Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and his fellow board directors, incoming coach Jürgen Klinsmann and everyone with any kind of association with Bayern has spent a worrying few hours since a shock scene in a Euro 2008 group encounter broadcast around the world on Tuesday evening.
The incident occurred in the eighth minute of the clash between France and Italy, when Bayern superstar Franck Ribéry engaged in a seemingly innocuous challenge for possession with Gianluca Zambrotta. The Munich man collapsed to the turf, writhing in pain and with a grimace etched on his face, before being stretchered off to sympathetic applause.
Schweinsteiger admits to shock
The media at once buzzed with rumours as to the extent of the damage, including reports that Ribéry had been taken to a Zurich hospital with a suspected fracture of the shin, either with or without serious knee damage. Either of the injuries would have condemned the Munich crowd favourite to a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
Bayern fans and players alike will have spent a sleepless night on the news. “I was shocked by what I saw, as were all the other players,” confirmed Bastian Schweinsteiger as he reflected on his club colleague’s misfortune.
Bayern doc to examine Ribéry
However, France coach Raymond Domenech informed a Wednesday lunchtime news conference that Ribery’s injury was nothing worse than a badly sprained left ankle. “He can only walk with crutches at the moment and can’t put any weight on the leg,” Domenech reported, making no reference to any potential knee problems.
In order to clear up once and for all any confusion over the extent of Ribery’s injury, the 25-year-old will be examined on Wednesday evening by the Bayern medical unit, providing a final diagnosis and an estimate of the length of any lay-off.
Hopes for speedy recovery
“I hope the injury’s not too bad and that Franck recovers fitness as quickly as possible,” declared Schweinsteiger, voicing the deeply-felt thoughts of all true Bayern fans.
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