║║ Bundesliga Season 2012-13 ║║

[Mario Gomez]

Bundesliga wrap: Stuttgart continue rise up table

22 October 2012

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Stuttgart have continued their return to form in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 win over Hamburg on Sunday.

Vedad Ibisevic scored the only goal of the game on the half-hour mark at Imtech Arena, extending Stuttgart's unbeaten run to three matches.

After going winless through the first five matches of the league season, Bruno Labbadia's men have responded to sit 12th.

Bosnia and Herzegovina striker Ibisevic struck in the 30th minute after the Hamburg defence was caught napping.

Martin Harnik was played through on the right and the attacker crossed for Ibisevic to beat his marker at the near post and strike past goalkeeper Rene Adler.

The goal ended Hamburg's four-match unbeaten run in the league, with Thorsten Fink's men sitting 10th.

In the day's other game, Nuremberg ended their run of four straight losses after playing out a 0-0 draw at home to Augsburg.

After eight matches, Augsburg occupy the relegation playoff spot, while Nuremberg are just two points clear of Markus Weinzierl's team.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Lahm: It's going to be difficult to beat Bayern Munich
The full-back has voiced his opinion that defeating the Allianz Arena side will be a momentous task to any team following their perfect start to the season

Huntelaar puts Schalke talks on hold
The prolific attacker will not pen a contract extension with the Konigsblauen any time soon as negotiations have been re-scheduled

Ancelotti: Paris Saint-Germain will not bid for Ribery
The Italian coach has ruled out a move for the 29-year-old French international, after speculation gathered regarding a potential bid for the player

Mirko Slomka: No contact from Bayern
The 45-year-old Hannover coach insists the Bavarian giants have not approached him with a view to offering him a contract, following his side's defeat to Eintracht Frankfurt

Magath: I understand the fans' disappointment at Wolfsburg's performances
The Wolves, having succumbed to a fifth defeat, are bottom of the table and their boss admits his side are not playing well enough but is confident they can avoid the drop

Rummenigge: We have had a great start but we are not champions yet
Die Roten are unbeaten after their first eight league games – opening a sizable lead over rivals Borussia Dortmund – but they must not get complacent, says their former striker

Guardiola considering becoming Bayern Munich boss, says Luca Toni
The Blaugrana's most successful coach is ready to return to football, and his former team-mate has urged him to head to the Bundesliga

Bye bye Bundesliga: Dortmund have all but handed the title to Bayern
Defeat to die Konigsblauen meant the champions slipped a full 12 points behind Jupp Heynckes' side, effectively ending the race for the championship before it even started

Klopp takes responsibility for Schalke defeat
The 45-year-old Borussia Dortmund boss believes that he should take the blame for the home defeat, as the club tumble to being 12 points behind Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga

Liverpool step up Holtby pursuit ahead of free summer move
The Anfield outfit have highlighted the Schalke star, whose father supports Everton, as a target ahead of his contract expiring with the Bundesliga club at the end of the season

Stevens admits Schalke 'surprise' after Dortmund victory
The Dutchman was understandably pleased with his side's performance, having clung onto a significant scalp in the Ruhr derby, but did not expect a below-par showing from the hosts

Klopp: Schalke deserved to beat Borussia Dortmund
The 45-year-old admits the Royal Blues were the better team on the day and put the loss down to a failed game plan in the initial stages of the encounter

Heynckes: Dusseldorf demolition our best performance of the season
The Bavarians registered a record eighth straight Bundesliga success thanks to their emphatic win, and the veteran boss could not hide his delight with their display

Heldt: You cannot write off Dortmund even if they lose derby
The Schalke chief believes the pressure is on the champions ahead of this weekend's derby, but insists that the title race is by no means decided yet

Dante: I will fight for my Bayern place
David Alaba is nearing a comeback, meaning that the Brazilian is set for more competition in defence, but the former Gladbach man is ready for a struggle

