Refs must protect our stars: Rummenigge
Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge wants referees to give their stars more protection after Corentin Tolisso and Rafinha both suffered long-term injuries last Saturday.
Bayern flew to Portugal ahead of tomorrow morning's (Singapore time) Champions League opener at Benfica without World Cup-winning France midfielder Tolisso and right-back Rafinha.
Tolisso, 24, tore the cruciate ligament in his right knee following a tackle by Kevin Volland after scoring a superb goal in Bayern's 3-1 home win over Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and is expected to be out for months.
| BENFICA | BAYERN MUNICH |
It was Tolisso's first start of the season.
Rafinha, 33, is also set for a lengthy spell on the sidelines after tearing ankle ligaments after a stamp on his heel by Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi, who was sent off for the foul and banned for four games.
Bayern have now lost three players in as many league matches, as France winger Kingsley Coman also tore ankle ligaments after being fouled on the opening day of the season against Hoffenheim.
"It can't go on like this or by matchday 10 (in the Bundesliga), we won't be able to put out 11 players," fumed Rummenigge before Bayern jetted off yesterday.
"We don't like the way teams are playing against us, that has to be sorted out somehow.
"In this regard, we must ask the DFB (German FA), and referees in particular, to protect our players."
Bayern are bidding for a seventh straight league title this season and Rummenigge believes teams are playing dirty in a bid to stop them. He said: "It's partly motivated by the public, under the motto: 'Stop Bayern Munich by any means' - that's completely unfair."
The former German international added: "We have a top-class squad and high goals. We want to achieve great things in the Champions League."- AFP
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