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Carvajal: I would love to go back to Real Madrid
The Blancos youth product joined Bayer Leverkusen last year but remains keen on a Bernabeu return and sees his former side as favourites over Dortmund in the Champions League
Farfan: I want to win the Bundesliga with Schalke
The 28-year-old winger is confident his side can challenge Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund next season
Ronaldinho: Hummels would be a good signing for Barcelona
The Brazilian forward has nothing but praise for the defender and Mario Gotze, and is optimistic about the Blaugrana's chances in the Champions League
Schweinsteiger is a bull, says Javi Martinez
The 24-year-old has praised the Germany international and thanked him for helping to make his transition to life at the club a smooth one
I reached new levels at Madrid - Sahin
The Dortmund midfielder feels his ability improved during his time in Spain despite his lack of playing time and insists he was right to return to Germany
Gundogan: I want to play in Spain or England
The midfielder has stressed he is happy to pen a new deal to remain with Borussia Dortmund for the time being, but believes his future lies abroad
Shaqiri not at Ribery's level - Hoeness
The FCB supremo says the former Basel winger must improve, while the attacker himself remains humble
Tottenham outcast Gomes yearning for PSV return
Spurs' forgotten man is currently plying his trade out on loan at Hoffenheim but, with first-team opportunities lacking at White Hart Lane, he prefers a move to Netherlands
Madrid will up their game vs Dortmund, says Sahin
The midfielder, who is on an 18-month loan from the Blancos at Signal Iduna Park, also revealed his intention to become the best player in the Bundesliga once again
Dortmund captain Kehl extends contract to 2014
The veteran BVB midfielder has been a huge part of the squad since joining in 2002 and has been rewarded for his performances this season with a one-year extension
Schurrle is attracting interest - Voller
The 22-year-old is thought to be close to agreeing a move to Chelsea in a €22 million move, with Kevin De Bruyne joining Leverkusen on loan as part of the deal
Draxler 'dreams' of Real Madrid
The Germany international has caught the attention of a number of European giants and he would relish the chance to move to the Santiago Bernabeu side
Ronaldo can pip Messi to Ballon d'Or, says Metzelder
The German defender feels his former team-mate has every chance of winning the individual award this year and has hailed his professionalism
Shaqiri was world class, says Sammer
The FCB supremo was not entirely pleased with his side's performance in the opening 60 minutes, but was impressed with the Swiss attacker's display
Javi Martinez urges Bayern focus in treble quest
The midfielder admits it is impossible to ignore all talk of silverware, but is determined not to be distracted
Watzke: Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund not dominant
The BVB chief responds to observations the Bundesliga's two biggest clubs have taken over Germany's top flight in a similar fashion to their Spanish counterparts
Heynckes: I would rather call Cruyff than Pep
The experienced coach feels the Dutchman would be a better source of advice about Barcelona than his successor at the Allianz Arena
Rummenigge pushes to abolish Bundesliga summer break
The Bayern Munich chairman says the league should get rid of their summer break in order to begin preparing for sweltering weather conditions expected at the Qatar World Cup
Calling us a B-Team is disrespectful, says Boateng
The Bayern Munich defender has defended the quality of the XI put out by Jupp Heynckes for the 4-0 Bavarian derby win over Nurnberg on Saturday
There is a German player I like...' - Rosell
The Barcelona president has admitted that he could make a move for a Bundesliga star as rumours over a move for Mats Hummels continue to grow
Hoeness: I'm just objective, not arrogant
The Bayern Munich president has played down the significance of his comments claiming Borussia Dortmund were the easiest of the four Champions League semi-finalists
Hojbjerg: I was wetting myself on Bayern debut
The promising youngster was over the moon with his first-team debut on Saturday, even though he needed some time to find his feet after coming off the bench
Rummenigge: Harmony key to Bayern success
The 57-year-old is convinced Roten's success this season is down to a peaceful behind-the-scenes environment and says he is in the dark over Mario Gomez's future with the club
Felipe Santana unsure over future
The Brazilian is eager to represent his country at the World Cup and may leave Borussia Dortmund in search of first-team action
Bayern will rule Europe under Guardiola, says Breitner
Die Roten's advisor predicts the club will be unstoppable once their new coach has imposed his methods on the team, anticipating further improvement in the Bavarians
Big-spending owners 'not fair' on other clubs, says Watzke
The Borussia Dortmund chief slams the culture of billionaire investors in football, stressing that owners from the Arab world do not have the best blueprint for success
Gomez unhappy about Bayern situation, says agent
The Germany star has lost his place in the Bavarians' first team this season and the player's representative has warned that it cannot stay that way
The Borussia Dortmund boss feels that Bayern Munich could pull away from the rest of the division, as Celtic have done in the SPL this season
Borussia Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp has expressed his fears that the Bundesliga could become like the Scottish Premier League, with Bayern Munich dominating the competition.