 

[Mario Gomez]

Why signing Holtby would be an astute piece of business by Liverpool

The Schalke midfielder could be on his way to Anfield in a move that would contradict big spending of the Dalglish era and continue the development of Rodgers' squad

Oct 21, 2012 11:10:00 AM

PROFILE
By David Lynch

Having watched Liverpool narrowly edge out Reading on Saturday afternoon, it is perhaps hard to believe that Brendan Rodgers is concerned with strengthening any part of his squad other than its attacking options. However, the Northern Irishman is taking a typically long-term view to reshaping the Reds, as his pursuit of Schalke midfielder Lewis Holtby proves.

As Goalcom exclusively revealed on Sunday, the Merseyside club are preparing a summer move for the 22-year-old whose contract expires at the end of the season. But just what do Liverpool supporters have to look forward to should the transfer materialise?

Holtby was born in Erkelenz, Rhineland, to a German mother and an English (more specifically, Liverpudlian) father, Chris, who had been stationed at an airbase in the country.

Holtby senior’s passion for football had a clear early influence, but the youngster’s hopes of making it in the sport suffered an early blow as he was released from the Borussia Monchengladbach academy at the age of 14, after being told he lacked the physical qualities to progress.

He took that disappointment in his stride, however, joining up with perennial second-tier outfit Alemannia Aachen where he soon made a breakthrough, scoring seven Bundesliga.2 goals in 24 starts at the age of 18. That form saw him attract the attentions of Germany’s top-tier clubs, and it did not take long for Schalke to snap their man up on a four-year contract.

The midfielder’s start to life in Gelsenkirchen was perhaps not as smooth as he might have hoped, as he was farmed out on loan to Bochum and then Mainz with a view to gaining more experience. Regardless, the Bundesliga side’s approach had evidently worked as Holtby returned two seasons later to make 22 league starts, scoring six goals in the process.

Unfortunately for Schalke fans, Holtby’s time away on temporary deals was not backed up by an intelligent strategy of securing the promising youngster on a long-term contract. And that is how the club now find themselves on the brink of losing a prospect they have carefully cultivated for absolutely no compensation.

It is this aspect of the deal which might prove most appealing to Liverpool; their desire to snap up young players at low cost with a view to getting the most for their money is well known. Holtby’s father is likely to also be keen on the idea of his son going back to his roots, though as a die-hard Everton supporter he might not be as enamoured by the colour of the shirt.

Of course, suggestions that such partisanship might affect Holtby’s desire for a move are misplaced. Boyhood Evertonians Robbie Fowler, Steve McManaman and Jamie Carragher can all vouch for the passing nature of such fandom when push comes to shove.

One change of allegiance the midfielder will certainly not be making, however, is from representing Germany to putting on a Three Lions shirt, having been handed two full caps by Joachim Low in the build-up to Euro 2012. This is of little consequence to Liverpool, though, beyond representing the opportunity to acquire a full international at a knockdown price.

Given they are unlikely to acquire Holtby until next season, the goals Liverpool desperately need to add are the obvious January priority for Rodgers. Securing the midfielder on a free transfer later on is a wise business move that does not compromise the club’s transfer kitty as they attempt to cure that particular ill.

The middle of the park is an area which has proved fruitful for the Reds since a move to 4-3-3 under new management, and that is doubtless an advantage they do not wish to relinquish come the summer. Whilst the club’s desire to retain Nuri Sahin at the end of his loan spell is clear, his situation is out of Rodgers’ control with Real Madrid holding all the cards.

Providing an adequate replacement for the occasional absences of Lucas is also a priority for which Holtby’s versatility makes him a fitting candidate.

