Bayern without van Bommel for trip to Rome

Bayern Munich will be without captain Mark van Bommel for Tuesday’s Champions League clash at AS Roma, while Franck Ribery is expected to play, coach Louis van Gaal said Sunday.

Van Bommel is still suffering from the knee injury which kept him out of last week’s Netherlands friendly win over Turkey in Amsterdam and has hampered him for the last month-and-a-half.

Besides Van Bommel, Van Gaal will be also without Bastian Schweinsteiger, who is suspended, while playmaker Arjen Robben, striker Miroslav Klose, defender Holger Badstuber and striker Ivica Olic are all out injured.

Having won all four of their Group E games so far, Champions League finalists Bayern have already qualified for the Round of 16 and enjoy a six-point lead at the top of the table.

Van Gaal has made no secret of his desire to win the group and wants to give match time to some of his players returning from injury, including defender Breno and Ribery, who is returning after an ankle problem.

“We’ll see if he (Ribery) starts the match,” said Van Gaal.