Franck Ribery thinking of leaving Italy after robbery

While the Bayern Munich family across the globe was undoubtedly in high spirits over the past weekend following the team’s 4-2 win over Bayer 04 Leverkusen in the DFB-Pokal Final, one member of said family had his spirits dampened considerably: Franck Ribery.

The current Fiorentina winger, who said goodbye to Munich after a 12-year spell with Bayern, came home after a 2-1 win over Parma on Sunday only to find his house robbed.

Ribery posted a statement on his social media detailing the incident. He explained that his wife’s jewelry and some handbags were among the stolen goods. However, Ribery’s main concern does not seem to be the lost items, but the security of his family.

On returning from this win against Parma, I came back home. This “home” in Italy, the country where I decided to continue my career after so many nice years in Munich. Here’s what I discovered... So yes, my wife lost some handbags, some jewelry, but Alhamdulillah that’s not essential. What shocks me is this impression of being naked, of having your pants pulled down, and that, that isn’t right, that’s unacceptable. Thank God my wife, my children were safe in Munich, but how can we feel confident today? How can I/we feel good here today after this? I don’t chase after the millions - by grace of God I lack nothing — but rather I always run after the ball, because that’s my passion. But passion or not, my family comes first, and we will make the decisions necessary for our well-being.

Despite the fact that they were thankfully unharmed, Ribery was troubled by the potential threat to his wife and children. It may not be a stretch to think that he may be pondering an exit from the area he currently resides in and even from the country of Italy as a whole.

Meanwhile, Fiorentina president Rocco Commisso spoke with Ribery over the phone on Monday and offered his support. “We’ll do everything we can to help Franck feel safe again and help him through this difficult time,” he said. “I’m sure that the Fiorentina family will show solidarity with Franck by making him feel the love we all have for him.”

After leaving Munich at the end of last season, Ribery has enjoyed a successful season in Italy. Despite being sidelined with an ankle ligament injury for around six months, he has performed well in the games he has played, and has starred in all four of Fiorentina’s games since Serie A restarted after the COVID-19 lockdown. The Frenchman was even named the league’s Player of the Month in September at the ripe old age of 36, so it is no wonder that Fiorentina is determined to keep him until his contract expires in 2021.

Whether Ribery moves away from Florence remains to be seen, but one thing is for certain: the Bayern family will always support Ribery. Stay strong, Franck!