Bayern Munich vs Darmstadt - Ancelotti heaps praise on defender Philipp Lahm - 7M sport

Bayern Munich vs Darmstadt - Ancelotti heaps praise on defender Philipp Lahm



Posted Friday, May 05, 2017 by PA

Bayern Munich boss Carlo Ancelotti heaped praise on captain Philipp Lahm as the right-back winds down his career with another league title ahead of the clash with basement club Darmstadt.

The 33-year-old announced earlier in the season that this will be his final campaign in a Bayern shirt and he ensured he finished on a high by picking up the eighth Bundesliga winner's medal of his career, with time still left to lift a potential seventh DFB Pokal Cup.

Bayern sealed their fifth successive Bundesliga crown with three matches remaining following an emphatic 6-0 away win at Wolfsburg last week which was aided by RB Leipzig's goalless draw at second-bottom Ingolstadt to open a 10-point gap.

Die Roten face a Darmstadt side who need to secure maximum points in their final three matches and hope Mainz, Hamburg and Wolfsburg fail to pick up a point in their remaining fixtures in order to avoid the drop.

But most of the questions in the pre-match press conference surrounded the legacy of the World Cup winner, with Ancelotti hailing Lahm's influence and professionalism whilst admitting his replacement may already be at the club.

The Italian said: "Philipp Lahm is one of the most professional players I have ever met - very serious, very professional. He is an example for others, he never complains. It is delightful for managers to have players like this, we would like 20 Philipp Lahm's and there would be no problem at all.

"We are sad because he has stopped his career but we have to respect his decision and I hope to find another Philipp Lahm, and for him the best.

"We are happy to have Josh (Kimmich), we know we can count on him as a midfielder and a right-back. Next season, we will try him at right-back. Without, Lahm, he is a good option for the future but we will see."

On the match, he added: "Every match is important to us and we want to celebrate with our fans at the Allianz Arena. Darmstadt are a good team, they have won their last three games."

The 57-year-old confirmed Portugal international Renato Sanches and Kimmich will both start in midfield against the league's bottom club while Thiago and Robert Lewandowski are available after becoming first-time fathers during the week.

Kingsley Coman is out with a knock to the ankle while goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is unavailable for the rest of the season with a broken foot and defenders Mats Hummels (hip) and Javi Martinez (cold) are also set to miss out.

Darmstadt head coach Torsten Frings, who played one season for Bayern in 2004, has watched his side secure three successive victories in the Bundesliga for the first time ever but their slim hopes of survival could be ended by Saturday evening.

But the former Germany international believes his side can continue their recent good form but is expecting no favours from the newly-crowned league champions.

Frings said: "We played really good football before the victories. This is the difference to now. Now we push the ball over the line, so we score.

"Even if Bayern were a little less on the pitch, they still have more power than we do. I do not think they will lose one per cent, we have to be very careful."



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