Bayern Munich on Thursday confirmed that head coach Julian Nagelsmann has tested positive for the novel coronavirus – even though he is fully vaccinated. Nagelsmann has tested positive a day after their 4-0 win over Benfica in the UEFA Champions League.
Bayern Munich in a statement said “Julian Nagelsmann has tested positive for the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated. He will return to Munich separately from the team by air ambulance and will isolate at home.”
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Nagelsmann 34, traveled to Lisbon with the Bayern Munich team for the UCL game but stayed in the team hotel on Wednesday due to illness.
He sat out for managing the Champions League game against Benfica and was replaced by his assistants Dino Toppmoeller and Xaver Zembrod.
Bayern have shown that they can win without Nagelsmann with Leroy Sane scoring twice in Lisbon as the Germans opened a five-point gap at the top of Group E.
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It is not confirmed that for how long the head coach will stay off the field. He is currently isolated at home and could be away for up to two weeks.
In Nagelsmann’s first season as head coach, Bayern Munich are leading the Bundesliga title race and are aiming to win their 10th consecutive title. They are also on the top of their Champions League Group E with three wins out of three games.
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Nagelsmann will miss the Bundesliga match against Hoffenheim on Saturday. Bayern Munich is one point ahead of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table.
In his absence, assistant coaches Xaver Zembrod and Dino Toppmoeller will be instructing the team.
Toppmoeller said that Nagelsmann will decide the tactics and substitutions via radio link and he is not the boss in Julian’s absence. “You don’t make changes yourself there,” he added.
Bayern will host Hoffenheim at the Allianz Arena in Munich, Germany on Saturday, October 23, 2021.
