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Bayern blow as final appeal on Ribery rejected

MUNICH - Bayern Munich midfielder Franck Ribery will miss Saturday’s Champions League final against Inter Milan after the German club failed in their last attempt to overturn a ban on Monday.

Bayern’s appeal against a three-match suspension imposed on the Frenchman for a bad tackle in the semi-finals against Olympique Lyon was rejected by the Court of Arbitration for Sport (CAS).

It means Bayern will be without one of their two most creative players as they take on one of Europe’s best defences but coach Louis van Gaal was prepared to shrug off the loss.

“We do not depend on (Arjen) Robben or Ribery,” Van Gaal told reporters on Monday before CAS announced the decision. “You (reporters) have said we depend on them but we have said it often that we do not depend on them.”

Ribery, who has already served one match of the ban, was dismissed for a high, late challenge on Lisandro Lopez.

Ribery was replaced by Hamit Altintop for the second leg against Lyon with the Turkish player winning praise for his performance.

“Hamit is in very good form,” Bayern midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger told reporters.

“Individually Franck is a great player but if you saw what Hamit did in Lyon then there is no concern. Hamit is also more active in the defence,” said the Germany international.

Van Gaal, who will come up against his former assistant at Barcelona Jose Mourinho, now the Inter coach, said he would not change his gameplan for the final.

“I coach my players to play attractive football and win and he (Mourinho) coaches only to win,” said van Gaal.