With BVB and the Bavarians leading the rest of the division's teams, Roten president Uli Hoeness had said that it could become like La Liga, where Barcelona and Real Madrid hold a duopoly.
However, when asked at a press conference about whether he thought the German top flight would come to represent the Primera Division, Klopp said: "I have to watch what I say: unfortunately, no.
"I fear a situation like Scotland with only one team. Next year, we will see the Bayern team and say: 'Oops!'. Hoeness will not have been right about 'Spanish conditions'."
Bayern can equal BVB's record points haul of 81 with a victory over Hannover at the AWD Arena on Saturday.
The newly crowned champions hold a huge 20-point lead over the Schwarzgelben.
Hoeness admits Heynckes rift following Guardiola appointment
By Sam Goold
Apr 19, 2013 12:23:00 AM
The Bayern Munich president has revealed the pair have had their issues in light of the impending arrival of the former Barcelona boss
Uli Hoeness has admitted there was a rift between him and coach Jupp Heynckes following the announcement that Pep Guardiola would join the club in the summer.
Heynckes, who left Bayern Munich for Bayer Leverkusen in 2009, was reinstalled at the Allianz Arena helm in 2011 in a bid to halt the charge of Borussia Dortmund.
Since then, the 67-year-old has successfully wrestled the Bundesliga title from BVB's grasp this season and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League, as well as the final of the DFB-Pokal.
However, Hoeness' decision to reveal Guardiola would replace Heynckes at the end of the campaign led to a souring of relations between the club president and current coach.
The 61-year-old told sport: “I admit, there was some tension between Jupp and I. But that has completely returned to normal. Jupp and I are friends and we'll stay that way."
Bayern have become the fastest team to secure the league title in the history of the Bundesliga, and Hoeness believes they must thank their rivals Dortmund, who have forced Bayern to improve.
"We are grateful to Dortmund. They have really challenged us and thus led to another level. Thanks to BVB we have become so strong. Dortmund is not a fluke. They will be a permanent adversary."
Greuther Furth kept their slim hopes of Bundesliga survival alive with a 1-0 win against local rivals Nuremburg on Sunday.
Johannes Geis scored the decisive goal in the 27th minute with a superb strike from outside the box that flew past Nuremburg goalkeeper Raphael Schafer.
Nuremburg fought relentlessly in search of an equaliser, but failed to find a way past a resilient Wolfgang Hesl in goal.
Bottom side Furth moved within nine points of an unlikely relegation playoff spot, while Nuremburg slumped to their second straight loss after going down to leaders Bayern Munich last week.
Meanwhile, Stuttgart climbed to within six points of a Europa League berth after beating fifth-placed Freiburg 2-1.
Christian Gentner and Vedad Ibisevic scored in the opening half for Stuttgart, while Ivan Santini netted a late consolation for the visitors.
Holzhauser calls for Schurrle resolution
The Bayer Leverkusen general manager is eager for the future of the young attacker to be resolved quickly as Chelsea continue their pursuit
Gotze's Bayern switch inevitable, says Hitzfeld
The former BVB & Roten coach says he is surprised that the Dortmund star did not make the move to the Allianz Arena sooner and believes he will fulfill his potential in Munich
Klopp: Guardiola signed Gotze
The Borussia Dortmund coach has revealed that the Germany attacker wants to play under the Bavarians' new coach as he comes to terms with the sale of one of his star players
Gotze deal hastens one-team Bundesliga
Bayern Munich's acquisition of the Germany star from Borussia Dortmund proves that Jurgen Klopp's fears of a one-team league were entirely founded
Bayern announce Gotze signing
Die Roten have confirmed that they have reached an agreement with the Germany international and will meet his buy-out clause to complete the move
Champions League glory is Dortmund's dream, says Santana
The defender is already fantasising about reaching the final at Wembley and says BVB will do everything in their power to make their desires a reality
Chelsea target Schurrle will only be sold if it suits Bayer Leverkusen, says Voller
The sporting director has again spoken out regarding the youngster's reported future move to Stamford Bridge, warning the Blues that any deal must satisfy the Bundesliga outfit
Ribery: Messi is in a class of his own
The France international says the "extraordinary" Argentine is peerless while revealing he is flattered by alleged interest from PSG
Sir Alex Ferguson wary of Bayern Munich interest in Lewandowski
The 71-year-old has admitted that the German champions retain a "strong" interest in the Poland forward and could usurp the Red Devils in the race to sign the 24-year-old
Xavi: Small details will decide 'brutal' Bayern clash
The Barcelona midfielder expects an extremely stern test against a side "in stratospheric form" but believes the tie is on a knife-edge
No contact from Schalke for Felipe Santana, says Heldt
The Schalke chief has dismissed speculation that an imminent move for the Borussia Dortmund defender is about to take place
Heynckes: Bayern have no B team, only an A team
The German coach rested some of his star men for the trip to the AWD Arena but they still racked up another convincing win, thus underlining their incredible strength in depth
Hoeness being investigated for possible tax evasion
By Mark Doyle
Apr 21, 2013 12:20:00 AM
The 61-year-old former West Germany international has confirmed the enquiry is related to the January disclosure of a bank account in Switzerland
Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has revealed he is being investigated by the German Revenue Administration over possible tax evasion.
