Franck Ribery has stressed that he would never play for another European club and also revealed that Pep Guardiola is the greatest coach he has every played under. Speaking ahead of Bayern Munich’s first game of the Ruckrunde, he made it clear that he wants to end his top level career at Bayern Munich, but failed to rule out to a move to Dubai or MLS before hanging up his boots for good.
The French winger is contracted with the Bundesliga record holders until 2017, he has evolved into a key and indispensible player at the Allianz Arena since joining from French club Olympique Marseille in 2007. In his eight years at the club thus far, he has notched up nearly 300 appearances in all competition for the German giants.
"There will not be another club after Bayern," Ribery was quoted as saying by TZ. "I don't want to go to another club in the future. Perhaps I might go for a completely different experience and play in the USA or Dubai for one season. But I will never play for another club than Bayern again in Europe. I have too much respect for the club and for everything they have done for me."
Ribery also piled on the praise on Bayern boss Guardiola, whose future is the subject of much debate, with the Spaniard being linked with a return to La Liga giants Barcelona when his contract expires next year.
"He is without a doubt the best coach I have ever had," the French attacker added. "I have never met a trainer who knows so much about the game. The level of detail he can go into... I have a great relationship with him. It's great that he joined Bayern.
He already won a lot at Barcelona and took his qualities with him to Bayern. We learned a lot in his first season here. Things are going even better now we fully understand him. He is a great coach who tries new things all the time. I think he will stay at Bayern until after 2016, but the final decision is up to him."
The unfortunate news for the 33-year-old, he is expected to miss Bayern's clash with Wolfsburg on Friday due to injury.