Bayern Munich have accepted the resignation of club's team doctor, Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, with Pep Guardiola saying that only the manager is to blame for a defeat during a news conference on Friday.
Muller-Wohlfahrt, 72, and his entire staff stepped down after 38 years at Bayern late on Thursday, citing the fact they had been blamed for the long list of injured players ahead of the 3-1 defeat by Porto in the first leg of the Champions League quarterfinal on Wednesday.
Reports in the German media on Friday suggested that Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Muller-Wohlfahrt, who remains in charge of the Germany national team, had clashed over the injury-list, which includes Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Medhi Benatia, Javi Martinez, David Alaba and Bastian Schweinsteiger.
"The medical department was made primarily responsible for the defeat for inexplicable reasons," the doctor was quoted as saying in the press release.
On Friday, Bayern Munich said in their own statement that they acknowledge Muller-Wohlfahrt's decision to leave the club "with regret" and thanked him for his years of service. They also added that they are working on a replacement and have appointed Dr. Volker Braun as an interim solution.
However, speaking ahead of the Bundesliga match at Hoffenheim on Saturday, Bayern Munich press officer Markus Horwick read out the press release, and asked reporters to refrain from further questions.
"Pep Guardiola does not have to say anything," he said, and urged the press to focus on the "three, four very important days" for the club, which sees them travel to Hoffenheim first, and then host Porto in the return leg of the Champions League on Tuesday.
Guardiola himself said that he can only "respect" Muller-Wohlfahrt's decision. "When we lose it is my responsibility. Not that of the press department, or the board, or the physios or the doctors" he said. "When a player is injured, it's not the responsibility of the doctor. Injured is injured."
Speaking to Munich media earlier on Friday, Muller-Wohlfahrt said: "I don't want to comment on it right now, it's too early. I will make a statement, but not today."
Muller-Wohlfahrt, who can also name world class athletes like Usain Bolt among his clients, had been the club doctor for 38 years, but for a brief spell in 2008 when he left Bayern Munich during the Jurgen Klinsmann-era, at that time citing the increasing workload in his office as the reason.
There have been persistent reports of a rift between himself and Guardiola ever since the Thiago Alcantara knee injury-saga began in 2014. Instead of receiving treatment in Munich, the Spain international returned to his old home Barcelona, where he was treated by doctor Ramon Cugat. The midfielder suffered several setbacks, and only returned to the pitch in early April, over a year after his initial injury.
The other members of staff who walked out were Muller-Wohlfahrt's son, Kilian, as well as Peter Ueblacker and Lutz Hansel.