Bayern Defender Laments 'Unfair' Manager Niko Kovac After Being Pushed Out of First Team Plans

Bayern Munich defender Rafinha has slammed his manager Niko Kovač for the way he's been treated since announcing his intentions to leave the club at the end of the season.

The 33-year-old announced back in January that his eight-year spell at the Allianz Arena would be coming to an end once his contract expires this summer, something which has apparently sparked a reaction from head coach Kovač.

Rafinha said that the Croatian has been unfair to him since his announcement, adding that he's being forced to motivate himself in training due to the lack of support from above.

"At the moment the coach is not fair to me," Rafinha told Bild. "I bring my performance in training but it is difficult to motivate myself."

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While the former Brazil international has been starved of game time under Kovač - he's started just six Bundesliga games this season - Rafinha will be called upon next month when Liverpool visit Bavaria in the second leg of their Champions League knockout stage match.

Joshua Kimmich picked up a suspension at Anfield last week and has been ruled out, but Rafinha claims it will be hard to prepare for his matchup against Jürgen Klopp's side due to his lack of playing time.

"f you do not get minutes, it's hard to prepare for it," he added ahead of Liverpool's visit, quoted by Goal. "I do my work and train well, but the coach does not count on me.

"I do not know why. I have not made any problems. But of course, I am disappointed. I played under all coaches here at Bayern Munich, whether under [Pep] Guardiola, [Jupp] Heynckes or [Carlo] Ancelotti."

Rafinha, a former Schalke 04 player, has made 257 appearances for Bayern Munich since arriving from Italian side Genoa in 2011, scoring six goals and claiming 29 assists from right-back.

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But he has been firmly on the fringes of Bayern's first team since the turn of the year and opportunities don't look like they'll improve before they face Liverpool, with Kovač's side still to play Borussia Mönchengladbach and VfL Wolfsburg.