MUNICH — Canadian star fullback Alphonso Davies is on the mend, according to Bayern Munich.
The 21-year-old from Edmonton has been sidelined since early January due to symptoms of myocarditis, a heart condition, following a bout of COVID-19.
"He's happily well on the road to recovery," Bayern coach Julian Nagelsmann told reporters in German after his team's 4-2 loss at VfL Bochum on Saturday.
"It's still going to take a while. But the dangerous parts considering his heart are certainly gone. He has another appointment in two weeks. The best-case scenario seemed to have happened in terms of the healing process."
Davies watched his teammates train Friday.
Bayern said Jan. 5 that the speedy fullback had joined a lengthy list of players who had tested positive for COVID, adding Davies was well and self-isolating at home.
Davies was back training a week later, but his return was put on hold with Bayern reporting Jan. 14 that tests showed the Canadian was suffering from signs of an inflammation of the heart muscle. Myocarditis is a mild, temporary condition in the vast majority of cases, according to experts.
Davies' myocarditis was detected in the followup examination that all players who have had COVID undergo.
Davies watched from a distance as Canada continued its march to Qatar 2022 with recent World Cup qualifying wins against Honduras, the U.S. and El Salvador.
The Canadian men, who top the CONCACAF qualifying standings at 7-0-4, wrap up qualifying play with three games next month: in Costa Rica on March 23, at home to Jamaica on March 26 and in Panama on March 29.
Davies has won 35 caps for Canada with 10 goals and 15 assists.
The top three teams in the eight-team CONCACAF round robin will represent North and Central America and the Caribbean at Qatar 2022. The fourth-place team will take on an Oceania country in an intercontinental playoff to see who joins them.
Viewed as one of the finest left backs in the world for his pace and attacking flair, Davies plays in a more offensive position for Canada.
Bayern (17-4-1) leads the Bundesliga table.
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This report by The Canadian Press was first published Feb. 13, 2022
The Canadian Press
