Schweinsteiger to Undergo More Ankle Surgery

Bastian Schweinsteiger is to undergo another operation on his right ankle, ruling the Germany midfielder out indefinitely.

The 29-year-old Schweinsteiger, who underwent surgery on the troublesome ankle in July, needs another operation after failing to recover as planned from the previous one, Bayern Munich announced on its website on Friday.

Bayern doctor Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt said "increasing ossification" was observed in the ankle during recent check-ups and that this leads to tendinitis, an inflammation of the tendon linking muscle to the bone.

The club said no sufficient improvement could be made "despite intensive conservative measures" and the player's further participation in training or matches "is no longer possible."

"The last weeks were again very painful for me," Schweinsteiger said. "I kept trying but am now at a point where surgery is no longer avoidable. I hope to be able to play football completely free of pain again after the operation."

Schweinsteiger has played in each of Bayern's 11 Bundesliga games but failed to display the same level of performance that earned him last season's player of the year award in Germany.

He will miss Germany's upcoming friendlies with Italy and England.