All these factors contribute to the sort of sensible acquisition Liverpool have notably avoided in recent times, favouring a bizarre desire to shoot themselves in the foot instead. The Reds may not have solved their wastefulness in front goal yet, but a similar approach in the transfer market is seemingly over.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Muller: Bayern have not won anything yet
The Germany international has warned against complacency, while Manuel Neuer is equally cautious about the Bavarians' chances

Gomez close to Bayern return, says Heynckes
The veteran coach is delighted with the German's rate of recovery after ankle surgery, and is hopeful that the striker will soon be fit for selection

Klopp: Gotze could play against Freiburg
The precocious attacking midfielder was expected to miss BVB's next league fixture but he could now feature after all, while Sven Bender looks to be unavailable

'Schalke spirits soaring' - Afellay relishing his spell in Germany
The Barcelona winger, on loan at die Konigsblauen this season, insists his side are enjoying their football after two impressive results

Boris Vukcevic released from hospital following coma
The Germany Under-21 attacker has been in intensive care for almost four weeks after a car crash, but is finally beginning to make slow steps towards a full recovery

Heynckes: Robben could return shortly
The Bayern trainer has revealed the winger is set to make his comeback, while also taking the time to praise Thomas Muller following his fine performances

Robben: I will not retire voluntarily
The Netherlands international still enjoys the game too much to quit, and will only retire if injuries leave him no other option

Future Ruhr derbies could be played behind closed doors, says police chief
The call has gone out for serious action to combat hooliganism, in the wake of unprecedented levels of supporter violence that occurred around this weekend's key Bundesliga match

Robben: I considered retiring
The former Real Madrid star has revealed that his ongoing physical difficulties almost prompted him to say farewell to the game on more than one occasion

Sammer hails Heynckes as Bayern Munich catalyst
The Bavarians' sporting director spoke in awe of the veteran boss, who has guided the club to a 100 per cent start in the Bundesliga

Lukasz Piszczek signs new contract with Borussia Dortmund
The Poland defender has committed his future to the club by putting pen to paper on a new deal until 2017

 

[Mario Gomez]

Wolfsburg confirm Felix Magath exit

Die Wolfe have endured a torrid start to the season, picking up just five points from eight games, and the board felt the need for change to try and avoid a relegation battle

Oct 25, 2012 1:55:00 PM

By Samuel Tighe

Wolfsburg have confirmed that they have parted ways with head coach Felix Magath.

The Radkappen lie bottom of the Bundesliga table and after four consecutive league losses, chairman Dr Francisco Garcia-Sanz has decided to look elsewhere.

Lorenz-Gunther Kostner will be in temporary charge of the team until a suitable replacement is found to take the helm at the Volkswagen Arena.

"We want to express our thanks to Felix Magath explicitly," an official statement on the club's website reads.

"He has during his two terms with Wolfsburg showed tremendous commitment and great achievement for our club, the city of Wolfsburg and the sport in the region."

"The focus now is on the upcoming games, and to as soon as possible progress to the middle of the league."

 

[Mario Gomez]

Bundesliga: Augsburg 0 Hamburg 2

27 October 2012

Artjoms Rudnevs has inspired Hamburg to a 2-0 win away to Augsburg, the visitors' fourth victory in five Bundesliga matches.

Rudnevs set up Hamburg's first-half opener and then took advantage of a fine pass from Rafael van der Vaart to score his team's second goal midway through the second period.

Having lost 1-0 at home against Stuttgart last week, Hamburg got back on track with a win on Friday, although Augsburg could feel disappointed they did not get at least a draw having done most of the attacking throughout the match.

Augsburg had 19 shots to 11, earned 13 corners to three and crossed the ball 23 times to seven but poor finishing meant the hosts failed to get on the scoresheet for the second game in a row, having drawn 0-0 away to Nuremburg last week.

Too few of the shots from Augsburg players tested visiting goalkeeper Rene Adler and Hamburg made them pay in the 13th minute.

Rudnevs fed Heung-Min Son on the right-hand side of the penalty area and the 20-year-old Korean winger took a touch inside and curled his left-footed shot inside the far post to put Hamburg 1-0 ahead.

