Created on 05-03-2009 at 00:00 AM
Wednesday’s trip to Düsseldorf produced little by way of good news for Bayern. On the one hand, the 4-2 defeat to Bayern Leverkusen in the DFB Cup quarter-finals brought to an end FCB’s run of nine consecutive victories in the competition. And on the other hand, the champions came back from the match at the LTU Arena with a worrying crop of injuries.
Franck Ribéry, Tim Borowski and Bastian Schweinsteiger all returned to Munich from the Rhineland on Thursday complaining of injuries sustained during the previous evening’s game. Ribéry took a knock to the calf shortly before the end, Borowski has bruising on the left thigh, and Schweinsteiger suffered a blow to the foot.
Lahm reports fit
However, Germany schemer Schweinsteiger is expected to recover in time for Saturday’s Bundesliga meeting with Hannover 96 at the Allianz Arena. He should be joined in the side to face the men from Lower Saxony by Philipp Lahm, ruled out of the match in Düsseldorf with flu. The left-back has now all but shaken off the illness, and completed a tailored training workout with rehab coach Oliver Schmidtlein at the Säbener Strasse on Thursday morning.
Ribéry and Borowski are currently rated doubtful for the Hannover clash. Immediately after the FCB plane touched down in Munich, the pair hastened to the Säbener Strasse for treatment. A major question-mark still hangs over goal-getter Luca Toni, who continues to be plagued by an Achilles problem, although the only player definitely out of Saturday’s encounter is captain Mark van Bommel, suspended for the match after reaching five bookings this term.