Ribery double at Frankfurt sparks hopes of Bayern contract extension
BERLIN: Veteran Franck Ribery is hoping for a contract extension at Bayern Munich after scoring three goals in four days as the defending champions climbed to second in the Bundesliga.
Having joined Bayern in 2007, Ribery made another strong argument for an extension to his contract, which expires in June, with a double in a 3-0 win on Saturday at Eintracht Frankfurt having also scored against Leipzig on Wednesday.
“It’s a complicated question to answer – I don’t know what will happen next season,” the injury-prone Ribery told Sky after Bayern picked up a fifth straight Bundesliga win.
“I am happy to be fit, playing and scoring. I give 100% for the team and the club after nearly 12 years here.
“Of course I want to keep playing here.”
Ribery has won a joint-record eight Bundesliga titles and the 2013
Champions League in more than 400 appearances with the Bavarian giants.
“I love Bayern and Bayern loves me – we have done a lot together,” he added.
“There are still five months left and you never know what will happen in life.”
Ahead of the four-week winter break, Rafinha scored a late third to lift Bayern one place to second in the table and trim the gap behind leaders Borussia Dortmund to six points.
“Borussia Dortmund are doing well, but we are only six points behind and I hope we will be champions,” added Ribery on Bayern’s hopes of winning a seventh straight Bundesliga title.
The Frenchman opened the scoring when Thomas Mueller found Robert Lewandowski in the box and the Poland striker flicked the ball onto Ribery to tap home on 35 minutes.
Ribery struck for the second time when he casually fired in off the post after exchanging passes with Joshua Kimmich on 79 minutes.
Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge gave an awkward answer when asked about the chances of Ribery being offered an extension.
“Franck has already joked in the dressing room that he wants an extension,” said Rummenigge, who then dodged a direct question about Ribery’s future.
“I have always said there are only good players and not so good players and if he continues to play like that,” Rummenigge continued, without finishing his answer.