Created on 14-03-2008 at 00:00 AM
Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld has remained true to the strict disciplinary line which saw captain Oliver Kahn suspended from the squad before Christmas by meting out the same punishment to Martin Demichelis. On the eve of the Bundesliga trip to face Energie Cottbus, Hitzfeld ejected the Argentine from the matchday squad and suspended him indefinitely from the club’s matches and training programme.
“Martin was marked down to play in midfield against Cottbus,” Hitzfeld reported after final training in Munich on Friday. The 27-year-old defender featured in the holding role in Bayern’s last two league fixtures against Schalke 04 and Karlsruher SC, but on being told he was to be selected in the position again, refused to play there.
Coach decides who plays where
“Players do not choose where they want to play. It is not a request show, it remains exclusively a decision for the coach, and I acted accordingly,” continued Hitzfeld, insisting he currently saw no need to change his central defensive pairing. “Daniel van Buyten has improved considerably since the winter break, he and Lucio are first-choice at the moment.“
Demichelis reacted with fury to the news. “Unfortunately, the player let his emotions run away with him. I was left with no choice but not to take Martin to Cottbus and to suspend him from training until further notice,” Hitzfeld explained.