight games remaining.
"This is incredibly important for us," said Dortmund manager Edin Terzic. "It's a landmark game because we can narrow the gap."
Failure to qualify for the Champions League could see Dortmund lose the likes of Erling Braut Haaland and Jadon Sancho in the transfer window, and may also carry serious financial consequences.
Dortmund's finance director told local paper the Ruhr Nachrichten that the club lost € 43.5 million ($51m) in revenue in 2020. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, the result could even be "significantly worse again" in 2021.
Haaland has scored 21 goals in as many league games this season, but is showing signs of frustration with his Dortmund team-mates.
He stormed off, clearly angry with another poor team performance, after his second goal rescued a 2-2 draw at Cologne 10 days ago.
According to media reports, the 20-year-old's father Alf-Inge Haaland and agent Mino Raiola met with Barcelona representatives on Thursday.
Man City and Real Madrid are also said to be interested in Haaland, who is under contract at Dortmund until 2024.
Any thoughts of the Norwegian hotshot moving to rivals Bayern have been shot down by the Bavarian's chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
"I don't know where the rumours have come from," he told Bild. "I can only say one thing: we have the world's best footballer in this position. Robert Lewandowski has a contract until 2023."
Elsewhere, third-placed Wolfsburg host relegation-threatened Cologne, while Union Berlin look to boost their European hopes in the capital-city derby against struggling rivals Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
__________________________________________________________________
Youngest players to score 100 career goals
-
20 years old - Neymar. AFP -
20 years 228 days - Erling Braut Haaland. AFP -
20 years 356 days - Kylian Mbappe. Reuters -
22 years 138 days - Romelu Lukaku. Reuters -
22 years 147 days - Sergio Aguero. PA -
22 years 206 days - Lionel Messi. Getty Images -
23 years 37 days - Wayne Rooney. AFP -
23 years 133 days - Michael Owen. Reuters -
23 years 213 days - Harry Kane. PA -
23 years 255 - Cristiano Ronaldo. Getty Images -
23 years, 282 days - Robbie Fowler. Getty Images -
26 years 63 days old - Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang. AFP
