Casablanca – Moroccan international Ismael Saibari is expected to spend three to four months on the sidelines following ankle surgery, Bayern Munich board member for sport Max Eberl confirmed on Monday.
Speaking to reporters ahead of Bayern’s Champions League fixture against Atletico Madrid, Eberl provided an update on the 25-year-old’s recovery after he suffered a serious injury during Saturday’s Bundesliga encounter with Borussia Dortmund.
“The operation went well yesterday. He was already at lunch today, which completely surprised me,” Eberl said, according to German newspaper BILD.
The Bayern executive also shared a lighthearted exchange with Saibari about his recovery.
Eberl recalled asking whether the midfielder would need two or three weeks to return, prompting Saibari to jokingly answer, “Two and a half.”
However, the actual recovery period will be considerably longer.
“It will probably be three to four months,” Eberl explained.
Saibari sustained the injury during Bayern’s 2-2 draw with Borussia Dortmund. The Moroccan was forced off in the 29th minute after a collision with Dortmund goalkeeper Gregor Kobel.
Bayern confirmed on Sunday that he had suffered a tear of the syndesmotic ligament in his right ankle and had undergone successful surgery, although the club initially provided no recovery timeline.
Saibari later shared a photograph from his hospital bed on Instagram, reassuring supporters that the operation had gone well and expressing his determination to begin rehabilitation.
The injury interrupts his first campaign with Bayern Munich following his summer transfer from Dutch champions PSV Eindhoven. The midfielder signed a five-year contract with the German club in July, keeping him in Munich until June 2031.
His absence also affects Morocco’s preparations for the upcoming 2027 Africa Cup of Nations (AFCON) qualifiers against Niger.
The Atlas Lions are scheduled to face Niger on November 13 in Casablanca and again on November 17 in Rabat. Saibari’s projected recovery period rules him out of both fixtures.
National team coach Mohamed Ouahbi is due to announce his squad on November 4.
Saibari’s recovery could extend into February or March 2027 if Eberl’s estimate proves accurate, although his return will ultimately depend on his rehabilitation progress.
