Why Every Bayern Munich Player Wears Tape Over Their Ear Before Games
Bayern Munich are putting the final touches on their preparations for Wednesday’s Champions League semi-final second leg against Paris Saint-Germain.
Bayern will host PSG in Munich after losing a thrilling first leg 9-8 to the French champions. They’re hoping playing at the Allianz Arena will give them the boost they need.
The Bavarian giants have already secured their 35th Bundesliga title, so now their main focus is reaching the Champions League final against Arsenal.
Some fans have noticed Bayern players wearing tiny strips of tape on their earlobes during training—not because of ear piercings, but for another reason.
French newspaper L’Equipe found out that players like Manuel Neuer, Harry Kane, Joshua Kimmich, Michael Olise, and others wear the tape to protect small wounds made during blood tests.
At Bayern’s training ground, staff confirmed the blood samples are taken for performance analysis. Sports science expert Stevan Kervadec explained, “The blood samples, especially from the earlobe, are for lactate tests.”
This helps the team see how lactate builds up and is used in the body, measuring how efficiently a player’s metabolism works.
Other sources say the data helps the coaches adjust training to prevent players from getting too tired.
We’ve come a long way since footballers’ blood tests just showed they were drinking beer and smoking!
Lactate, or lactic acid, comes from how the body uses carbs to create energy during hard exercise—an important part of fitness for top athletes.
By checking lactate levels, doctors and analysts learn about a player’s limits and workload, so they can customize training to help players perform their best.
Bayern and coach Vincent Kompany hope all this hard work pays off in a tough second leg against PSG, the current Champions League winners.
The Bavarians are aiming to reach their first Champions League final since 2020 when they beat PSG in Lisbon’s empty Estadio da Luz.