Dayot Upamecano is one of four Bayern Munich players one booking away from missing the first leg of the Champions League semifinal round if the German club gets past Real Madrid. Konrad Laimer, Manuel Neuer and Jonathan Tah are the others in danger, with any yellow card against Madrid enough to rule them out of the next stage.
That leaves Bayern balancing the biggest game of its season with the possibility of losing key players before the semifinals, even though Vincent Kompany said the issue is not on his mind. Bayern can advance with a draw at home, and the pressure of that position is why the disciplinary risk hangs over the match.
Kompany called it hard to get through European rounds without suspensions and said the rule is too harsh, particularly because a player can reach a semifinal after only three cards and still be forced out of the first leg. He said the system is aggressive and should be reconsidered for next year, but added that it is not a topic for today.
The tension for Bayern is straightforward: a draw is enough to eliminate Real Madrid and move on, but one mistimed challenge from Upamecano, Laimer, Neuer or Tah could reshape the semifinal picture before the club even gets there. For Bayern, the Real Madrid match is not only about reaching the next round; it is also about avoiding a booking that could carry a heavy price later.