Bayern stand firm over Ribery exit
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Your support makes all the difference.Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge remains adamant that France winger Franck Ribery will not be leaving the German champions in the near future.
The 25-year-old continues to be linked with a summer switch to Barcelona, but Bayern's hierarchy have no wish to sanction any such deal.
Rummenigge told Rheinische Post: "Facts are giving the answer to all of this. Franck is under contract until June 2011 and we are not ready to allow him to leave any earlier than this, no matter what.
"Franck is happy at our club and is not seeking a transfer away from here.
"My friend (Barcelona chairman) Joan Laporta has immediately been in touch with me and Bayern as a club to make sure that there is no truth in stories linking Franck Ribery with Barcelona.
"Neither the player, nor his agent, nor anyone else has been contacted by Barcelona over a transfer."
Bayern president Franz Beckenbauer had earlier hit out at Ribery for recent comments suggesting that he was less than happy at the Allianz Arena.
He told Bild: "Ribery gives the impression that he is saying those things with a specific intention.
"It is always a problem when a player wants to leave and a club holds a gun to him telling him that he cannot."
Eintracht Frankfurt will be without Aleksandar Vasoski for the remainder of the season following surgery on a knee injury.
The Macedonia international has made just one appearance this season, but has now been told he will not play again until the next campaign.
Vasoski injured his knee in training and scans have revealed cartilage damage.
The 29-year-old centre-back arrived at the Commerzbank-Arena in 2005 from Macedonian side FK Vardar.
Hamburg defender Guy Demel has been ruled out for around four weeks with a torn thigh muscle.
The Ivory Coast international suffered the injury during Sunday's 3-1 derby defeat at the hands of Wolfsburg.
The loss of the 27-year-old centre-half is a major blow to coach Martin Jol as Demel had made 24 appearances in all competitions this season.
He will definitely miss the forthcoming German Cup game against Wehen Wiesbaden, plus the Bundesliga meetings with Borussia Monchengladbach and Cottbus.
Demel has also been ruled out of the Uefa Cup last 16 clash with Galatasaray, with the first leg taking place on 12 March.
Midfielder Thorben Marx is confident that Arminia Bielefeld can secure enough points to ensure Bundesliga survival this season.
Michael Frontzeck's side are currently 15th in a congested lower half of the table, but a recent improvement in results has given Marx hope for survival.
"We certainly haven't picked up quite as many points as we wanted but we've played well enough in the last few games and taken points against some good teams," he said after helping Arminia pick up six points from five games since the winter break.
"I'm confident that we will stay up. We've gained a lot of self-confidence through our recent performances.
"If we carry on in that vein, we'll get the points we need."
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