Ribery eyes lifelong Bayern stay

Franck Ribery can imagine staying with Bayern Munich "forever" after finding some of the best form of his career over the past six months. The French midfielder scored eight and created a further nine goals to help Bayern open up a three-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga table at the midway stage of the season. Speaking to the Bild am Sonntag newspaper at Bayern's winter training camp in Qatar, he revealed how happy he is with his football and how settled he now feels in Munich. "Munich is more than just a second home to me," he said. "I can imagine staying here forever. Who knows, maybe I will become the club's second president alongside Uli Hoeness. But seriously, we are very happy here and you could say I am happier than I have ever been." Ribery believes he has a lot to thank Bayern for after a difficult few years both on and off the field. "Uli Hoeness and [chairman] Karl-Heinz Rummenigge have always stood by me," he said. "They have always supported me and my family and I am very thankful to them for it. I have never seen such a strong heart within a football club - it is unique to FC Bayern. "I had a difficult two or three years and, to be totally honest, such a period really ruins you, also mentally. But when you come through it and things go as well as they are going now, then you treasure it even more." And Ribery is now looking forward to the remaining four months of the season, which he hopes will culminate in the ultimate joy of winning the UEFA Champions League in the Allianz Arena. "I desperately want to reach the Champions League final," he said. "Sadly, I was suspended in 2010 and that was disappointing. My dream is to gift Uli Hoeness the Champions League title on 19 May, but the league is also important. I have a good feeling and the whole team is training well and is extremely ambitious. "I want to play as well as I have done for the past five months, then I also have the chance of winning the footballer of the year award like in my first season here. But winning titles with Bayern is more important than that."