Franck Ribery, Rafinha will miss Wolfsburg match with injury

Bayern Munich will be without Franck Ribery and Rafinha when they travel north to Wolfsburg for Friday's top of the table clash. Both players have sustained injuries in training this week, according to Sport Bild.

Ribery is suffering from a muscular injury, while Rafinha's is ligament related. However, Sport Bild's Tobias Altschäffl suggests that Rafinha's injury isn't very serious, but Bayern could be without Ribery for several weeks.

Verletzungs-Update: Rafinha-Verletzung wohl nicht so schlimm. Ribery droht jedoch mehrere Wochen auszufallen @SPORTBILD #FCBayern

— Tobias Altschäffl (@altobelli13) January 28, 2015

While Bayern does have a somewhat natural replacement for Ribery in Mario Götze, it's with replacing Rafinha that the club may find more difficult. We haven't seen Pep Guardiola go with a three centerback backline yet this season in the league, so it's more likely that either Sebastian Rode or Mitchell Weiser get the start at the right sided position in a back three.

However, since Guardiola is the coach, he could think of a new wrinkle to throw at Wolfsburg that surprises everyone.

UPDATE:

Bayern have information on the injuries suffered by the two players. Ribery is out for at least two weeks.

Ribéry tore a muscle in the back of his right thigh and will definitely miss three matches: Friday's clash with the team lying second in the table, the home meeting with Schalke the following Tuesday and the trip to VfB Stuttgart four days later.

Unfortunately, Rafinha's expected absence is of similar length.

Right-back Rafinha sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his left ankle and will also be unable to train for around two weeks.