Klose demands starting role at Bayern Munich

Germany striker Miroslav Klose has demanded he starts for Bayern Munich against ex-club Kaiserslautern today and has told coach Louis van Gaal he is not interested in a place on the bench.

Although he is second-choice at Bayern behind Germany colleague Mario Gomez, the 32-year-old Klose has an impressive goal-scoring record and is desperate to face his former club in the German league at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

After more than a decade he has scored 113 goals in 279 Bundesliga games for Kaiserslautern, Werder Bremen and Bayern and with 58 goals for the national team, he is second on the list of all-time German goalscorers.

“I am fit, I am in form,” Klose told reporters.

“I want to fight to get my place back in the starting line-up. My place is not on the bench.”

Having spent 90 minutes on the bench last Saturday in the 1-1 draw with Wolfsburg, Klose is far from happy to be given limited chances behind Gomez, who has netted 12 league goals all season.

Having scored four goals in South Africa at last year’s World Cup, Klose suffered a torn leg muscle in October which has limited to just one league appearance since.

“I want to prove to the coach that he cannot do without me,” said Klose.

The forward is out of contract in the summer, but refuses to talk about leaving Bayern.

“I know I can still score some important goals for Bayern.”