Ribery a doubt for play-offs

IRELAND’S hope of reaching next year’s World Cup finals received a significant boost last night after respected magazine France Football reported Franck Ribery is a major doubt for next month’s play-offs.

The French star, who has already been sidelined for a month, is suffering from tendonitis in his left knee, an injury which he aggravated while playing for Bayern Munich against Juventus in September in the Champions League.

The injury now requires “a new period of rest of approximately one month,’’ the magazine reported.

And given that Ireland’s ties with France will be contested on 14 and 18 November Ribery is now facing an uphill struggle to be fit to play a part in either clash.

The magazine added that the midfielder visited knee specialist Professor Jean-Henri Jaeger in Strasbourg on Tuesday.

Ireland host France first at Croke Park before the return leg at the Stade de France four days later.