Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben could miss Bayern Munich’s early Bundesliga fixtures after being ruled out for six weeks with an adductor muscle injury.
Robben, 32, pulled up after a sprint and then limped off in the 35th minute of Bayern Munich’s pre-season friendly against fifth-tier Lippstadt.
Bayern continued and win the game by 4-3 in Carlo Ancelotti’s first game in charge of the club.
The Dutchman had missed the last two months of the 2015/16 season with a similar injury, which saw him limited to only 15 Bundesliga appearances.
Prior to the fixture, Robben had said that he felt his injury was behind him.
He is now likely to miss Bayern’s German Supercup fixture with fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund, their opening DFB-Pokal game at Jena and first Bundesliga match of the season against Werder Bremen on 26 August.
A statement on the Bayern website read: “The injury to the player’s right leg was diagnosed after an examination conducted by the club’s medical unit in Munich on Sunday. Robben will be sidelined for approximately six weeks.”
Meanwhile, club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has confirmed that Dortmund is attempting to re-sign Mario Gotze, with ongoing discussions hled over a fee.
Gotze has left Dortmund for Bayern three years ago after he scored the World Cup winning goal for Germany. Dortmund supporters had been embittered by the deal, with some displaying a banner at a game in April making it clear they would not welcome him back.