Franck Ribéry has suffered another injury setback with the toe injury that has disrupted his season, along with a knee problem, forcing him to miss the first session of Bayern Munich's winter training in Dubai today.
Bayern's coach, Louis van Gaal, said: "It is practically incredible and very bitter for the coach and the team. But we cannot change it. We hope that the medical department works hard and he returns as quickly as possible."
Ribéry had joined the rest of his team-mates for a jog around Munich yesterday before the flight to the United Arab Emirates, but on his arrival in Dubai both big toes were swollen. Holes were drilled into the toenails to release an accumulation of blood and relieve the pain in a bid to get the 26-year-old back on his feet as soon as possible.
The France winger has played a part in only six Bundesliga matches during the first half of the 2009-10 season, lasting the whole 90 minutes only once because of a string of injuries.
Bayern Munich face Fiorentina in the last 16 of the Champions League on 16 February.