The former West Germany international declined to discuss the precise details of his case but did confirm it centres on a Swiss bank account.
"I filed a voluntary disclosure about the account to my accountant at the tax office in January 2013," Hoeness is quoted as saying by German magazine Focus.
"I trust fully in the work of the authorities involved in the case and ask for there to be respectful refrain from further enquiries."
Hoeness is currently looking forward to Bayern's eagerly-awaited Champions League clash with Barcelona on Tuesday night.
Bayern always try to weaken rivals, says Dortmund chief Watzke
By Stefan Coerts
Apr 23, 2013 12:35:00 PM
The BVB chief is not impressed with the German champions' transfer strategy in the wake of the announcement that Mario Gotze will join the Roten
Borussia Dortmund general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke has hit out at Bayern Munich following the news that Mario Gotze will leave for Bayern in the summer transfer window.
The newly-crowned Bundesliga champions announced on Tuesday that they have agreed personal terms with the Germany international and will match his €37 million buy-out clause to complete the deal.
Watzke is not impressed with the way Bayern have dealt with the situation, though, and has accused them of deliberately trying to weaken their rivals.
"I believe Bayern have followed the same pattern to achieve success for quite a while and weakening their rivals is part of their strategy," Watzke told Sport Bild.
"We always expect approaches from Munich for our players, regardless of their statements of solidarity.
"We try to fight them with the means we have. It's then up to the players to decide which is the more interesting prospect for them."
Gotze, 20, is a product of the Dortmund youth academy and has made over 100 official appearances for BVB so far.
The attacking midfielder's contract with the Schwarzgelben was due to expire in the summer of 2016.
The former Germany international has heavily criticised the 20-year-old's impending summer move
Lothar Matthaus has spoken out in strong terms against Borussia Dortmund star Mario Gotze's move to Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich confirmed on Tuesday that they had reached an agreement with the attacking midfielder after meeting his €37m buy-out clause. He is now set to join the German champions on July 1.
Matthaus, who played for die Roten for 12 years in two spells between 1984 and 2000, and is Germany's most-capped player, made his feelings on the subject clear, however.
"The fans feel ridiculed," the 52-year-old told Sky Sports News HD, adding that the move was "untrustworthy" and "harmful to all of football."
The former sweeper also argued that the timing of the move was "unfair" and "just amazing".
Gotze is now set to become the most expensive German player ever, having won two Bundesliga titles and one DFB-Pokal in his time with die Borussen.
Dortmund in danger of slipping off the radar after Gotze exit
Apr 24, 2013 9:00:00 AM
With the young playmaker set to leave BVB for Bayern, Klopp’s side could face the same fate as those who challenged the Bavarians before them
COMMENT
By Enis Koylu
After the boom comes the bust. With Dortmund a little over 24 hours from their biggest game in 15 years, the unthinkable happened. The club announced their best player, Mario Gotze, is to join their biggest rivals, Bayern Munich.
In some ways, there was a feeling of inevitabilty to such catastrophic news for Jurgen Klopp's side. As Werder Bremen and Stuttgart will testify, Bayern do not take kindly to anyone challenging their supremacy within Germany and no one has done that more than BVB.
Not only have they bested the Bavarians on the pitch, winning five straight games against them and bagging back-to-back Bundesliga titles and a DFB-Pokal for good measure, but they also humiliated them in the transfer market, pipping them to the signature of Marco Reus.
