Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery set to miss rest of Bundesliga season

Franck Ribery is set to be ruled out for the rest of the Bundesliga season after being told by Bayern Munich club medics that he must rest his injured ankle for another two weeks.

Ribery, 32, sustained the injury during the 7-0 Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk on March 11. The winger and Bayern had been confident he could make a quick return to the squad, but in early April admitted that he started training too early and had suffered a setback.

A month on, Ribery's return to the squad this season has become highly unlikely. With only three matches remaining to be played in Bundesliga -- with Bayern's final game against Mainz on May 23 -- the Frenchman, who has made 299 competitive appearances for Munich, has been told to rest his right foot for two weeks, and could start working on his comeback after that.

Ribery has been diagnosed with an inflammation in his right ankle, and told German football weekly kicker of his frustration at the situation.

"I am very sad. It's just annoying, because back in March I was in great form, felt fit and wanted to achieve great things," Ribery said.

"I worked so hard for an early comeback, but the ankle just did not get better. It sucks!"

Bayern will not feature in the DFB Pokal final on May 30, having lost the semifinal against Borussia Dortmund on penalties. With a 3-0 first-leg deficit in their Champions League semifinal against Barcelona to make up, they face an uphill struggle to claim a place in the June 6 final in Berlin.

Ribery has been struggling with injuries since early 2014. He missed the World Cup with a back injury, and has since retired from international football. He has started only nine league games this season, with a further six appearances as a substitute, scoring five goals and setting up a further nine in that time.

Ribery has been crucial for Bayern in recent years. He has scored 68 goals and set up 99 in 193 league appearances for Bayern, while adding a further 36 goals and 49 assists in 106 games in other competitions. The Frenchman is under contract at Bayern until 2017.

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