A young FC Bayern player had to leave the field injured during the German U19 team’s victory. For him, this is yet another bitter setback following his long layoff.
New concerns for Cassiano Kiala: The FC Bayern center back was injured during the German U19 team’s 2-1 victory over Sweden. The 17-year-old had to be substituted in the second half. The severity of his injury is unclear at this time.
According to a report by BILD, Kiala went down in Anadia, Portugal, during a play that initially appeared harmless and clutched his left abdomen and hip area. After receiving brief treatment on the field, he was unable to continue playing. Niklas Scheller took his place on the team coached by DFB head coach Hanno Balitsch.
No exact diagnosis has been made yet. It therefore remains unclear whether Kiala will be able to play in the remaining matches of the current international break. For the defender, this latest injury comes at a particularly unfortunate time: he had only just fought his way back to action this summer after a months-long hiatus.
Kiala had only just recovered from a long injury layoff
In late February, the Bayern talent suffered a torn syndesmotic ligament during the Algarve Cup. The injury sidelined him for several months. In August, Kiala was finally able to return to team training and impress the first-team staff during preseason.
The officially confirmed long-term contract extension subsequently demonstrated just how highly the Munich club rates him. Kiala is set to be gradually integrated into the first team. He had already made his Bundesliga debut in December 2025 during the victory against Heidenheim.
This new injury will initially put his time with the national team on hold. Without the results of medical tests, it’s not yet clear whether this will lead to another extended layoff.
On the field, the German U19 team managed to turn the game around even after Kiala was substituted. Sweden took the lead in the 74th minute through Saeed. Kevin Ekweribe equalized in the 85th minute, before Kiala’s substitute, Scheller—of all people—scored the late winning goal off a corner kick.
Balitsch’s team will face host Portugal on Saturday. A match against Lithuania follows on Tuesday. For Kiala, following his early exit from the game, the priority for now is to determine the cause of his symptoms.