Hoeness: Martinez is not Messi or Ronaldo

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has urged fans to keep their expectations in check on expensive recruit Javi Martinez.

The holding midfielder left Athletic Bilbao for Bayern for a record fee of 40 million euros in the close season, but Hoeness has stressed that Martinez’s job is to protect the Bayern back-four rather than be decisive in attack like Barcelona star Lionel Messi and Real Madrid forward Cristiano Ronaldo.

“You can not expect him to play like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo just because he cost us 40 million euros,” Hoeness said.

“He cost us 40 million euros because that was his release fee, but normally we would have paid 10 million to 15 million for him.

“We don’t expect him to play like Messi or Ronaldo. It’s his job to protect our defence and make sure we don’t concede goals.”

The 24-year-old Martinez has made four Bundesliga appearances this term.