Bayern starlet faces spell out

Paulo Guerrero's hopes of breaking into Bayern Munich's first team were dealt a heavy blow this week by the news that the highly-talented forward had sustained a knee ligament injury which will keep him out of action for several months.

The 20-year-old Peruvian appeared to be on the verge of breaking into Felix Magath's team after enjoying an excellent run with Bayern's third-division amateur team last season, but Guerrero suffered the injury during a friendly match earlier this week.

Magath, who replaced Ottmar Hitzfeld on the coaching bench, is a keen admirer of the youngster and had hoped that he was ready to challenge the likes of Roy Makaay, Roque Santa Cruz, Peruvian international Claudio Pizarro and the newly-recruited Iranian Vahid Hashemian for a place in Bayern's attack.

Guerrero's bad luck means that he will join his compatriot Pizarro on the sidelines after the 25-year-old suffered a head injury while representing his country at the Copa America.