/world sport
(CNN) -- French international midfielder Franck Ribery's hopes of making his overdue first appearance of the season have been dashed by a thigh strain.
Ribery has not played yet this season because of ankle ligament trouble.
He will miss Bayern Munich's Bundesliga match with Werder Bremen on Saturday when he had hoped to return after recovering from an ankle ligament problem.
Bayern confirmed what Ribery had told French sports daily L'Equipe after a training session.
"I felt renewed pain behind my right thigh. It's a strain so I shall have to miss this weekend's match against Werder," he said.
Bayern coach Jurgen Klinsmann said: "It's a normal muscle strain as he trained hard this week - there's always a slight risk."
Ribery missed the midweek 1-0 Champions League win in Bucharest, but had hoped he would be able to come back on Saturday for his first game of the season, after tearing ankle ligaments playing for France during Euro 2008 in June.
On Thursday he had told Bild daily: "It would have been senseless (to play in Bucharest), I want to play against Bremen from the start."
Bayern are additionally without striker Miroslav Klose, who has knee trouble.
Bundesliga leaders Hamburg are playing on Sunday, so Bayern go from second to top of the table against Bremen, who have made a poor start to the season and who were held to a 0-0 draw by Cypriot minnows Anorthosis in the Champions League on Tuesday night.
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