|
Holger Badstuber has said the atmosphere at Bayern Munich is positive despite Jerome Boateng's injury, amid a report from kicker suggesting otherwise. Bayern host Hoffenheim on Sunday and will hope to put a week behind them which saw the Bundesliga leaders make the headlines for a number of reasons -- not all of them positive. The main issue for the club has been the groin injury suffered by Boateng, who could face up to four months on the sidelines. Bayern have been reluctant to pass on any more information. On Tuesday, the club's CEO, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, said he is hopeful that the Germany international might return to action for the final third of the season, but kicker reported on Thursday that "there is no certainty" of it. Rummenigge, however, hit out at the German Football Association (DFB) as he felt its hierarchy were more concerned Boateng might miss Euro 2016, rather than with Bayern's problems replacing him. It was also reported that Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt could return as the club doctor once coach Pep Guardiola leaves at the end of the season, amid talk of there having been 14 muscle injuries to Bayern players since the beginning of the campaign. Philipp Lahm said Boateng's injury "really, really hurts" Bayern, and voiced his doubts that centre-backs Medhi Benatia, Javi Martinez and Holger Badstuber will all be able to stay fit. "If you lose a crucial player it takes the gloss off any win," Badstuber said on Wednesday after Boateng sustained the injury in last week's 2-1 victory at Hamburg. "Nevertheless, the atmosphere is positive. Now we want to keep on winning for Jerome." Badstuber, who has played in only 15 Bundesliga games since tearing his anterior cruciate ligaments in December 2012, said he is hopeful that "the pillar" Boateng "will return towards the end of the season" and promised to "continue to take on opponents with confidence." However, despite the defender stating that the atmosphere at Bayern remains positive, kicker cited on Thursday an unnamed player, who described the mood at the club as "not good" because of the injuries, but also due to Guardiola. The Catalan has reportedly upped the pressure on the players and the club has told the squad to inform them should they leave Munich on a day off. According to kicker, Guardiola also called out several players for being overweight, and the unnamed Bayern man added that he fears things "will explode" once the injury list gets smaller.
|