Hamburg extended the lead in the 63rd minute when a nice exchange of passes on the edge of Augsburg's area culminated in Van der Vaart sliding the ball to Rudnevs, who got free inside the area and smashed his shot into the roof of the net from a tight angle.

The win has taken Hamburg to 13 points and fourth on the Bundesliga table, up from 10th, although the other teams have yet to play this weekend.

Augsburg remain 16th with just six points.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Bundesliga preview: Leverkusen seek to end Bayern domination

25 October 2012

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Bayern Munich will look to maintain their perfect start to the Bundesliga season when Bayer Leverkusen travels to Allianz Arena on Sunday.

Germany's most successful club have made a blistering start to the campaign, winning their opening eight games in dominant fashion.

The 22-time Bundesliga champions thrashed promoted outfit Fortuna Dusseldorf 5-0 to take their goal tally to 26, while conceding a mere two goals.

Jupp Heynckes men, who returned to winning ways in the UEFA Champions League after registering a hard-fought 1-0 victory at Lille, could possibly open up an eight-point lead atop of the standings if results go their way.

With Mario Mandzukic and Thomas Mueller netting 13 goals between them, many are expecting Bayern to make it nine wins from nine in the league but Leverkusen have enjoyed considerable success against the Bavarians.

Leverkusen, who occupy fifth position, ran out 2-0 winners in the pair's last league meeting at BayArena in March, with Stefan Kiessling and Karim Bellarabi bagging second-half goals.

That result, along with their five-game unbeaten streak, should fill manager Sami Hyypia and his youthful Leverkusen side with confidence leading into Sunday's encounter.

A loss for Bayern, however, would open the door for surprise-packets Eintracht Frankfurt to close the gap to just two points.

Frankfurt, who have lost just once this season and sit second on the table, make the trip to Stuttgart knowing they could make significant inroads on Bayern or slip down to third with Schalke hot on their tail.

Schalke overcame fierce rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-1 last time out to further demonstrate their title credentials.

The seven-time Bundesliga winners, seeking their first league crown since 1958, are in impressive form, with three wins in four matches moving them to within two points of Frankfurt heading into their home encounter against struggling Nurnberg.

Defending champions Dortmund can ill-afford any more slips and face a tricky trip to Freiburg on Saturday.

Dortmund are 12 points adrift of Bayern after just eight games and a second successive defeat could all but end their championship bid, even at such an early stage of the season.

In other fixtures across the weekend, sixth-placed Hannover will look for a return to form at home to Europa League participants Borussia Moenchengladbach, relegation candidates Augsburg face Hamburg and Mainz plays host to lowly Hoffenheim.

Struggling Greuther Fuerth welcomes ninth-placed Werder Bremen to Trolli ARENA, while Dusseldorf do battle with cellar-dwellers Wolfsburg, who sacked manager Felix Magath on Thursday.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Bundesliga wrap: Dortmund take charge in snow

28 October 2012

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Borussia Dortmund recovered from last weekend's derby defeat to Schalke to defeat Freiburg 2-0 at a snowy Mage Solar Stadium.

In an extremely scrappy affair, the Bundesliga champions carried on from their Champions League win over Real Madrid on Tuesday with second-half goals from Neven Subotic and Mario Gotze.

The win restores some hope for Dortmund in their title defence with the margin cut to nine points to leaders Bayern Munich, who face Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.

The wintry temperatures gave rise to a cagey start as both teams struggled to find a rhythm, with Freiburg in particular being hampered by the thick snow when attacking.

Dortmund did not relent and they finally got their reward for a bright start to the second half when Marco Reus' whipped free kick was headed on by Subotic inside the far post.

Freiburg could well have drawn level moments later, but Erik Jendrisek saw his eight-yard effort poked away by the onrushing Roman Weidenfeller.

