Toni out of Champions League return

Bayern Munich will definitely be without star striker Luca Toni when they travel to face the Italian’s former club AC Fiorentina in the Champions League on Wednesday.

“The recovery process hasn’t gone as quickly as we initially hoped it would,” explained Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann, “so Luca Toni is definitely out of the away trip to Fiorentina.”

Toni, 31, sustained painful bruising to the ribs and stretched a stomach muscle in Bayern’s 1-0 away win against Bundesliga rivals Karlsruher SC on 18 October.

Last term’s leading scorer has since sat out the subsequent league victories over VfL Wolfsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt and also the 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday.

“Luca is continuing to receive intensive treatment from the medical unit. We hope to see him back in the team as soon as possible,” Klinsmann added.

That will be little consolation to the player as he is forced into the unwanted role of spectator for the meeting with his previous club.

The Italian World Cup winner played through the pain and featured in Bayern’s Champions League 3-0 win over Toni’s former club Fiorentina on October 21, but was substituted in the second half.