Bayern Munich set to rely on Eric Dier in defense as injuries leave a thin squad

Dier signed on January 11 on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, joining his old teammate Harry Kane, and made his first appearance in a 1-0 win over Union Berlin on Wednesday after central defender Dayot Upamecano went off injured at half-time.

Eric Dier is set to make his first start for Bayern Munich on Saturday after injuries and international tournaments left the defending German champions with few options in defence and midfield. Dier signed on January 11 on loan from Tottenham Hotspur, joining his old teammate Harry Kane, and made his first appearance in a 1-0 win over Union Berlin on Wednesday after central defender Dayot Upamecano went off injured at half-time. Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel indicated Dier would partner Matthijs de Ligt in the centre of defence against Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday, with 19-year-old Aleksandar Pavlovic joining Leon Goretzka in central midfield.

“There are not a lot of puzzle pieces for us to try out at the moment,” Tuchel said. “These are the ones we trust and who will play.” Besides Upamecano, two more Bayern players were injured in the Union game. Midfielder Joshua Kimmich has shoulder problems and there was also an injury to Konrad Laimer, who is usually a midfielder but has often stepped in at right-back this season.

Bayern is missing central defender Kim Min-jae, who is playing for South Korea at the Asian Cup, and right back Noussair Mazraoui, who is with the Morocco squad at the Africa Cup of Nations.