Former Bundesliga referee Thorsten Kinhofer has labelled Bayern Munich winger Franck RIbery as a "ticking time bomb" after seeing the Frenchman narrowly avoid being sent off in the club's recent Cup win at CZ Jena.
Ribery hitJena defender Matthias Kuhne's head while fighting for the ball in the 5-0 win, but it's not the first time this season - even while it's barely started - that his temperament has been called into question.
Heappeared to elbow Borussia Dortmund right-back Felix Passlack twice in Bayern's recent Super Cup win over them, and both head coach Carlo Ancelotti and captain Philipp Lahm have warned the player his conduct and attitude could land him in trouble.
Now Kinhofer has had his say, according toESPN,uttering:"Franck Ribery is a ticking time bomb.
"Sure, he gets fouled a lot, but he is also easily irritated. The opponents try to make use of that by provoking him. It can also be tactics.The question is whether he's willing to learn at his age.
"You also have to make the club discharge its duties to appeal to him."
Kuhne, who was the victim in this case, spoke after the match himself but refused to spice things up too much with the Frenchman: "You should not overrate it - I do believe that he used his elbow, but it was all within the limits, and thus not an unfair situation.
"Still, it'll be interesting to see how he'll be perceived by the Bundesliga refs this season."
"I can't guarantee anything."
Philipp Lahm says he has warned Franck Ribery over his temperament. https://t.co/0tsOnbTrVA
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