Ribery adds to Bayern's woes ahead of Leverkusen
Bayern Munich's France star Franck Ribery faces a race to be fit for Sunday's crunch Bundesliga clash with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen after joining Bastian Schweinsteiger on the club's injury list.
- Agence France-Presse
- Updated: April 16, 2011 10:22 AM IST
Bayern Munich's France star Franck Ribery faces a race to be fit for Sunday's crunch Bundesliga clash with second-placed Bayer Leverkusen after joining Bastian Schweinsteiger on the club's injury list.
The 28-year-old, who had complained of pain in his upper leg in last Saturday's 1-1 draw at Nuremberg, limped out of training Friday with a thigh injury.
Bayern are fourth in the Bundesliga table and need to beat Leverkusen to stay on course for a top two finish in the German league which would give them an automatic place in next season's Champions League.
Bayern's Germany star Schweinsteiger is also in a race to be fit for Sunday's game at Munich's Allianz Arena having damaged ankle ligaments in midweek, while Dutch star Arjen Robben is suspended.
"It may turn out that Ribery and Schweinsteiger don't play," admitted Bayern's caretaker coach Andries Jonker.
"I hope that Schweinsteiger can play. There is hope. It may be that the decision is made only after the warm-up on Sunday."
Winger Robben sits out the match with Leverkusen having been sent off after the final whistle in Nuremberg for abusing the referee and Germany defender Holger Badstuber is also suspended for picking up a fifth yellow card.
Bayern have endured a turbulent week since coach Louis van Gaal was sacked last Sunday with his former assistant Jonker set to take over until the end of the season.
Leverkusen coach Jupp Heynckes will take over as Bayern's head coach in the summer.