Bayern Munich CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned the German FA (DFB) not to interfere with Jerome Boateng's comeback plans.
Boateng sustained a severe groin injury in last Friday's Bundesliga match at Hamburg and, while Bayern have said that he is "facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines," multiple reports say he could miss up to four months.
Germany coach Joachim Low, who has to announce his 2016 European Championship squad by May 31, on Monday told Boateng that he'll "keep the door" for the 2014 World Cup winner for "as long as possible," and added that he hoped the Bayern player can make it.
Speaking to reporters on Tuesday, Rummenigge warned the association "to clearly back off," because "otherwise they will run into trouble with FC Bayern."
Rummenigge argued that Boateng is employed at Bayern, and not to "the national association," and thus the club had the "air supremacy" in the discussion "and not the DFB."
"But all I hear in the Boateng discussion is DFB, DFB, European Championships," he said.
He cited the recent injury of Mario Gotze in the Euro 2016 against Republic of Ireland, as well as Bastian Schweinsteiger's spell on the sidelines following the 2014 World Cup.
Rummenigge said: "It's about time that the players are no longer worn thin in the DFB, UEFA and FIFA environment. The workload needs to be decreased."
Rummenigge, who last week said that he cannot rule out "that in the future a European league consisting of the big teams from Italy, Germany, England, Spain and France will be founded," added that too many national team games "overwhelmed the players health-wise."
Boateng, meanwhile, has told the club's official website he will need to be patient, but then "come back stronger," adding that "it's definitely a severe setback."
Elsewhere, Sport Bild reported that former Bayern club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt could return to the Allianz Arena in the summer once current coach Pep Guardiola has left the club.
The 73-year-old and his entire staff walked out on Bayern in April 2015, following a reported row with Pep Guardiola. Over the summer, the club restructured their medical department, and invested some €5.5 million in new facilities at the club's training grounds on Sabener Strasse.
Bayern have suffered a total of 14 muscular injuries this season. Defender Mehdi Benatia is currently recovering from his third muscle injury of the term, while Arjen Robben and Juan Bernat have twice been ruled out.
Sebastian Rode, Mario Gotze, Kingsley Coman, Douglas Costa, Franck Ribery, and Philipp Lahm have also missed matches because of muscular problems.