Slipped disc sets back Bayern´s Podolski

Luckless Lukas Podolski has suffered a further injury setback with a slipped disc and will be missing when Bayern Munich resume their Bundesliga campaign on Friday. After last summer's knee injury, the 22-year-old, voted the best young player at the 2006 World Cup, struggled to break into the Bayern first team with first-choice strikers Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni blocking his path. Bayern's coach Ottmar Hitzfeld confirmed the news to German sports agency SID on Sunday with the Bundesliga leaders back in action on Friday night when they are at Hansa Rostock. More will be known when Podolski has a thorough medical examination on Monday and it is unclear how long he will be out for, but the striker will definitely be absent from Tuesday night's German Cup match against third division Wuppentaler.