Rediff.com« Back to articlePrint this article

Bayern's Ribery doubtful for Champions League tie vs Porto

April 20, 2015 17:00 IST

France winger Franck Ribery is highly unlikely to recover from an ankle injury in time to feature for Bayern Munich in the Champions League fixture against Porto, coach Pep Guardiola said on the eve of the match on Monday.

Bayern's Franck Ribery Ribery has been out for more than a month and Guardiola said it was more likely the player would miss the second leg of the quarter-final in Munich as the Germans look to recover from a stunning 3-1 defeat in Portugal last week.

"I do not think that Franck can play," Guardiola told reporters. "I will speak with the our doctor but my feeling is that he can't make it."

Guardiola's hopes of turning the tie around have been hampered by a string of injury absences, including to key players Arjen Robben, David Alaba, Javi Martinez and Medhi Benatia.

Bastian Schweinsteiger is also fighting to get fit in time for the game and Guardiola said the Germany captain would train with the team late on Monday for the first time.

"I do not know who will play or who can play. In the past months, I always decided on my lineup an hour before the game."

"Bastian Schweinsteiger will today train again for the first time and the more players I have the better," Guardiola added.

The Spaniard, who wore a T-shirt made by the family of an Argentine journalist killed in a car crash at last year's World Cup, said his team would try everything to overturn the first leg deficit despite the injury problems.

"It makes no sense to be on the pitch if you don't want to turn it around. We want to turn it around," he said.

Bayern remain on course for a treble, leading the Bundesliga by 12 points with five games remaining and drawn against Borussia Dortmund in a German Cup semi-final.

The Bavarians won the treble under then coach Jupp Heynckes in 2013, just before Guardiola took over.

"I am completely convinced that my players will take their chances. I know which club I am at and know that (league) champions and cup winners is not enough. Only the treble is enough," he added.

Guardiola also won the treble with Barcelona in 2009, when they became the first Spanish club to win the domestic league and cup as well as the Champions League in the same season.

Source: REUTERS
© Copyright 2024 Reuters Limited. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of Reuters content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent of Reuters. Reuters shall not be liable for any errors or delays in the content, or for any actions taken in reliance thereon.