Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer has vowed to stand by struggling playmaker Mario Gotze.
The Germany international has fallen down the pecking order at the Allianz Arena and only featured for the final few minutes of the Champions League game against Barcelona on Tuesday, despite the Bavarians' current injury crisis.
Honorary club president Franz Beckenbauer has been a vocal critic of the former Borussia Dortmund midfielder's attitude and performances, but Sammer has pledged to give Gotze time to prove himself.
"Mario has a contract, so why should he have no future?" Sammer told Bild.
"He is a young player and many of them need a bit of time. We are by his side, we'll help him. He has our full support and of course we need him."
Midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger, meanwhile, says he has sympathy for Gotze's struggles and has backed him to prove his detractors wrong.
"It's never easy, especially at a top club when there are 13, 14, 15 players at the same level," he added.
"It's not easy for the coach or the players. Any player in our squad does a good job. He's just a young player who needs a bit of faith.
"I can speak from experience. When I was young, there were several times when I didn't play either.
"He's a good guy. He has the right character."
Germany team manager Oliver Bierhoff has also pledged his support to the World Cup winner, who has recently been linked with a move away from the German champions.
Bierhoff believes Gotze has unfairly been made a scapegoat for the club's recent struggles.
The former Borussia Dortmund playmaker has been far from his best in recent months and often failed to make Pep Guardiola's starting XI despite their current injury crisis.
Gotze was left on the bench again as Bayern beat Barcelona 3-2 on Tuesday night in the second leg of their Champions League final but exited the competition 5-3 on aggregate.
Germany legend Beckenbauer accused Gotze of being immature last week before saying that "he could play for another 30 years without matching Lionel Messi".
However, Bierhoff feels that assessment is unfair, saying the World Cup winner has always been a model professional.
"In principle, I just have to say that I find it unspeakable that everyone is picking on Mario," he told Sky Germany.
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