But, with Gotze leaving in July and Robert Lewandowski set to follow him, Klopp & Co. must be wondering where to go from here. The duo have arguably been their best two players all season, with all due respect to Reus and Ilkay Gundgoan, and their departures would destroy the core of a team who have reached the Champions League semi-finals.
So long | Gotze & Lewandowski are set to leave BVB threadbare
Beyond that, with rumours rife that Lewandowski could follow his now team-mate to the Allianz Arena, Bayern's already near-unbeatable team will boast two more of the Bundesliga's best players.
Of course, Dortmund are not Arsenal - a team happy to trade their best players for money and settle for mediocrity. In Klopp, Michael Zorc and Hans-Joachim Watzke, the club are in the hands of genuinely ambitious men who want to do their best for the team.
In the wake of persistent Lewandowski speculation in February, Goal.com understands a move for Manchester City misfit Edin Dzeko will now be sealed for a fee in the region of €26 million, with Zorc admitting his interest in the striker, while Malaga starlet Isco was among the names touted as a potential replacement for Gotze.
Both are accomplished players, but both are poor imitations of the real thing.
Karl-Heinz Riedle, one of the heroes of the 1997 Dortmund team that won the Champions League, voiced his opinion that the current crop of players are better than the team in which he starred, and any player, regardless of their quality, will struggle to fit in a team built around Gotze.
The future now looks as dark for Dortmund as it did bright just two weeks ago. The hard work they put in for the purpose of challenging Bayern is now left in tatters.
And there are further threats on the horizon. Barcelona, eager to replace the ageing Carles Puyol, have been sniffing around Mats Hummels and Ilkay Gundogan (whose contract expires in two years) - the latter openly admitting that he would consider a move to either Spain or England.
Just when it seemed as though BVB were finally going to announce themselves on the big stage, they have been dealt a critical blow.
All they can do now is focus on the semi-final against Real Madrid. This team have one last chance to defy the odds as they have done so often before. Then, they can plan for the future and work out how to get around the loss of Gotze.
It would be tragic if they went the same way as Bremen, Hamburg, Borussia Monchengladach and Stuttgart.
'We want Lewandowski to stay' - Watzke dismisses Bayern Munich & Manchester United approaches
By Ryan Benson
Apr 24, 2013 11:50:00 PM
The Poland international produced an extraordinary performance for Borussia Dortmund against Real Madrid, scoring four goals, and his employers are not planning to sell him
Borussia Dortmund general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke insists he would rather lose star striker Robert Lewandowski for free next summer than sell him to Bayern Munich or Manchester United.
Reports on Wednesday linked the Poland international with a move to the Bavarians, with the agent of Jupp Heynckes claiming a deal was all but complete for the former Lech Poznan forward.
Lewandowski scored all four goals in Dortmund's thrilling 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the Champions League semi-final first leg on Wednesday night, and Watzke admitted he would rather have the 24-year-old replicating that form at Signal Iduna Park and lose him for free than sell him.
Watzke told ZDF: "I'm surprised [about the claims]. I don't know what agent Heynckes has.
"All the harassing fire from a part of the republic are of no interest to us. The fact is that Robert has a contract with us till 2014.
"Unlike Mario [Gotze] he has no release clause. We want Robert to play next year in Dortmund, for this we will waive a transfer fee.
"But first of all we have to talk with Robert. He is one of our most important players and a great guy.
"We have a good relationship and the transfer fee does not matter. I want him to stay, and in my life a lot of my wishes came true."
Speaking to Sky Germany, Dortmund boss Jurgen Klopp added: "I don't believe Lewandowski is on the run. We won't send him away."
Despite the remarkable win over Jose Mourinho's men on Wednesday, Watzke insisted he was not getting carried away with the second leg at Santiago Bernabeu yet to come.
"I am very proud of the team," he added. "But I'm tense because I know the world will be another in six days."
Amid all the speculation regarding Lewandowski, the player himself refused to be drawn on the rumours linking him with Bayern and was adamant that his focus is firmly on Dortmund.
"I'm concentrating on Borussia," he told reporters. "We have important games in Champions League and the Bundesliga, we have to see what happens then."
