Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Javi Martinez needs time for Bayern Munich comeback - Matthias Sammer

Javi Martinez will need more time before he can return to the pitch following a serious knee injury last year, Bayern Munich sporting executive Matthias Sammer has confirmed.

Martinez, 26, suffered an anterior cruciate ligament tear in the German Supercup final at Dortmund in mid-August 2014.

The versatile defensive player, who was tipped to take the central role in Bayern's back three, also suffered a lateral collateral ligament injury as well as a meniscal tear.

"Javi did not have a light injury," Sammer told kicker, and did not elaborate on when the Spaniard -- who recently completed his first laps at Bayern's training facilities -- is expected to make his comeback.

Elsewhere, Thomas Muller has said that he wants to make it to the German cup final in Berlin for the fourth consecutive year.

Speaking to reporters ahead of Bayern's round-of-16 meeting with second-tier club Eintracht Braunschweig on Wednesday, the Germany forward said: "We want to reach the final. That's our first goal again."

Referring to the cup final and the Champions League final, which will take place at the Olympiastadion on June 6, Muller added: "We know that Berlin plays a great role in football this year. We want to spend a couple of days there at the end of May and in early June."

Despite facing Braunschweig at home, Muller said that he does not fear that Bayern will underestimate the second-tier club, adding: "We always prepare superbly for every opponent. We'll never go into a match with the wrong attitude. I'm expecting us to get at them right from the off.

"We are very grounded. We've been through so much, and we know what it's all about. We're not floating round in seventh heaven. We remain very self-critical. We set out to win our matches, and if we can, we obviously try to win them the way we've been doing recently."

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