Bayern Munich and former Crystal Palace player Michael Olise messaged Bukayo Saka after the Arsenal winger suffered his hamstring injury last season.
Alex Howell reports for the BBC that whilst former Crystal Palace teammates Michael Olise and Eberechi Eze are firm friends from their time together in south London, Olise also reached out to Arsenal’s Bukayo Saka last season.
Olise sent Saka a message after the winger’s hamstring injury last season, telling the Arsenal man to stay positive.
The Bayern Munich player had a similar setback whilst with Palace, so he was well aware of what a blow it was, as well as being the proof that you can come back from it.
Olise actually had two serious hamstring injuries with Palace, one of them keeping him out for over four months and the other lasting two months.
Yet it’s difficult to argue the 23-year-old has ever been better than he is right now. He has 19 direct goal contributions from the first 18 games of the season, playing for a Bayern team with 17 wins and one draw in those 18 matches.
If Saka was looking for proof that he can both return to his former level and surpass it, Olise could provide just that.
The two players will face off on Wednesday night, with Bayern and Arsenal competing for top spot in the Champions League’s League Phase.
Only Bayern, Arsenal, and Inter Milan have won all of their Champions League matches so far, meaning that any winner at the Emirates Stadium on Wednesday will maintain their perfect record and remain in the top-two at worst.
A draw would see both teams at least staying in the top three, given no club other than Bayern, Arsenal, and Inter can reach 13 points after five games.
Inter are playing away to Atletico Madrid at the same time, so it’s unlikely to be an easy night for any of the Champions League’s leading clubs.