|
Jerome Boateng's groin injury is a blow to Bayern Munich, captain Philipp Lahm has said, as the remaining centre-backs in the squad have all struggled with their fitness in the past. Boateng, 27, sustained the injury in Bayern's 2-1 defeat of Hamburg on Friday and looks set to be sidelined for some time, with kicker reporting he could miss up to four months. The Bavarian club have so far only announced that the 2014 World Cup winner with Germany is "facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines." Speaking to reporters on Monday, Lahm said Boateng's absence from the Bayern squad is a major loss, especially given the fitness records of the rest of their central defenders -- Medhi Benatia, Javi Martinez and Holger Badstuber. "You have to factor in that the other centre-backs in the past suffered setbacks," Lahm said. "It's bitter that we have to do without Jerome. He is one of the cornerstones. That's certainly very painful for us." Lahm said that a possible signing for the second half of the Bundesliga season is nothing to do with him, but warned that it is unclear whether the likes of Benatia, Martinez and Badstuber will all remain fit. "You don't know whether he can take to the field every three days," Lahm said about Badstuber, who has struggled with injuries ever since sustaining an anterior cruciate ligament tear in 2012. Germany coach Joachim Low, meanwhile, has said that he will "keep the door open for Boateng as long as possible." Low said to reporters that he spoke with the defender and "told him that [he] believes in him, and he can still make it in time for the European Championship [in the summer]." The World Cup-winning coach added that he will wait until May 31, when the squad for Euro 2016 has to be officially announced, before making a final decision.
|
