Ribery eager to rediscover top form

05 July 2011 15:00

Bayern Munich's mercurial French winger Franck Ribery says he is determined to put an injury-plagued season behind him when the 2011-12 campaign gets under way.

"I want the fans to see the real Ribery again," he told Tuesday's edition of the Bavarian daily Munchner TZ.

"I'm super-motivated. We can achieve great things."

Ribery participated in his first full pre-season training session with his team-mates on Tuesday, at their training base in Riva del Garda, northern Italy.

The 28-year-old has only undertaken light jogging so far but says he has "good feelings" and promises "to be ready for the start of the season" on August 7, when Bayern host Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Ribery also said he had been in "good contact" with new coach Jupp Heynckes, who previously worked with the Frenchman during his stint as an assistant to Jurgen Klinsmann at Bayern in 2008-09.

Ribery is among the best-paid players in European football, but Heynckes has vowed that he will receive no special treatment as he bids to hold down a first-team place.

The former Marseille star has been at Bayern since 2007 and is under contract until 2015, but endured an unconvincing, injury-riddled campaign in 2010-11, as Bayern finished in third place in the Bundesliga.

Source: AFP