Dortmund sealed the win in the 83rd minute, as Robert Lewandowski fed Gotze to drill a shot home.

Schalke extended their unbeaten streak in all competitions to seven with a 1-0 over Nurnberg courtesy of Jefferson Farfan's 77th-minute effort.

Wolfsburg responded to the sacking of Felix Magath with a 4-1 win at 10-man Fortuna Dusseldorf as Bas Dost struck two of three goals in the space of 14 minutes after half-time.

The win lifts Wolfsburg off the bottom of the table and is their first since August.

Adam Szalai bagged a hat-trick for Mainz in a 3-0 home over Hoffenheim, who became the first side to concede 20 goals this season.

Greuther Furth drew 1-1 at home to Werder Bremen, who equalised through Nils Petersen just before half-time.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Bundesliga wrap: Lucky Leverkusen take down Bayern

29 October 2012

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Bayer Leverkusen have ended Bayern Munich's 100 percent start to the Bundesliga with a 2-1 win away from home thanks to a fortunate goal.

With the score locked at 1-1 in the 87th minute, the visitors from Leverkusen pushed forward and a cross from the right found Sidney Sam. Although Sam's header was off target, it cannoned off Jerome Boateng's head, wrong-footing Manuel Neuer and rolling into the net.

The goal clinched victory for Leverkusen, their first win in Munich in 23 years, and takes them up to fifth on the Bundesliga table with 15 points.

For Bayern, who are coached by former Leverkusen boss Jupp Heynckes, Sunday's result ended their 100 percent start to the season after they set a new record last week with their eighth win in a row.

Leverkusen took the lead in the 42nd minute when a flowing move through midfield saw their skipper Simon Rolfes release Andre Schurrle on the right-hand side of the penalty area and the winger passed the ball to the back post where Bayern captain Phillip Lahm missed his clearance allowing Stefan Kiessling to score.

Bayern dominated the game with 15 shots on target to the visitors' four but did not hit the back of the net until the 77th minute.

The home team dragged themselves level when substitute Claudio Pizarro received a pass from Arjen Robben, twisted past a defender in the box and crossed to Mario Mandzukic, who headed in his seventh goal of the season.

But Leverkusen snatched the three points when Gonzalo Castro crossed to Sam and Boateng provided the unfortunate intervention.

Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga with 24 points, ahead of Schalke (20) and Eintracht Frankfurt (19).

The latter, who have stunned Germany with their brilliant start to the season having only just come up from the second division, suffered just their second defeat of the season in a 2-1 away loss to Stuttgart.

In the other Bundesliga match on Sunday, Borussia Moenchengladbach stunned Hannover 3-2 after they trailed by two goals from the 53rd minute.

Jan Schlaudraff and Mame Biram Diouf gave the home side a 2-0 lead with goals either side of half-time.

But after Alvaro Dominguez struck for Gladbach in the 70th minute, the visitors scored two more times in the next nine minutes to win the game.

Roel Brouwers and Juan Arango struck for Gladbach as they won their third match of the campaign to move up to ninth with 12 points, just one point above Hannover, who dropped to 10th.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Holtby considering English ‘proposal’, says agent
The German midfielder has a number of offers on the table from clubs in England and Spain, according to his representative, as interest hots up ahead of potential summer move

Bayern Munich lose Badstuber for two weeks
The defender picked up an injury in the defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, and will be out of action until the middle of November

Bayern Munich sweating over Badstuber fitness
The Germany international could be out of action for a number of weeks due to a muscular problem, while Luiz Gustavo has also picked up a knock

Lahm: Bayern conceded two dumb goals
The Germany international was not impressed by his side's defending, while Manuel Neuer was equally disappointed with the Bavarians' defeat

Bayern Munich's stride will not be broken, says Heynckes
The 67-year-old coach says the Bavarians' season will not be knocked off course following his side's 2-1 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday

