Bayern´s Rummenigge to appeal to UEFA for Ribery

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said Sunday he will appeal to UEFA in person to try to overturn the ban which threatens to keep Franck Ribery out of the Champions League final.

Ribery is set to miss the final against Inter Milan on May 22 unless Bayern can persuade UEFA’s disciplinary committee to over-turn the three-match the Frenchman was handed after being sent off in the semi-final.

Bayern chairman Rummenigge has said he will travel to UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon, Switzerland, to speak at Wednesday’s appeal hearing.

“I will travel to Nyon and we are going to fight for him,” said Rummenigge.

“The most important thing is that we convince the UEFA hearing that it was not an assault, only a rough foul.

“Perhaps if we achieve our goal, Franck can play in the final.”

Ribery was shown a straight red card for a dangerous tackle on Lyon striker Lisandro Lopez in the first-half of Bayern’s 1-0 win over Lyon on April 21.

UEFA then banned him for three games and he already sat out the 3-0 second-leg win in Lyon last Tuesday, but Bayern are desperate to get their star back for the Madrid final.

Even Lopez has said Ribery did not foul him intentionally and Bayern are keeping their fingers crossed they will have the Frenchman for their first final since 2001.

Ribery has endured a difficult few weeks after he was questioned by French police a fortnight ago as part of their investigation into the under-age call-girl scandal which has rocked the France football team.