Klose missing for Bayern´s Israel trip

Bayern Munich travel to face Israel’s Maccabi Haifa FC in Tuesday’s Champions League group match missing striker Miroslav Klose, who is still unfit despite hitting two goals for Germany last week.

Klose, 31, came off the bench to score twice against Azerbaijan in last Wednesday’s World Cup qualifier as Germany sealed a 4-0 win, but Bayern coach Louis van Gaal left the striker out of Saturday’s squad to face Borussia Dortmund.

Klose, who took longer than expected to get over a leg injury in the summer, will now spend this week in Munich on a tailored sports rehab training programme, designed to boost his fitness level.

“I’m still not at 100 percent, even after scoring two goals (for Germany),” said Klose after missing Saturday’s 5-1 win in Dortmund.

“I need fitness to play decent football, and I’m a long way short of that.

“If I travel to our upcoming games, I won?t be able to train as much. This is the best solution.”

He has been omitted from the squad for Tuesday’s Champions League opener in Tel Aviv, unless there are any injuries from Saturday’s game among the Bayern substitutes.

“In that case, we’ll obviously include Klose,” commented Van Gaal.

But Klose has good memories of playing against Israeli teams.

He scored a 15-minute hat-trick for Germany in a 7-1 victory against Israel in Kaiserslautern in February 2002.