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Refs must do more to protect Bayern stars – Rummenigge
BERLIN, Sept 18, 2018 (BSS/AFP) – Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz
Rummenigge wants referees to give their stars more protection after Corentin
Tolisso and Rafinha both suffered long-term injuries at the weekend.
Bayern flew to Portugal ahead of their opening Champions League group
stage game at Benfica on Wednesday without World Cup winning France
midfielder Tolisso or 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
against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday and is expected to be out for months.
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 from 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 on
Tuesday.
“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.
“It’s partly motivated by the public, under the motto: ‘stop Bayern Munich
by any means’ — that’s completely unfair,” said the Bayern boss.
As usual, Bayern, who also face Ajax and AEK Athens in Group E, are
targeting a run to the knock-out stages after bowing out to eventual winners
Real Madrid in the semi-finals last season.
“We have a top-class squad and high goals. We want to achieve great things
in the Champions League,” said Rummenigge.
With Tolisso, Coman and Rafinha out, places are up for grabs in Bayern’s
starting line-up with Germany star Thomas Mueller set to make his 100th
Champions League appearance at Benfica.
Bayern have won their opening Champions League match for 14 seasons in a
row, the only exception being in 2007/08 when they failed to qualify, and
have five wins, with three draws, in eight meetings with Benfica.
BSS/AFP/BZC/1820HRS