By FRANCO PANIZO
Bayern Munich is currently coping with not having star Arjen Robben at its disposal, but now the team will have to deal with the injury absence of its other big playmaker.
Franck Ribery has been ruled out for four weeks after damaging ligaments in a league match against TSG Hoffenheim on Tuesday. Having suffered the injury by setting up the equalizer in the 2-1 triumph, Ribery is expected to miss at least three Bundesliga matches and Champions League clashes against CFR Cluj and FC Basel.
The injury may sound like a tough blow for Bayern Munich, but head coach Louis van Gaal is relieved that Ribery should return in about a month's time and won't need surgery.
Bayern Munich is currently in seventh place of the Bundesliga with eight points from five matches.
Here are more stories from Wednesday:
Interest in buying Liverpool remains
Liverpool may owe £237 million, but the club is still being seen as a potential investment.
According to the club's managing director, Christian Purslow, there are a small number of parties interested in overtaking the club despite its current financial troubles. Owners Tom Hicks and George Gillett have been trying to sell the Reds since April, but have yet to find an offer worth taking.
Purslow also played down talks of the club possibly going into administration if it doesn't pay the owed amount to the Royal Bank of Scotland by mid-October.
Kuszczak ready to leave United
Manchester United goalkeeper Tomasz Kuszczak has admitted he may be forced to leave the club after being restricted to mostly a reserve role behind incumbent Edwin van der Sar. Currently in his sixth season with Manchester United, Kuszczak said he could soon follow the path of former United goalkeeper Ben Foster, who left the club in May in search for more playing time.
Bramble arrested over rape allegations
Sunderland defender Titus Bramble added to the club's defensive woes by getting arrested over rape allegations. Bramble and another man were arrested in the early hours on Wednesday after being connected with a rape at a hotel in Newcastle. Bramble, who signed with Sunderland this summer, did not play in the club's League Cup third round defeat to West Ham United on Tuesday.
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How do you think Bayern will fare without Ribery (and Robben) in the next month? How do you see the Liverpool situation ending up? Should Kuszczak leave United in the winter or stay put? Feeling sorry for Sunderland?
Share your thoughts below.
Exactly Clayton!
I’m not talking about WC ’06. He’s been overrated for the last few years.
Maybe now, but he was a revelation at WC ’06. He’s definitely been out of sorts for les Bleus, but that had at least as much to do with Domenech’s coaching as Ribery’s play.
I think Ribery’s pretty strong-willed; he needs a coach who can command his respect and keep him in the role he’s best suited to.
Liverpool should go into administration and lose points if they don’t pay their debts. How is this situation any different than Portsmouth last year?
Ribery is ugly
Ribery is overrated.