FC Bayern Munchen

The Germany international is set to miss the next six months after suffering a recurrence of the significant injury that kept him out for much of this season

Bayern Munich defender Holger Badstuber has been ruled out for another six months after suffering a relapse of his knee ligament injury.

The Germany international first sustained the injury during the Bavarians’ 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund in December.

He was ruled out for the rest of the 2012-13 campaign but was expected to be back in time for next season, but the club have confirmed that he has suffered a major setback.

“Holger Badstuber has been in rehab once against and suffered a torn cruciate ligament injury in his right knee, and so has been ruled out for even longer,” a statement on the club’s official website read.

Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer pledged that the club would support the defender and said he has faith that the long spell on the sidelines will not affect his career trajectory.

“He has our full support and we will look forward. He will be available for us in the future, but for now he has all the time he needs,” he told Sky Sports.

“I dont want to name a timeline, this is very unlucky for him, but he will come back, and I believe stronger than ever, especially mentally.”

The 24-year-old will undergo surgery for a second time to rid himself of the injury once and for all.

Badstuber has been limited to just 18 appearances in all competitions for his club this season, many of which were at left-back due to David Alaba’s injury at the start of the campaign.

Bayern Munich wrapped up a record-breaking Bundesliga campaign in sensational style on Saturday afternoon, die Roten twice coming from behind to defeat Borussia Monchengladbach 4-3 in an typically thrilling end-of-season encounter.

The Bavarians were two down inside five minutes, with Martin Stranzl and Mike Hanke on target for the hosts, and although the champions immediately pulled a goal back through Javi Martinez, Havard Nordtveit restored die Fohlen‘s two-goal advantage just as quickly.

However, Franck Ribery then dragged his side back into the game with a low strike before levelling matters in the second half with a stunning volley. The Frenchman was involved again as Arjen Robben volleyed home to decide a remarkable game in the visitors’ favour.

Bayern had gone into the game having conceded just 15 goals in their previous 33 outings in this season’s Bundesliga. They shipped three inside the opening 11 minutes at the Borussia Park.

Bayern’s much-vaunted backline was breached for the first time just three minutes in, with Stranzl enjoying the freedom of the penalty area as he headed home Juan Arango’s in-swinging free kick from the right-hand side.

The hosts surprisingly doubled their advantage just two minutes later when Hanke finished with aplomb after being slipped in on goal by strike partner Branimir Hrgota.

Bayern posted an almost instanteous reply, with Martinez coolly rolling the ball past Marc-Andre ter Stegen, after taking a terrific first-time lay-off from Ribery in his stride, but Gladbach restored their two-goal lead soon after through Nordtveit.

Arango was involved again, this time releasing Patrick Herrmann with a sublime outside-of-the-foot pass. The German fed the ball inside to Nordtveit and he coolly stroked it past a shell-shocked Manuel Neuer.

Bayern were in complete dissarray at the back, but Ribery was doing his utmost at the other end to keep them in the game, and he made it a one-goal game on 18 minutes by beating Ter Stegen at his near post with a low strike from just inside the area.

The second goal belatedly settled Bayern, who dominated the remainder of the half and could well have gone in level at the interval, with Bastian Schweinsteiger, Ribery and Arjen Robben all going close with well-struck efforts.

Monchengladbach remained an attacking threat, though, and the lively Hrgota, fresh from his hat-trick at Mainz last weekend, fired just wide from the edge of the area during what was a bright spell for the home side just after the break.

However, that did not stop Bayern from equalising on 54 minutes. Indeed, nothing could have stopped Bayern from equalising, with Ribery beating Ter Stegen all ends up with a blistering volley from a Philipp Lahm cross.

Arango nearly put Gladbach back in front with a swerving set piece that very nearly deceived Neuer, but it was, almost inevitably, Bayern who went 4-3 ahead instead, with Robben calmly sidefooting home a volley, after being picked out at the back post by the irrepressible Ribery.

Monchengladbach were stunned and, in truth, never looked remotely like turning the game around, with Bayern ultimately cruising to a deserved victory in Jupp Heynckes’ final Bundesliga game at the helm.

The Bavarians are on course to claim a historic treble this season but their former left-back believes they are some way off from being regarded as the finest iteration

Former Bayern Munich star Bixente Lizarazu has insisted that the current Bavarian crop are not yet the best in the club’s history.

Jupp Heynckes’ side are two finals away from claiming a maiden treble and there have been suggestions from sections of the media that this season’s squad are the finest in the Roten‘s 113-year history.

But the left-back – who suffered heartbreak against Manchester United in the 1999 Champions League final before lifting the trophy two years later – believes the squad must firstly go on to enjoy a sustained period of success.

“One can say that the team of Beckenbauer’s was the best and not the current generation yet,” Lizarazu told Bild.

“First the work must be done. I personally believe that the team will go on to win all the titles. I also believe that Bayern are stronger than Dortmund. But they still have two finals to go, and in a final anything can happen. The guys should know this by now.

“The team have learned from the failures of recent years. For my era, it was no different: After we lost against Manchester United in 1999, we developed an inner anger which then led us to victory in 2001.

“And it is this rage that is still prevalent in the squad. You know that this could be their last chance, maybe. That’s exactly why they’ll win the trophy this year.”

The former France international admitted that he was still no nearer to explaining how they won Europe’s elite club trophy at the Allianz Arena last season, when they suffered a surprise penalties loss to Chelsea.

“I honestly do not know what happened [against Chelsea last season]. Under normal circumstances, Bayern would have won that final,” he added.

