Klose prognosis is bitter blow to Bayern

FC Bayern München will go into both legs of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final next month without striker Miroslav Klose who has been ruled out for at least six weeks after ankle surgery.

False hope
The 30-year-old had the operation in Switzerland today after injuring his right ankle during Bayern's Bundesliga win at VfL Bochum 1848 on Saturday. It was reported initially that he faced a two-week lay-off, but in fact he could be sidelined for as long as two months. Although the surgery has been declared a success, the Germany centre-forward will miss Bayern's quarter-final matches – on 7/8 and 14/15 April – as well as the first leg of any semi-final, scheduled for 28/29 April.

'Severe blow'
Bayern coach Jürgen Klinsmann said it was a "bitter diagnosis and a severe blow" to lose the club's leading scorer, with Klose having hit ten league goals and seven in the UEFA Champions League this season. The attacker also sits out Germany's forthcoming FIFA World Cup qualifiers against Liechtenstein and Wales. Bayern, second in the Bundesliga and into the last eight of Europe's élite club competition after putting 12 goals past Sporting Clube de Portugal, were already deprived of Luca Toni, Franck Ribéry, Tim Borowski and Hamit Altıntop for the Bochum game.

Klinsmann message
Klose was injured after half an hour at the Ruhrstadion when he caught his foot in a divot in the pitch. "We wish him all the best and hope he'll be back soon," added Klinsmann. The Bavarian team will find out their quarter-final opponents when the draw is made at UEFA headquarters on Friday.