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Guardiola admits Bayern injury concerns

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola admitted Friday to having concerns about his team's mounting injury problems.

Published: 30 November 2013 09:17 CET

Guardiola admits Bayern injury concerns

Photo: DPA

Last season's treble winners have not yet lost in this campaign, winning 11 and drawing two matches in the Bundesliga while winning all five Champions
League encounters.

But ahead of Saturday's visit of Eintracht Braunschweig, Guardiola said they would be fighting a rearguard battle until Christmas.

"We're going to need to survive for two or three weeks," said the Catalan coach, who will lead his side to Morocco in a couple of weeks time for the
Club World Cup.

"But we have to make do, that's why we have a second team."

Captain Philipp Lahm is the latest addition to the treatment table with a hamstring injury, joining the likes of vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger, France winger Franck Ribery, Peru striker Claudio Pizarro, Switzerland wideman Xherdan Shaqiri and Germany defender Holger Badstuber.

Guardiola does at least have first choice Croatia forward Mario Mandzukic and full-back Diego Contento back for the clash with the Bundesliga's basement sitters, as the reigning champions seek to extend their record unbeaten run in the league to 39 matches.

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Barcelona stikes Coutinho loan deal with Bayern Munich

The Brazilian midfielder joined Barcelona for €120m in January 2018. Photo: Pau Barrena/AFP

Coutinho was left out of the squad for Barca's La Liga opener against Athletic Bilbao on Friday, with club director Guillermo Amor confirming the Brazilian is close to joining Bayern.

“We can confirm that there is an agreement in principle for the loan of Coutinho to Bayern and we just have to finalise the deal,” Amor told Movistar, ahead of the game at San Mames.

Bayern sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic also confirmed the loan deal later on Friday.

“I can confirm that we were in Barcelona and have agreed terms with the player and his agent,” Salihamidzic told broadcaster ZDF following Bayern's own league opener, a 2-2 draw with Hertha Berlin.

“We have a good relationship with Barcelona. We are still missing a few details such as the signature and the medical, but we are happy to have got a player like him.”

Coutinho joined Barcelona from Liverpool in January 2018 for an initial 120 million euros ($133 million), plus another 40 million euros in potential add-ons.

But despite huge excitement around Coutinho's arrival, he has struggled to find his place at Camp Nou.

Initially tried in midfield, Coutinho was pushed into the front three by Ernesto Valverde last season in a bid to help him rediscover his best form.

Yet the 27-year-old was too often a bystander in games and some suggested his style and positioning clashed with Lionel Messi.

Gerard Pique was asked earlier this month about the possibility of Coutinho leaving. “I want him (Coutinho) to stay,” Pique said. “But at the end of the day it's what he wants and I want him to be happy.”

At Bayern, the Brazilian will provide welcome reinforcement in attack following the departure of Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery at the end of last season.

Coutinho's departure to Bayern could also have implications for Barcelona's hopes of re-signing Neymar from Paris Saint-Germain.

Barca have already spent around 250 million euros this summer and it had been suggested PSG were keen for Coutinho to be included in any bid.

“There is a lot of talk about Neymar at the moment,” Amor added. “He is in the newspapers every day and I don't think we should get into it now.

“Anything can happen while the market is still open but for now there is nothing and Neymar is a PSG player.”

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