Bayern hold firm after Ribery's 'Real or nothing' demands

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BERLIN, July 3, 2009 (AFP) - Bayern Munich's star midfielder Franck Ribery admitted Friday he wants to leave the Bundesliga giants for Real Madrid while the Germans are insisting he will stay.

"I have decided: I want to leave," the 26-year-old midfielder told L'Equipe with the new Bundesliga season set to begin on August 7.

"It will be Real or nothing at all."

But Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has always insisted Ribery will stay.

Dutch coach Louis van Gaal took his first session on Wednesday since joining from AZ Alkmaar, but Ribery trained for only 45 minutes on Thursday morning before he quit with blisters and he completely missed the afternoon session.

"We are completely relaxed about the issue," said the Bayern boss.

"I have heard the statement from Franck: Either Real or nothing.

"And our clear answer is: nothing. Franck stays."

And Bayern are standing their ground with Manchester United, Chelsea and Barcelona all also reported to be interested in signing the Frenchman.

"There is the clear statement that we want to keep Franck in Munich," said team manager Uli Hoeness, who then joked about the situation.

"I wonder if Real's negotiator Pedro Jimenez knows the game Monopoly.

"It is a game we play here in Germany with children, Bayern played it two years ago and bought Park Lane, we have built four hotels on it.

"We will only let it go if we are broke or in an emergency.

"It is simply the case it is too valuable to us and expensive.

"Only if someone wanted to make a completely crazy bid would we consider it."

Madrid have already splashed out well over a hundred million euros this summer for superstars Cristiano Ronaldo and Kaka as president Florentino Perez looks to recreate the Galacticos of 2004 when Zinedine Zidane, Michael Owen and David Beckham all played for Real.