Lewandowski: I'll discuss my future at the end of the season
The Poland star insists he will not be drawn on press speculation linking him with summer moves to Bayern Munich and Manchester United
Heynckes: Mandzukic will start against Freiburg
The Croat has missed recent matches due to a combination of suspension and injuries but will return for the clash against Christian Streich's side
Bremen suspend Arnautovic & Elia
The duo were stopped by policemen in the early hours for speeding and the club have excluded them from the squad just a day before they face Bayer Leverkusen
Heynckes plays down Madrid rumours
The 67-year-old says he will not reveal his next move until the expiration of his contract this summer amid reports of a return to the Bernabeu
Eriksen flattered by Dortmund interest
The Dane says "it is great" to be linked with a club like BVB but insisted that he is only focusing on winning the Eredivisie with Ajax
Schalke will not sell Draxler, insists Heldt
The creative midfielder has caught the attention of a number of big European clubs, but the Bundesliga outfit are determined to hold on to him
Arsenal keeping tabs on Adler but no approach yet, says Hamburg sporting director Arnesen
The Gunners are reportedly in the market for a keeper this summer and, with moves for Asmir Begovic or Simon Mignolet looking too costly, attention has turned to the 28-year-old
Bayern deny Lewandowski agreement
The Bundesliga champions have dismissed rumours that they have secured the services of the Dortmund attacker
Chelsea on brink of capturing Andre Schurrle signing, says agent
The 22-year-old Bayer Leverkusen forward has impressed in the Bundesliga this season, and his representative Ingo Haspel is expecting 'positive news' over the player's future
Frankfurt starlet Rode to join Bayern
Club CEO Heribert Bruchhagen has admitted they are powerless to stop the 22-year-old's move to the Bundesliga champions due to their financial power
Dortmund confirm Gotze fee
BVB disclosed the details of the €37 million deal, which will see the playmaker become the most expensive German player in history when he joins Bayern Munich, on Thursday
Huntelaar: I'll stay at Schalke no matter what
The prolific Dutch striker says he will remain at the Veltins Arena even if the side do not qualify for the Champions League, which he concedes would be a "disaster"
Lewandowski will be at Dortmund next season, claims Klopp
The 45-year-old coach says that he has heard nothing of the Poland striker's alleged agreement with Bayern Munich over a summer switch to the Allianz Arena
Iniesta: Bundesliga not better than La Liga
The Spain international believes it would be a mistake to read too much into the significance of the Blaugrana's beating in Bavaria and Dortmund's mauling of Madrid
Lewandowski agent stuns Dortmund with transfer revelation
The striker's representative has brought the club down to earth with a bang after claiming the player will definitely be leaving in the summer
Bayern Munich also have Lewandowski agreement - Heynckes' agent
The coach's representative says the Poland striker will be the next Dortmund player to move to the Allianz Arena this summer following Mario Gotze
Metzelder: Bayern Munich will be watching Draxler
The veteran defender believes that his 19-year-old Schalke team-mate could easily end up moving to the Allianz Arena in the next few seasons
Bundesliga Preview: Bayern out to secure record while Champions League race intensifies
25 April 2013
Bayern Munich return to Bundesliga action on Saturday knowing that a draw will see them break the all-time points record.
Champions Bayern, who equalled the record mark of 81 when they hammered Hannover 6-1 last weekend, take on UEFA Champions League hopefuls Freiburg on the back of an excellent 4-0 win over Spanish giants Barcelona on Tuesday.
Borussia Dortmund, who were convincing winners over Real Madrid on Wednesday, will aim to extend their winning run in domestic competition to seven games but face a tough trip to a Fortuna Dusseldorf side fighting for survival.
One team in desperate need for a victory is Greuther Furth. Frank Kramer's men are nine points adrift of 16th placed Augsburg and know that failure to overcome Hannover will all but guarantee an immediate return to the second tier.
Hoffenheim occupy the second automatic relegation spot, but they and Augsburg can pile pressure on the sides above them with home wins against Stuttgart and Nurnberg respectively.
Werder Bremen will be one of those teams looking over their shoulders, with Thomas Schaaf's charges only two points ahead of Augsburg and without a win since early February.
An upturn in fortunes appears unlikely this weekend, as they travel to face a Bayer Leverkusen side who can secure a spot in the UEFA Champions League with victory.
The battle for a place in top four is one of the fiercest in recent years, with five teams fighting it out for the final spot.
Borussia Monchengladbach will try to keep up their challenge when they travel to Wolfsburg, while Eintracht Frankfurt face Mainz in another crucial clash.
Schalke face Hamburg in the final game of the weekend at the Veltins Arena. Jens Keller's men have been disappointing this season, but can tighen grip on fourth place with a win over Thorsten's Fink's side.
Cellar-dwellers Greuther Fuerth are on the verge of relegation to Germany's second tier following their 3-2 defeat to Hannover on Friday.
