Bayern’s Ribery closing in on comeback says Guardiola

By Karolos Grohmann

BERLIN (Reuters) – Bayern Munich winger Franck Ribery, sidelined with an injury since March, could return to team training in the coming few weeks, coach Pep Guardiola said on Friday.

The French winger has been out of action after picking up an ankle injury in their Champions League game against Shakhtar Donetsk last season and an initial recovery estimate of a few days has become a frustrating absence of eight months.

“Franck has made great strides in the past week,” Guardiola told reporters ahead of Saturday’s Bundesliga game at fifth-placed Schalke 04. “Maybe he can in a week or two participate in parts of the team training.”

It was not yet clear, however, if he will make a competitive comeback before the winter break next month.

Bayern have not missed the speed and skills of Ribery so far, with new signings Brazilian Douglas Costa and 19-year-old French winger Kingsley Coman, who is on loan from Juventus, in scintillating form this season.

“I am very happy and satisfied with him (Costa),” Guardiola said when asked about the Brazilian’s recent form for club and country. Costa scored and set up another goal as Brazil crushed Peru 3-0 in a World Cup 2018 qualifier on Tuesday.

The German champions, eyeing a record fourth consecutive championship, are undefeated in the league having made their best start with 11 wins and a draw.

“Schalke’s recent results have not been good but that makes them dangerous,” Guardiola said.

“The situation in the standings is irrelevant because they have so much quality. Schalke is Schalke,” he said of the Ruhr valley club, who have 20 points after winning one of their last five league games.

Bayern are on 34, five points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund who travel to Hamburg SV later on Friday.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Ken Ferris)