Ribery proud after making victorious Bayern Munich farewell

Franck Ribery hailed the DFB-Pokal final win over RB Leipzig as the perfect way to end his Bayern Munich career.

Robert Lewandowski’s brace, either side of a blistering finish from Kingsley Coman, saw Bayern see off Leipzig 3-0 in Berlin on Saturday.

Having bid farewell to the Allianz Arena with a goal in Bayern’s victory over Eintracht Frankfurt last time out, Ribery – who along with Arjen Robben and Rafinha will now leave the club – came on from the bench as Niko Kovac’s side secured a domestic double.

And the 36-year-old acknowledged that the triumph was a bittersweet way to call time on his 12-year stint at Bayern.

“I’m just happy,” Ribery said. “This is how I imagined it to be, winning this title in the end.

“I am very proud of the performance today, of the whole team. 

“Of course I am a bit sad that these years at Bayern have ended. Even when I was sitting on the bench, I was quite emotional watching them play.

“I was happy to be a part of it one last time.”

1000 – @ArjenRobben (309), @FranckRibery (425) and @R13_official (266) made exactly 1000 appearances combined in all competitions for @FCBayernEN. Millennium. pic.twitter.com/qCtVGOh2qR

— OptaFranz (@OptaFranz) May 25, 2019

Leipzig, playing in their first major final, started well, with Manuel Neuer making a brilliant save to deny Yussuf Poulsen an opener before Lewandowski’s exceptional header put Bayern ahead in the 29th minute.

Neuer made another vital stop early in the second half from Emil Forsberg, with Timo Werner also having an effort cleared off the line.

Bayern made their good fortune count and, after Coman had hammered home, Lewandowski rounded off the win with a delicate lob.

“Of course it is disappointing,” said Leipzig forward Poulsen.

“I think we played a good game all over. We were the best team in the first half but didn’t take our chances, and you’re going to lose if you don’t take the chances that we created.

“They have to be glad that they have a good goalkeeper. The first half an hour we were really good. There will be a moment to be proud, but not today.”