11.04.2015 20:20 h

Bayern coach prays for no more injuries ahead of Porto

Pep Guardiola is hoping for no more casualties as Bayern Munich face an injury crisis ahead of Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final, first leg, at Porto.

Robert Lewandowski scored twice in Bayern's 3-0 league win at home to Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, but with just four replacements on the bench, Guardiola was missing a host of stars.

Arjen Robben, David Alaba, Franck Ribery, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Jerome Boateng and Medhi Benatia were ruled out with either injury or illness for the Bundesliga leaders.

"We were missing three-quarters of the squad," claimed chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

Guardiola should have Ribery, Schweinsteiger and Boateng available again when they fly on Monday for Wednesday's clash at Porto's Estadio do Dragao, while goalkeeper Manuel Neuer was rested against Frankfurt.

Nevertheless, Bayern appeared to be in rude health at Munich's Allianz Arena as Lewandowski produced a superb turn-and-volley to give them an early lead.

He headed their second after the break before Mueller added the third from a seemingly-impossible angle eight minutes from time.

"You could see that we had no chance," rued Eintracht's coach Thomas Schaaf, who had captain Alexander Meier, the league's top scorer, ruled out with a knee injury on Friday.

Guardiola says regeneration is now the key as he hopes to get a few of the walking wounded back on the pitch before their away match in Portugal.

"I am very, very proud, we dominated and played well," said the Spaniard, who had described Bayern's current injury situation as "the worst in my career".

"I just hope that no-one else gets injured against Porto.

"I think to myself before each game, 'please, please hopefully no one gets injured'.

"Sometimes the legs are tired, sometimes they feel good, but the main thing is that the head always reacts.

"We need three wins more to be able top defend our (Bundesliga) title, but now we have to focus on an entirely different competition."

Having suffered just two domestic defeats all season, Bayern will be confirmed German league champions for their game at Bayer Leverkusen on May 2 if they take nine points from their next three games.

But having needed extra time and a penalty shoot-out to beat Leverkusen in the German Cup quarter-finals last Wednesday, their busy schedule is taking a heavy toll.

"We still have a good team, but it is a question of how long we can keep going" said captain Philipp Lahm.

With 16 goals to his credit, Lewandowski is on course to reclaim the trophy he won as the league's top scorer last season and he is currently three short of Meier's tally of 19.

"If he keeps playing the way he is, he'll defend his trophy"," said Rummenigge, while Guardiola added the Poland striker had "helped us a bit" with his double strike.