Goal.com takes a comprehensive look back at the ups and downs of Bayern Munich’s 09/10 Bundesliga season and what coach Louis van Gaal did to help the team once again become one of the foremost clubs in Europe.…

Bayern Munich have lost their appeal to overturn Franck Ribery’s suspension in the Champions League, meaning he will miss the final against Inter on May 22 at the Santiago Bernabeu.

Ribery received a straight red card for a foul on Lyon’s Lisandro Lopez in their first-leg semi-final clash at the Allianz Arena, resulting in a three-game ban.

Bayern were hoping to get that sentence reduced with an appeal to UEFA, but after a hearing today the suspension has been upheld by European football’s governing body.

Ribery has already served one match of his punishment, sitting out the second-leg against Lyon, which his side won 3-0.

The Bundesliga giants will now go on to lodge an appeal with the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS) for Ribery’s ban to be lifted.…

Bayern Munich closed on their 22nd Bundesliga title thanks to a 3-1 win over Bochum at the Allianz Arena on Saturday. Barring a miracle on the final weekend of games, this guarantees them their 22nd Bundesliga title.

Second-placed Schalke 04 lost 2-0 at home to Werder Bremen and now trail Bayern by three points with Bayern having a goal difference superior by 17 to that of Schalke.

Germany’s rising star Thomas Mueller scored a hat-trick as the 20-year-old Mueller did his World Cup chances much good with two goals in as many first-half minutes before completing his hat-trick on 69 minutes.…

Bayern Munich do not have an agreement in place to sell French midfielder Franck Ribery to Real Madrid next season, according to Bayern general director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Ribery, contracted to Bayern until 2011, wanted to join Real in the close season but the Bundesliga side refused to budge, insisting their valuable playmaker was not for sale.

“We do not have an agreement with Real to sell Franck next season. That is a fact,” Rummenigge told Munich’s Abendzeitung newspaper.

He said Ribery was also never an issue during negotiations to sign Dutch winger Arjen Robben, who joined Bayern from Real last week on a four-year deal.

“The first time I called Real Madrid (about Robben) the people there asked me whether there was any chance of getting Ribery now and I said this is not an issue,” Rummenigge said, adding there was no further talk about the Frenchman during the Robben negotiations.

Despite staying on at Bayern, Ribery has looked unhappy, missing much of the pre-season training due to injuries and admitting to a lack of contact with new coach Louis van Gaal.

“It is the first time I have not felt close to a coach,” Ribery told French newspaper L’Equipe …

Bayern Munich were prepared to sell Frank Ribery for €100m, according to general manager Uli Hoeness.

The France midfielder was strongly linked with a move to Real Madrid this summer, the Spanish giants keen to make him their fourth galacticos signing following the arrivals of Kaka, Cristiano Ronaldo and Karim Benzema.

Bayern have, though, managed to hold on to their most prized asset, who earlier this week confirmed he would be staying at the club.

But Hoeness revealed on Wednesday the Bayern hierarchy had made up their minds to deal for €100m.

He told Sport Bild: “Internally we said yes, from €100m we’ll deal. Also that was a defensive measure. We did not think anyone would pay that. We wanted to keep Franck.

“One week before the expiry of our internal deadline we said that to him personally. Therefore he knew that interested clubs still had a week to offer the €100m.”

Hoeness admitted there was one day when he thought the valuation would be met.

“Someone said to me there would be an offer of 100m euros coming – but not from Real,” he added. “I had a very bad day. I felt an emptiness in myself, because I …

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal has confirmed Mark van Bommel as his skipper for the new season and named Philipp Lahm as vice-captain.

The Dutch midfielder was given the captain’s armband by Jurgen Klinsmann last season after Oliver Kahn retired.

However, the arrival of Anatoliy Tymoschuk from Zenit St Petersburg seemed to suggest that Van Bommel’s place in the Bayern team was no longer guaranteed, but Van Gaal has decided that his compatriot will indeed be one of the first names on his team sheet next season.

“We have been observing his behaviour on and off the field over the last four weeks and the influence he has on the club and on the squad,” explained Van Gaal’s right-hand man Andries Jonker on the club’s website.

Tymoschuk must now fear for his place in the Bayern team after being told he is only second-choice behind Van Bommel.

And since Van Gaal has made it clear that he wanted to choose a captain who will play every week, Tymoschuk may have to spend much of his first season in Bavaria sat on the bench.

“He cannot play in his best position in our system,” admitted Van Gaal. “That is where …

BAYERN Munich president Franz Beckenbauer on Sunday blasted French midfield star Franck Ribery for being more interested in his own career than the club.

‘Ribery only came to Bayern to make his name. He’s French and he cares nothing for Munich,’ said former German football star Beckenbauer.

Asked on the possibility of Ribery breaking his contract a year before it ended, Beckenbauer said: ‘Why sign a four-year contract if you only want to stay three years?’

The 26-year-old, a member of the Bayern squad for the past two years, is known to have been attracted by the lure of Real Madrid, but the high-spending Spanish club baulked at the 80 million euro (S$164 million) price tag set for the France international.

AFP via Straits Times…

Franck Ribery has denied he wants to leave Bayern Munich for Real Madrid and insists he doesn’t want a “controversy” with his club.

The midfielder was quoted last week as saying he’d made up his mind to leave Bayern with Real Madrid his intended destination, but he told Munich’s Tz newspaper on Monday: “I have never said that I wanted to go.

“They were not my words, what I said was misinterpreted. I don’t understand the whole discussion. I don’t want a controversy with Bayern Munich. I would gladly clarify the situation.

“We have to wait and see if there is an offer coming and then sit down and talk. I do not want to say anything wrong right now.”

Ribery was reported as telling a French newspaper last week: “I have decided that I want to leave. It will be Real Madrid or nothing. I will wait to see how things pan out but I would like to hold talks with the Bayern management soon.”

Ribery also denied suggestions today he missed training sessions over the weekend so as not to jeopardise a move by picking up an injury.

“That is a lie,” he said. “I have a heel …