Bayern injuries mount as doctor fiasco rumbles on

Bayern Munich face mounting injuries amidst increasing speculation as to why their team doctor suddenly quit after the shock Porto defeat ahead of Tuesday`s crucial Champions League return leg.

Bayern host a make-or-break quarter-final second leg in Munich having lost 3-1 at Porto in last Wednesday, but with the additional headache of nine injuries and veteran team doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt having quit on Thursday.

Both Bayern captain Philipp Lahm and his deputy Bastian Schweinsteiger face a race against time to be fit after illness, while left-back Juan Bernat had to be helped off in Saturday`s 2-0 win at Hoffenheim.

Fingers were pointed at coach Pep Guardiola after Mueller-Wohlfahrt, Bayern`s doctor of almost 40 years, quit with his entire medical staff on Thursday night, saying they had been held responsible for team defeats.

In a statement, the 72-year-old Mueller-Wohlfahrt, a club icon who had been at Bayern since 1977 and also treats world champion sprinter Usain Bolt, also said there had been a deterioration in confidence in the backroom. 

There is speculation as to why Mueller-Wohlfahrt`s relationship with Guardiola has broken down, but Bayern`s director of sport Matthias Sammer said the finger of blame had not been pointed in the doctor`s direction.

"No one blamed him for the defeat in Porto," Sammer told Sky Sports.

"It was Mueller-Wohlfahrt`s decision (to resign), we have taken note of it and regretted it, but there`s not much else to say, so there is no need to additionally exaggerate or attempt to interpret things."

The timing of Mueller-Wohlfahrt`s resignation is dreadful for Bayern, who are nursing a lengthy injury list.

Along with Lahm and Schweinsteiger, long-term casualties Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben, plus defenders Medhi Benatia and David Alaba were just some of their star-studded squad missing in Hoffenheim.

Guardiola named a weakened side at the Rhein-Neckar Arena with 18-year-old Gianluca Gaudino and Mitchell Weiser, who turns 21 on the day of the Porto game, included either side of goal-scorer Sebastian Rode in midfield.

Mueller-Wohlfahrt, the Germany national team doctor who has built up an impressive list of patients from across the world of sports, and is staying tight-lipped.

"I will explain myself at some point, but at the moment it`s too soon," he told Saturday`s edition of German daily Bild.

But Sky pundit and former Germany captain Stefan Effenberg says there is far more to the curious incident than either party are divulging.

"I can understand his decision, something grave must have happened for Mueller-Wohlfahrt to make a decision like that from the gut," said the ex-Bayern midfielder.

"Certain things must have happened in the last few weeks and months for him to resign along with his entire staff.

"It`s a pity, especially given the situation Bayern are in. It creates further unrest and is a blow to Bayern."