An 87th-minute winner from Sergio Pinto secured a rare away victory for ninth-placed Hannover and left Fuerth facing relegation.
A draw for 16th-placed Augsburg at home to Stuttgart on Saturday would condemn Mike Bueskens' men to 2.Bundesliga football next season.
Both teams had opportunities to open the scoring but it was Hannover who hit the front courtesy of Mohammed Abdellaoue on 36 minutes.
However, Hannover's lead lasted just five minutes as Serbian striker Nikola Djurdjic levelled proceedings four minutes before the half-time break.
The visitors restored their lead in the 71st minute, when Andre Hoffmann headed home a Konstantin Rausch corner.
Fuerth went in search of an equaliser and came close to getting back on level terms and they finally made the breakthrough thanks to Djurdjic with seven minutes remaining.
But just as Fuerth appeared to have earned a point, Pinto broke the hearts of the home faithful three minutes later, side-footing his effort past goalkeeper Wolfgang Hesl for Hannover's fourth league win on the road this season.
Lewandowski agent stuns Dortmund with transfer revelation
By Stefan Coerts
Apr 25, 2013 11:14:00 AM
The striker's representative has brought the club down to earth with a bang after claiming the player will definitely be leaving in the summer
Robert Lewandowski's agent Maik Barthel has stunned Borussia Dortmund by revealing the striker has agreed terms with another club - less than 24 hours after scoring four goals in BVB's 4-1 win over Real Madrid.
The likes of Bayern Munich, Juventus, Manchester United and Manchester City are all believed to be keen on luring the Poland international away from Signal Iduna Park this summer.
BVB have so far stressed that they have no intention of selling their star attacker, though a transfer now seems inevitable following comments made by the player's representative on the the back of one of the finest nights in the club's history.
"We have reached an agreement with another club and intend to switch clubs this summer," Barthel was quoted as saying by Sport Bild.
"All of Borussia Dortmund's demands will be met."
Lewandowski's agent then went on to stress that BVB have promised the striker that he will be allowed to leave under the right conditions and expects Jurgen Klopp's side to honour their promise.
"There is an interesting offer for Robert that meets Dortmund's criteria and satisfies Robert's demands. BVB have assured us that Robert will be allowed to leave under these circumstances. It's now up to the clubs to sort it out."
Despite Barthel's claims, Dortmund general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke has denied that their star striker is set to leave Signal Iduna Park in the summer and says that dialogue with resume with forward soon.
"No, it is not true [that Lewandowski has agreed to move elsewhere]. We don't have any offer of another club," he told German news agency SID. "We will talk about everything with Robert."
The 24-year-old has a contract until the summer of 2014, with his exit another potential hammer blow for Dortmund following the news Mario Gotze will join rivals Bayern Munich in the summer.
The Germany national coach is not surprised that the 20-year-old has decided to join the Bundesliga champions but he finds it strange that the news was leaked this week
Germany boss Joachim Low has admitted that he found the timing of the announcement of Mario Gotze's imminent move from Borussia Dortmund to Bayern Munich "questionable".
The summer switch, which will make Gotze the most expensive German player in history, was confirmed on the eve of the first leg of die Schwarzgelben's Champions League semi-final tie with Real Madrid, after details of the deal started appearing in the press on Monday night.
In the end, Dortmund were totally unaffected by the news, with Jurgen Klopp's men romping to a 4-1 win over los Blancos on Tuesday but, in discussing the deal, Low confessed that he found the way in which the story broke suspicious.
"I was not surprised that a player is going to Bayern Munich," the 53-year-old coach told Sky Sport Germany. "This is a top destination in the league, and I'm glad that Mario will remain in the Bundesliga.
"However, the timing of the announcement surprised me and I think that it was very questionable."
Gotze also made light of the controversy to turn in yet another impressive performance against Madrid but Low expected nothing less from the 20-year-old.
"Mario was very good [on Wednesday]," he told ZDF. "But then, Mario is very cool on the pitch; he forgets about everything else."
Gotze, who has been capped 22 times by die Mannschaft, is a product of Dortmund's youth academy but is now bound for Bavaria after Bayern agreed to meet his €37 million buy-out clause.
Bayern Munich broke the all-time Bundesliga points record with a 1-0 win over Freiburg at the Allianz Arena on Saturday.
The Bavarians had a number of chances to find the net but had to rely on Emre Can’s solitary goal from a Xherdan Shaqiri free-kick to edge past the visitors.
