Bayern Munich's under-pressure coach Louis van Gaal has suspended want-away Italian striker Luca Toni because of a complete breakdown in their relationship, the club announced Wednesday.

Van Gaal, whose own position is shaky five months into the job after a disastrous run of form by the German giants, has thrown Toni out for Wednesday's make-or-break UEFA Champions League clash with Maccabi Haifa.

There is little love lost between the Dutchman and his Italian star who has expressed a desire to quit the German giants during January's winter break. "We cannot accept this behaviour from him, he must change it," van Gaal told German magazine Kicker.

Everything has borders and our relationship is nearly at the end. I would like to return to Italy so I can start scoring goals again and get back into the national team.
Toni on his relationship with Van Gaal

The Dutchman ruled out a fine for the Italian who has made no secret of his frustration about being left on the bench for most of this season. Signed from Italian side Fiorentina in 2007, Toni was the Bundesliga's top scorer in his first season, with 24 goals in 31 league games on the way to Bayern winning the German title.

But after struggling with injury last season, Toni has seen Germany's stars Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose, plus promising youngster Thomas Mueller, dominate the forward positions. Having made just four league appearances this season since van Gaal took over on at the start of July, the 32-year-old Toni has become increasingly frustrated.

Toni stormed out of Bayern's 1-1 draw with Schalke 04 in the Bundesliga on 7 November after the coach replaced him at half-time and the Italian was later fined for his conduct and apologised. He was then left out of the match day squad for Bayern's 1-1 draw with league-leaders Leverkusen last Sunday.

It looks increasingly likely Toni will be sold during the Bundesliga's winter break in January and the Italian has already dropped hints saying he has a good relationship with Roma captain Francesco Totti. On Tuesday Toni let it all come out.

"For four months, I have had a problem with van Gaal," Toni told Italian television station RAI 3. "Everything has borders and our relationship is nearly at the end. I would like to return to Italy so I can start scoring goals again and get back into the national team.

Van Gaal trouble
Munich's chronic lack of top form under van Gaal has left them seventh in the Bundesliga. If Bayern suffer an embarrassing home defeat to Haifa, their Champions League campaign would be dead and buried - and possibly van Gaal's job with it.

The Dutchman has been given an ultimatum that he must win his next four Bundesliga games, or face the consequences, by the German giants' director of sport Christian Nerlinger.

Van Gaal's side have drawn their last three league games and the Dutchman has been told his side must beat Hanover this Sunday as well as Borussia Moenchengladbach, Bochum and Hertha Berlin. On paper, none of those sides should present van Gaal's star-studded Bayern side with any problems, but with confidence low, the Dutchman badly needs all 12 points before the winter break.

"He simply must win the four games," said Nerlinger with minnows Mainz now ahead of Bayern in the league table. "Now things must start looking up again, it is not acceptable that Mainz are ahead of us in the league. We know van Gaal is a coaching expert, but now he must start showing proof of that."