Guardiola looks for Martinez replacement
Print Edition
BAYERN Munich coach Pep Guardiola admitted yesterday he needs to find a replacement for injured Spanish midfielder Javi Martinez.
Martinez, 25, tore cruciate ligaments in last Wednesday’s SuperCup defeat by Borussia Dortmund and has been ruled out until at least the year’s end by the German champion, though Spanish media claim it could be as long as seven months.
“We definitely need a new player,” said Guardiola, who achieved the domestic double in his first season in charge but fell short of defending the Champions League crown won under predecessor Jupp Heynckes.
Guardiola, who also revealed that German World Cup-winning midfielder Bastia Schweinsteiger would be absent for some time with a tendon injury, refused to give names, only saying he was looking for a young player.
“He must be big, quick, good in the air, capable of playing in different positions and not be expensive,” he said. “But for that it is perhaps already a little late.”
According to media rumors, among those on Guardiola’s list who figure are Spanish champion Atletico Madrid’s Uruguayan defender Diego Godin and defensive midfielder Sami Khedira, who is at Real Madrid, and Bayer Leverkusen’s Gonzalo Castro — although all are 27 years or older.
The Bundesliga starts next Friday.
German Cup match
Meanwhile, German international Marco Reus is to start his first match since injury ruled him out of the World Cup finals as he takes a spot on the bench for Dortmund in the team’s German Cup match with third division Stuttgarter Kickers yesterday.
The 25-year-old tore ligaments in his left ankle in the final friendly (a 6-1 thrashing of Armenia) before the World Cup which Germany went on to win.
On Friday, Bundesliga side Mainz was knocked out in the first round of the German Cup, losing on penalties to third-division Chemnitzer FC.
Mainz defender Niko Bungert’s late own goal tied the scores at 3-3 and sent the game into extra time, which ended 5-5.
Chemnitz goalkeeper Philipp Pentke then saved Gonzalo Jara’s spot-kick and captain Anton Fink completed the home side’s perfect penalty round.
Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen advanced to the next round following a 6-0 rout of sixth-tier side Alemannia Waldalgesheim, with striker Stefan Kiessling scoring five.
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