Jupp Heynckes reshuffled his starting line-up following the midweek UEFA Champions League win over Barcelona, as Mario Mandzukic returned from injury to lead the attack while Thomas Muller missed out after picking up a slight knock in that game.
The visitors were shorn of midfielder Julian Schuster due to suspension, while strike duo Marco Terrazzino and Sebastian Freis remained sidelined through injury.
Having scored 20 goals in their last four fixtures, the Bavarians predictably started the game with attacking intentions.
Shaqiri had the first real chance of the game, after a great cross from the left by Claudio Pizarro found Mandzukic inside the area.
The big Croatian knocked the ball down to Shaqiri, but the young Swiss lashed his volley wide of the target.
Emre Can then earned Bayern a free-kick just outside the Freiburg area after a neat give-and-go with Pizarro, but the latter hit the set-piece straight into the wall.
Christian Streich's men eventually settled and started to cause problems of their own, with Jonathan Schmid and leading scorer Max Kruse working their way into some dangerous positions.
The visitors in fact almost caught Bayern out on the counter-attack, but Luiz Gustavo was on hand to prevent Daniel Caligiuri’s cutback inside the box.
However, the hosts went ahead in the 35th minute after Caligiuri conceded a free-kick just on the edge of his own area for a clumsy foul on Rafinha.
Shaqiri delivered a great ball to the near post and Can’s glancing header eluded the fist of Oliver Baumann before dropping into the corner of the net.
The Bavarians almost doubled their lead immediately after, Mandzukic setting up Gustavo only for the Brazilian curled a weak effort straight into the hands of the keeper just before half-time.
Bayern started the second-half in similar fashion, threatening to double their lead on a number of occasions in the opening moments.
Freiburg keeper Baumann almost parried Can’s fierce left-footed shot straight to Manduzkic, before Shaqiri turned Matthias Ginter on the edge of the area but curled his effort wide of the post.
Mario Gomez replaced the impressive Manduzkic with around 15 minutes remaining and almost immediately found himself on the scoresheet.
However, the German forward failed to divert the ball into an open net after a cross from fellow substitute Franck Ribery.
Bayern keeper Tom Starke almost gifted the visitors an equaliser in the 77th minute after he failed to claim a routine Freiburg corner, but luckily for him Caligiuri failed to convert.
And despite the Bundesliga champions failing to find a second in the latter stages they managed to see the game out and claim another three points.
Nuri Sahin scored a superb goal and set up another as Borussia Dortmund sealed a narrow 2-1 victory at Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday.
The Turkish midfielder put the visitors in front with a long-range effort in the 20th minute before setting up substitute Jakub Blaszczykowski to double their lead.
However, there was a nervy end to the game for Dortmund as Dusseldorf pulled one back through Adam Bodzek and goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak had to make a goal-line save in injury time.
Following their comprehensive 4-1 victory over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday, Jurgen Klopp was keen to rest several of his star men ahead of the second leg.
In-form striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored all four goals against Madrid, dropped to the bench, handing Julian Schieber the opportunity to start up front.
There was an early penalty claim from the full-strength hosts after Dani Schahin went down under pressure from Felipe Santana and goalkeeper Langerak, but referee Michael Weiner waved away appeals.
Klopp’s side subsequently weathered some early pressure, and even went close to scoring when Schieber hit the bottom of the post following a corner.
Dortmund went on to take the lead just moments later when Sahin struck a fantastic long-range effort into the top corner despite Fabian Giefer’s best efforts.
Jonas Hofmann then tricked his way past two players down the right as Dortmund continued to push forward for a second as the first half drew to a close.
The hosts could have grabbed an immediate equaliser after the restart but Dortmund skipper Sebastian Kehl managed to divert Ken Ilso’s effort away from the bottom corner.
Dusseldorf started to control proceedings, and almost grabbed an equaliser after mistakes at the back from both Santana and Mats Hummels meant Langerak had to rush from his line to prevent Axel Bellinghausen.
However, a double change from Jurgen Klopp saw Polish duo Lewandowski and Blaszczykowski enter the fray, with the latter making an immediate impact.
Sahin slipped the ball to Blaszczykowski from the top of the box and the midfielder slotted home, despite being marginally offside.
Dusseldorf then had a clear penalty waved away by the referee after Stefan Resisinger’s ball struck the arm of Hummels inside the box.
Geifer prevented Dortmund’s Schieber from sealing a third down the other end of the pitch, as he emerged from his line to make a full-stretch save.
The German keeper then made two more stops as he parried a cross from Blaszczykowski before blocking Reus on the follow up.
