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'Ribery thinks he is like Ronaldo and Messi!'

Franck Ribéry

Franck Ribery still sees himself as being on the level occupied by Cristiano Ronaldo and Lionel Messi, according to former Bayern Munich star Markus Babbel.

Babbel has slammed Ribery, who is out injured after suffering a serious knee ligament injury against Hertha Berlin on Sunday, in the wake of Carlo Ancelotti's sacking as Bayern head coach.

Ancelotti was removed from his position last week after a 3-0 Champions League defeat away to ex employers Paris Saint-Germain, in which he left big names like Ribery and Arjen Robben on the substitutes' bench.

Babbel was frustrated to see the blame for Bayern's slow start to 2017-18 placed on Ancelotti and feels Ribery, 34, represents a fading force.

"Franck Ribery has not scored a goal in the Champions League in the last two years," Babbel said to Sky 90.

"He still sees himself on the same level as Cristiano Ronaldo or Lionel Messi. But the truth is different. The truth is when it matters, he is not there.

"It is a bit annoying for me that the whole thing is now shifted to Carlo Ancelotti. Ribery has great merits for the club and has been a fantastic player. But this position he once held is one he cannot now fulfil in my eyes."

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Ribery threw his shirt into the substitutes' bench when Ancelotti replaced him in the closing stages of last month's home Champions League win over Anderlecht.

"This is an absolute no-go for me," added Babbel, who won three Bundesliga titles with Bayern.

"The club would have had to react – but this is exactly the problem. If Franck Ribery is offended, he calls Uli Hoeness and then you have already lost as a coach.

"For me, some Bayern players live too much in the past. We were world champions, we won the Champions League many times.

"But it is about the actual state of the team and I would be very surprised if Carlo Ancelotti did not recognise this and set his team up accordingly [against PSG]."

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