FCBARCELONA.CAT

25.03.2009 11:54

Klinsmann in same boat as Guardiola

Jesús Carrillo

Josep Guardiola’s training sessions this week and next are going to be sparsely attended but Jürgen Klinsmann, head coach of Champions League rivals Bayern Munich, has a similar problem.

Nine of Klinsmann’s first team regulars are away on international duty this week while two, Klose and Luca Toni, are sidelined by injury. Meanwhile, Guardiola is missing Alves, Piqué, Xavi, Keita, Gudjohnsen, Bojan, Messi, Eto'o and Henry and has Iniesta, Touré Yaya, Puyol and Abidal in the treatment room.

The nine

Until Thursday afternoon, Klinsmann will be unable to work with Lucio (Brazil), Demichelis (Argentina), Van Buyten and Van Bommel (Holland), Ribery (France) and Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lucas Podolski (Germany). His Barça counterpart, Josep Guardiola, is working under the same circumstances.

Wolfsburg and Valladolid

Bayern Munich will play Wolfsburg away on 4th April at 3.30 pm while Barça are due to travel to Valladolid the same day. The kick-off time is yet to be confirmed but will be later in the day.

A difficult match

Bayern Munich’s match is important for the outcome of the German league as Wolfsburg are currently third in the table and tied with Bayern Munich and Hamburg on 48 points after 25 matches. All three are just one point behind first placed Hertha Berlin. In the space of 90 minutes, Bayern Munich could go to the top of the table or slid down out of the Champions League positions.