“They were stronger than Chelsea and mastered the game over long distances, but the team that deserved to win doesn’t always do so, especially in a final.

“If you fall, then get up again! That’s been instilled in me from my Bayern days and so they did it again after the drama of last year.”

“Bayern are on the up again and have had a great season. It’s because of this spirit that I am firmly convinced that the team finally gets its fifth European Cup.”

Heynckes’ side face Borussia Dortmund at Wembley in the Champions League final on May 25.

The attacking midfielder is eagerly anticipating next week’s Champions League final at Wembley and is hopeful that he will be match fit in time

Mario Gotze has insisted that he will do his utmost to end his time at Borussia Dortmund on a high and beat Bayern Munich in the Champions League final.

The Germany international, who is currently recovering from a hamstring injury, will leave the club for Bayern in the summer but has stressed that his imminent move does not affect his desire to emerge victorious at Wembley.

“A win in the Champions League final in my last game for Borussia Dortmund would be the absolute maximum for me,” Gotze told Bild.

“I am desperate to be match fit in time for the match in London and I will give my all for BVB. I want to help the team bring home the trophy.”

The youngster then went on to discuss his fitness and was optimistic about his chances of fully recovering in time for next week’s encounter.

“I am feeling well. I am feeling a lot better than before. I will do everything to be ready for the game at Wembley.”

Gotze hasn’t featured for BVB since the 2-0 Champions League loss away against Real Madrid on April 30, when he limped off with a hamstring problem.

The outgoing coach reveals he has been approached by a number of clubs around the globe but insists he remains fully focused on a crucial end to the current campaign

Jupp Heynckes has claimed that “the whole world” has contacted him over prolonging his managerial career once his contract with Bayern Munich expires in the summer.The 68-year-old will step aside for Pep Guardiola after two years back at the helm of the newly-crowned Bundesliga champions but not without fulfilling one last league match against Borussia Monchengladbach and finals in the DFB-Pokal and Champions League.Yet Heynckes freely admits that he has been approached by a number of clubs following Bayern’s announcement in January that he would be departing the Allianz Arena, but insists he will wait to consider his options. “The whole world has contacted me and want to take me while I’m still under contract, but I’m just concentrating on the Champions League final and not on any negotiations,” he told a press conference ahead of FCB’s clash with Gladbach on Saturday.

“It was an honour to work here. It’s still great fun.”

The former Real Madrid and Schalke boss had been tipped to prolong his managerial career outside of Germany, but he suggested such a commitment would not be the wisest at the age of 68.

“When I was 10, 15 years younger, I might have thought of a very profound commitment abroad. But you must remember that I am no longer the youngest,” Heynckes concluded.

The 29-year-old spent three years at Borussia Park between and is confident his current employers will earn all three points on Saturday

Bayern Munich defender Dante is confident his side will beat former club Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday at Borussia Park.

The Brazilian joined the Bavarians from Lucien Favre’s side last summer and is certain of coming away from his old home with all three points.

“Obviously it’s very special. I’m really looking forward to seeing many friends and the fans again,” he told Bayern’s official website.

“We’re definitely going there to win and we’ll definitely be up for it.”

Dante has become a key member of Bayern’s team over the course of the season and sporting director Matthias Sammer has been impressed with his influence.

“He’s emerged as one of our absolute leading personalities, and he’s a fantastic boost to our quality, not only as a player but also due to everything he is,” he said.

Coach Jupp Heycnkes was equally complimentary about the Brazilian, citing him as a key part of his side’s improved defensive performances this season.

“He’s one of the main reasons we’ve let in so few goals this season.”

Dante has broken into the Brazil set-up this season and has been called up to the Selecao squad for the Confederations Cup.

Saturday’s clash at Borussia Park will be Heynckes’ final game in the Bundesliga as a coach.

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The experienced midfielder is determined to avoid more European heartbreak when they take on their Bundesliga rivals at Wembley

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has admitted that Bayern Munich have not forgotten about their previous Champions League disappointments ahead of next week’s final against Borussia Dortmund.

The Bundesliga champions were beaten on penalties by Chelsea in last season’s final, and lost 2-0 against Inter in the final of the 2012 edition of the competition, and the Ukrainian midfielder is wary of another heartbreak scenario this time around.

“It’s the third time in the last four years that we’ve made it to the final and we’ve already lost twice, which isn’t great,” Tymoshchuk told the official Bundesliga website.

“Of course, everyone thinks about it [losing our last two Champions League finals] a little bit, even though it’s in the past.

“I’ve also thought: ‘It’s the third final in four years, we have to win it now after losing twice’, but we also thought that last year.

“In my opinion we were better than Chelsea last year, but everyone knows know what happened. In football the best team doesn’t always win.”

Bayern meet Dortmund at Wembley on May 25.

The former Germany international feels it’s too early to focus on next week’s match at Wembley and has made it clear FCB must stay relaxed

Matthias Sammer has stressed that Bayern Munich must remain calm ahead of the Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund.

The Bavarians’ focus is slowly turning towards next week’s showpiece at Wembley, but the club’s sporting director has insisted that they need to stay focused and should not start doing things differently all of a sudden.

“We need normality, professionalism, cool heads, serenity, and everyday things,” Sammer told the club’s official website.

“Given our team’s stability and ability to perform, we have no reason suddenly to throw the focus so heavily on the final that we start thinking we should be doing a number of things differently.

“We don’t need to start feeling cramped or that we need to push too hard. It’s much too early as well. For now, Monchengladbach is the centre of attention.”

Bayern take on Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday before locking horns with BVB one week later in London.