FC Bayern will have Serge Gnabry back for the first home game of the year against VfB Stuttgart on Sunday. Stuttgart-born Gnabry had to scale back his training during the week due to neuromuscular problems, but was able to train fully with the team again for the first time today. "What he showed in training today makes me feel confident that he's one hundred percent ready for action," head coach Niko Kovac explained.
But Kovac has concerns over Jérôme Boateng. The central defender "reported sick" this morning, according to the 47-year-old coach. Boateng is suffering from a cold, "the blood test results weren't such that he could have taken part in today's training," Kovac continued. "We'll see how he is tomorrow." But "no risks" will be taken with the 2014 world champion.
Robben & Ribéry still out
Kovac is still without his two veteran players Franck Ribéry (muscle fibre tear) and Arjen Robben (thigh problems). Robben in particular is making "great progress," and Kovac assumes that the duo can be "partially integrated" again at the beginning of next week, "so that I hope to have at least one, if not both, in the squad against Leverkusen."
Against Stuttgart, Kovac wants to build on the run of six consecutive wins. "We want to win this game, we want to keep going. We have to keep up the pressure, we can't underestimate anyone. If we go into the game like we did in the first half against Hoffenheim, I'm confident that we'll win the game."
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