Bayern Munich could be without their striker Miroslav Klose for the rest of the season after he suffered a possible broken ankle in Saturday's 3-0 win at Bochum. The Germany international limped from the field in agony in the 31st minute after "getting his foot caught in a hole", according to a notice on the Bavarian club's website. "Something is kaput," said Klose, while his coach, Jurgen Klinsmann, said: "We hope that it is not so bad because we don't have much cover at the moment, but that is the way things are and we will have to cope with it."
Klinsmann is already without his other first-choice striker Luca Toni due to injury while number three forward Lukas Podolski is struggling with his form and missed a penalty against Bochum. Landon Donovan's loan spell from the Los Angeles Galaxy ended last weekend. The youth team player Thomas Muller was again on the bench at the Ruhr Stadion yesterday and, after scoring on his debut in the Champions League last Tuesday, he may be thrown into the thick of the Bundesliga title race against Karlsruhe next weekend. The injury overshadowed Bayern's comfortable win which took them back up to second in the Bundesliga.
They are now four points behind leaders Hertha Berlin, who are beginning to believe this is their year to win the Bundesliga title. A fortnight ago, defender Josip Simunic told his club's fans that eight wins from the final 12 matches would do it for Hertha - and they have moved a step closer to fulfilling his prediction by winning their last two, including Saturday's 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen.
"I would be lying if I said I have not been dreaming about becoming German champions," said Arne Friedrich. "I don't think it is ever going to be as easy to do it as is this year." * With agencies
