Bayern Injury Update

Mario Götze, Javi Martínez, Thiago, Holger Badstuber and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg have been watching Bayern’s latest games from the stands. They feel the ebb and flow of the play, and cheer on their team-mates, but none of the men on the injury roster is currently fit enough to play. All are working their way through sports rehabilitation programmes, aiming to resume squad training as soon as possible.

The most positive developments relate toMario Götze and Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg, as both are close to the end of sports rehab. The pair are currently working out individually with the ball, but if all goes according to plan, Götze and Hojbjerg should be able to join in parts of the squad workout in a couple of days. Götze turned an ankle in the Super Cup against Chelsea some three weeks ago, while Hojbjerg damaged ligaments while appearing for the reserves four weeks prior to that.

Javi Martínez will be out of action for a little while longer, as the Spaniard underwent surgery two and a half weeks ago to fix a persistent groin problem. Martínez is off crutches and has begun stamina-building running. “I’m feeling better with every passing day. I hope I can be back helping the team very soon,”

Dental surgery for Javi

Martinez is also working out in the performance centre on a series of stabilisation routines and strength-building exercises. No date has been set for the defensive specialist to resume the team programme, because this will depend on how quickly the affected groin recovers from the operation. Everything is going according to plan at the moment, although the player cannott train on Thursday and Friday due to dental surgery.

Javi’s fellow countryman Thiago, who underwent surgery on 26 August to repair an ankle injury, will wear a protective boot as planned for the next three weeks. The summer signing will commence his sports rehab programme after that. However, Thiago is still reporting daily to the Säbener Strasse facility, working on stabilisation and mobility with the club’s fitness coaches. He is also working out in the weights room, performing strengthening exercise aimed at rebuilding the muscles in his injured and uninjured legs.

Cruciate ligament victim Holger Badstuberis currently in the USA. The Germany international will undergo a last round of surgery on his damaged knee in the last week of September, before gradually taking up his sports rehab programme.

Robben played his 500th game

Arjen Robben played the 500th game of his professional career agains CSKA Moscow. 

Reaction to Bayern v CSKA Moscow

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge: “This team has real quality, and we have complete faith in the players. We know they’re always capable of a performance like this. Today, they’ve picked up where they left off in London against Dortmund: with a top-class performance.“

Pep Guardiola: “We played well, especially in the first half. I’m very, very pleased, and very proud about this performance. The first match after you’ve won the Champions League is never easy. Everyone thinks it’ll be simple, but it’s never easy at this level.”

Philipp Lahm: “We’re pleased because we were up for it right from the start and played with plenty of aggression.”

Bayern expect "complex" task against CSKA

Opponents CSKA are by no means to be underestimated, as they won the Russian double last season and are undefeated so far this term. “It'll be complex. They’re a physically strong team," warned Guardiola. Russian teams can be extremely dangerous at this early stage of the season, as the domestic league begins in mid-July and clubs have plenty of games already under their belt.

“They have good individuals, but their greatest strength is unity and determined team play," commented captain Lahm. Bayern naturally intend to counter that with their own well-known strengths, “and make sure we take three points straight away," commented Toni Kroos, “we laid the foundations for last year's success in the group stage." Nor have the players forgotten just how much 25 May 2013 meant to them, the club and the fans. “We know how good it was," said Neuer, “and we've set our sights on the same target."

CL: Bayern Munchen vs CSKA Moscow

Game info:

Malaysian time 02:45 am 18.9.2013

Live at Astro Channel 811 & 833 HD

Bastian Schweinsteiger

My heart is here and my heart is Red ! he is nevertheless still something of an enigmatic figure.So apart from his enviable trophy haul, including six Bundesliga crowns, six DFB Cup winners' medals, two DFL Ligapokals, two German Supercups, UEFA Champions League and UEFA Super Cup title, what else is there to discover more.

World Cup next year may be ?

MiaSanMia

Robben + Ribery = Robbery in Action : Dangerous Duo

The first incident after the restart was a scramble in the Bayern box, but Boateng blocked well and the danger was cleared. From the breakdown, FCB raced up the field and took a 51st-minute lead: Ribery, Robben and Kroos combined superbly to leave Mandzukic with the simplest of finishes. The champions had the bit between their teeth, but Müller’s effort was blocked at point-blank range, Van Buyten fired over the bar, and Müller shanked a 15-yard shot wide of the far upright.

The men in white and brown continued to press and Ribery made it two on 64 minutes, slotting home the rebound after Zieler could only push away Robben’s angled drive. Hannover heads stayed up for now and Ya Konan forced Neuer into a diving save, before Dante came on for Boateng, and Alaba drew a good stop from the alert Zieler.