Bayern Munich manager Pep Guardiola believes that winger Franck Ribery will be fit enough to make an appearance in this weekend’s Telekom Cup.
Ribery was forced to pull out of the World Cup due to a lower back injury picked up during a training session with Les Bleus.
The 31-year-old has been working his way back to fitness and slowly joining in training with the German champions.
Guardiola hopes to give the France international some game time during the tournament hosted at Hamburg’s Imtech Arena on Saturday and Sunday.
Bayern, who are 5.00 to win the Champions League, will take on Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday with the prospect of facing Hamburg of Wolfsburg in the final on Sunday.
The former Barcelona boss hinted that Ribery could get a run out after displaying positive progress during training.
Guardiola said: “Ribery has trained well this week. I think he can play a couple of minutes in Hamburg.”
The Bavarian outfit will head to the competition with a depleted squad as seven of their players have been given an extended holiday after helping Germany to World Cup glory a couple of weeks ago.
However, Guardiola insists that will not be a problem and should provide him with an opportunity to take a look at some of the fringe players.
He added: “We have to adjust ourselves to the situation [after the World Cup]. We will grow step by step.”
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