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Bayern Munich's Uli Hoeness wants Karim Bellarabi banned for 'malicious' Rafinha foul

Rafinha was injured as Bayern Munich beat Bayer Leverkusen. A. Beier/Getty Images for FC Bayern

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has said Bayer Leverkusen winger Karim Bellarabi should be banned for three months for the "malicious wounding" of Rafinha at the weekend.

Germany international Bellarabi was sent off for his foul on the full-back, who suffered a partial tear of ligaments in his left ankle, as Bayern maintained their 100 percent Bundesliga record with a 3-1 win.

The defending champions also lost Corentin Tolisso to a cruciate ligament injury, with the midfielder expected to be sidelined for the majority of the season.

"You can't blame Leverkusen for playing too rough today. Nobody is to blame for Tolisso's injury," Hoeness told reporters.

"But the foul [on Rafinha] was malicious wounding. He [Bellarabi] must be banned for three months for stupidity. You don't act like that, especially not on the halfway line."

On Sunday, Bellarabi used a post on Instagram to apologise for his "unnecessary" foul, but Bayern coach Niko Kovac said: "We are three matchdays into the season, and I get the impression we are a fair game."

Statistics show that Bayern players have so far been fouled 34 times so far this season, eight times fewer than those of Fortuna Dusseldorf.

The injuries have left Bayern with only 16 outfield players available ahead of a busy schedule in the Bundesliga and the Champions League.

David Alaba and Joshua Kimmich are the only two fit full-backs, although Serge Gnabry played in that role in preseason and youngsters such as Jonathan Maier could be given a chance. "Our squad is big enough to absorb it," Hoeness said.