Surgery for Gomez as Bayern woes grow
Reuters - Sunday 05 August 2012, 18:41
Mario Gomez, Bayern Munich's
leading scorer for the last two seasons, is to undergo surgery
on his right ankle, adding to their growing injury worries, the
club said on Sunday.
"He's not in good shape. He needs surgery," Bayern's
sporting director Matthias Sammer told the club's website.
"After the operation, we'll find out how long he's
unavailable."
Bayern said that Gomez, who scored 26 Bundesliga goals last
season and 28 the season before that, has been diagnosed with
loose fragments of the joint in his right ankle which require
surgical removal.
The striker played the first 42 minutes of Saturday's
pre-season friendly against Werder Bremen, but was then
substituted with ankle and calf problems.
David Alaba, with a stress fracture, Rafinha, with damaged
ligaments, and Diego Contento, with a hairline fracture of the
foot, are almost certain to miss the start of the season.
New signing Claudio Pizarro is also struggling with a
long-term hip injury, while Franck Ribery has been forced to
reduce his training workload in recent days with an inflammation
of his heel.
The German season starts next Sunday with the Supercup match
between Bayern and last season's double winners Borussia
Dortmund. The first round of the German Cup follows one week
later with the Bundesliga kicking off on August 24.