Dusseldorf could have pulled one back with six minutes remaining but Reisinger planted his header straight at the goalkeeper after Hummels failed to intercept the cross.
But the hosts eventually found the net after Dortmund failed to deal with Andreas Lambertz’s free-kick into the box and Bodzek headed home.
Dortmund’s Langerak was then forced to make a fantastic save to prevent the home side from grabbing an injury-time equaliser.
Martin Latka’s header was heading straight for the bottom corner but the keeper managed to get down and claw the ball off the line to extend Dortmund’s unbeaten run in all competitions to nine games.
Bayern Munich set a new points record for the Bundesliga with a 1-0 victory over Freiburg on Saturday.
The Bavarians, who had already clinched the quickest-ever title win earlier this month, moved three points ahead of the 81 earned by Borussia Dortmund last season with victory.
Bayern made 10 changes following Tuesday's 4-0 UEFA Champions League win over Barcelona but still dominated the game, with Emre Can’s first-half header enough to see off European hopefuls Freiburg.
Elsewhere, four-time champions Werder Bremen dropped to just two points clear of the relegation play-off place after Stefan Kiessling’s controversial penalty gave Bayern Leverkusen a 1-0 win.
Thomas Schaaf's side have collected just four points in 10 games and their situation has worsened with Augsburg winning 3-0 at Stuttgart.
Sascha Moelders, Marcel De Jong and South Korean Ji Dong-Won all scored in the last half hour for the 16th-placed club.
Fortuna Dusseldorf also find themselves still fighting to avoid the drop following their narrow 2-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, who just about managed to hold on after goals from Nuri Sahin and Jakub Blaszczykowski.
Hoffenheim picked up three important points with a 2-1 win at home to Nuremberg, courtesy of early strikes from Tobias Weis and Sejad Salihovic.
And Wolfsburg overcame Borussia Moenchengladbach 3-1, after young midfielder Maximilian Arnold opened the scoring with his third goal in as many games.
Peniel Mlapa restored parity after the interval but Ivica Olic fired home before returning the favour to set up Diego and Wolfsburg’s third.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar scored a hat-trick as Schalke came from behind to beat Hamburg 4-1 in their Bundesliga clash on Sunday.
Fourth-placed Schalke increased their gap on fifth side Eintracht Frankfurt to three points, after the latter were held to a 0-0 draw away to Mainz.
But it was the Huntelaar show from 21 minutes onwards, as he fired Schalke ahead with his first goal after Marcell Jansen and Michel Bastos exchanged strikes in the first 10 minutes.
He then completed his treble with goals in the 58th and 66th minutes - increasing his league tally to 10 goals.
Hamburg's defeat was their first in three, leaving them five points behind Schalke and was a dint in their European hopes.
Mainz snapped a three-match losing streak with the draw at home to Frankfurt.
Luuk de Jong vows to fight back
The Dutch striker has failed to impress in his first season in the Bundesliga but believes he can still prove himself as a top striker in one of Europe's biggest leagues
Manchester City to launch ambitious €38m Reus raid
The Premier League club will make a formal double-your-money offer for the Dortmund star in the next 10 days, although the 23-year-old would rather stay in Germany
Juventus admire Robben & Alexis, says Marotta
The Turin powerhouse's general director is full of praise for both attackers but fears a summer transfer for either player could prove problematic
Watzke: Dortmund will discuss decent offers with Lewandowski
The Schwarzgelben supremo insists the Pole, who has been heavily linked with Bayern Munich, is not necessarily bound for the exit door at Signal Iduna Park
Netzer: Gotze and Lewandowski exits will down Dortmund
The Borussia Monchengladbach legend believes BVB can wave goodbye to any prospect of lifting silverware next season as two of their star men prepare to leave the club
Sir Alex Ferguson believes Lewandowski move to Manchester United is still possible
The Red Devils' boss hints that a transfer to Old Trafford could happen for the Dortmund star, feeling it unlikely that BVB will allow him to follow Mario Gotze to Bayern Munich
Watzke slams Dortmund transfer speculation
The BVB general manager says the club is a victim of social media, with negotiations over potential deals becoming public knowledge all too easily
Freiburg forced Bayern to work hard for win, says Heynckes
The outgoing FCB boss acknowledged the resilience of his side's opponents after digging deep for all three points at the Allianz Arena on Saturday
It was obvious Gotze would join Bayern, says Hitzfeld
The Switzerland boss has hailed the 20-year-old as a talent that only comes around once every "100 years" and remains unsurprised by the news regarding his summer transfer
