Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes admitted on Tuesday that he is unsure when Dutch winger Arjen Robben will return to training with the German giants following groin surgery.
The 27-year-old went under the knife earlier this month for the troublesome injury that has restricted him to just four league appearances for Bayern this season.
The ex-Chelsea star was also forced to miss Holland's final Euro 2012 qualifiers at the start of October.
While the flying Dutchman has started rehabilitation work, Heynckes said he expects it will be weeks before Robben returns to the pitch for Bayern.
"Things are going relatively well for him," said Heynckes. "He has started the rehabilitation phase and is building up muscle.
"We are confident, but I can't say when he will train with the team again."
Bayern face second-division Ingolstadt 04 in the German Cup on Wednesday and Nuremberg in the Bundesliga on Saturday, before hosting Napoli in a Champions League game on November 2.
Meanwhile, Heynckes poured cold water on speculation Bayern may send Japanese talent Takashi Usami or Austrian teenager David Alaba out on loan to get valuable experience.
"Our squad is not so big that we can afford the luxury of loaning out players," he insisted.
Since joining from Gamba Osaka, 19-year-old Usami has played most of his football in the regional leagues with Bayern's reserve team and played just 20 minutes against Wolfsburg in the Bundesliga at the start of the season.
Source: AFP
