.jpg)
Fear of injections kept Ribery away from World Cup
Playmaker Franck Ribery could have taken part in the World Cup despite his injury only if he did not have a fear of injections, a phobia he developed at Bayern Munich, France's team doctor said on Thursday.
French national soccer player Franck Ribery. Photo by EPA/YOAN VALAT
Emilio Rappold, dpa
Franck Le Gall told reporters at Les Bleus' base that at Bayern Munich "every pathology is dealt with using injections," and that Ribery had had at least 30 injections during the season.
"At one point you cannot anymore and therefore we decided not to do it," the doctor said.
The 31-year-old Bayern Munich winger is suffering from a back injury that forced him to pull out of training earlier this month.
Le Gall added that Ribery should not have played in the German Cup final on May 17 between Bayern and Borussia Dortmund.
