French international midfielder Franck Ribery will not be fit to play in Bayern Munich s encounter with Werder Bremen on Saturday owing to a thigh strain just as he had got over ankle ligament trouble, his club said Friday.
Bayern confirmed what the player had earlier told French sports daily L Equipe following a training session.
I felt renewed pain behind my right thigh. It s a strain so I shall have to miss this weekend s match against Werder, said Ribery.
Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann said it was not a major problem but he did not want to risk the player.
It s a normal muscle strain as he trained hard this week there s always a slight risk, said Klinsmann.
Ribery missed the midweek 1-0 Champions League win in Bucharest, but had then expressed the hope he would be able to come back Saturday for his first game of the season after tearing ankle ligaments playing for France during Euro 2008 in June.
On Thursday he had told Bild daily: It would have been senseless (to play in Bucharest), I want to play against Bremen from the start.
Bayern are additionally without striker Miroslav Klose, who is not over a knee injury.
With current Bundesliga leaders Hamburg playing on Sunday, second-placed Bayern have a chance to go top of the table against Bremen, who have made a poor start to the season and who were held to a 0-0 draw by Cypriot minnows Anorthosis in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