Shaqiri: I do not like being compared to Ribery
The Switzerland star has made clear that he feels uneasy when the public is likening him to the French winger, and insisted that he wants to make his name with his own style

Hummels praises Dortmund's mentality
The former Bayern Munich man was impressed with BVB being able to put the euphoria from the victory over Real Madrid in midweek behind them and claim a victory on Saturday

Heldt tips Huntelaar to find scoring form after Arsenal strike
The Schalke general manager insists the forward will soon be back amongst the goals after breaking the deadlock against the Gunners in the Champions League on Wednesday

Heynckes: We must keep our feet on the ground
Bayern Munich have won all eight of their Bundesliga games so far this season, but the veteran coach is worried that overconfidence could be an issue

Luuk de Jong out for six weeks
The Netherlands international is set for a lengthy spell in the treatment room, after undergoing surgery on a knee injury he picked up against Olympique de Marseille

Klopp: Borussia Dortmund passed test of character
The 45-year-old coach admitted his team had to change their style of play because of the bad weather, but was proud of their efforts in difficult circumstances

Low: I never said I would quit in 2014
The 52-year-old has rejected claims he will be leaving his position in two years' time and also says that Germany will learn from their disappointing display against Sweden

 

[Mario Gomez]

Wolfsburg have rediscovered their freedom after Magath's exit, hints Diego

The Brazilian had a strained relationship with the previous trainer, but he believes the side played without any shackles in the 4-1 win over Dusseldorf

Oct 30, 2012 12:20:00 AM

By Livio Caferoglu

Diego has hinted that Wolfsburg are enjoying their football again in the wake of Felix Magath's dismissal, after the club ended a run of four straight defeats on Saturday.

The 59-year-old was fired by die Wolfe last week after the club sank to the bottom of the Bundesliga table and scored only two goals in the opening eight matches of the season, while his working relationship with the Brazilian deteriorated at the end of the 2010-11 campaign.

Attacking midfielder Diego was loaned out to Atletico Madrid last term and returned to the Volkswagen-Arena at Magath's request, but in the team's first match since the outspoken trainer's departure, they triumphed 4-1 at Dusseldorf with the 34-cap international assisting Ivica Olic and scoring a penalty.

"It was really great fun," Diego told Bild. "We enjoyed the 90 minutes. I hope our old coach can be happy, like we are now."

"All the players were free, it was unbelievable. No-one was afraid of making mistakes. [Interim coach] Mr Lorenz prepares each player intelligently and with respect."

 

[Donor]

Bayern Munich chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge told his players they must cope with the pressure of being Bundesliga leaders after Bayer Leverkusen inflicted their first league defeat of the season.

The last time Leverkusen won at Munich, in 1989, Helmut Kohl was Germany's chancellor, an Amiga 500 was state of the art and the Berlin wall was about to fall. Ever since, Leverkusen have returned home from Munich with little or nothing to show for their efforts.

But this weekend, an own goal by Jerome Boateng ended that run. "We had that bit of luck you always need here," the Leverkusen coach, Sascha Lewandowski, said.

"It's definitely a special victory. We held them off with unbelievable stability and unbelievable fighting spirit, and scored a winning goal - a lucky one, without a shadow of a doubt."

Stefan Kiessling gave Leverkusen the lead in the 42nd minute before Mario Mandzukic equalised after 77 minutes. But the game was decided when Sidney Sam's header rebounded off Boateng and flew in.

Leverkusen captain Simon Rolfes added: "I'm delighted all the talk [of a jinx] is over now. It's not an undeserved victory."

Bayern lost an eight-point lead as they were beaten to the title by Dortmund last season, but they remain four clear of Schalke at the top despite this defeat.

Rummenigge warned: "We know must show we can cope with the pressure better than last season. The league will relish this result."

Bayern boss Jupp Heynckes, who will have to do without Holger Badstuber, substituted with a muscle injury, for the next two weeks, said he was not too worried.

"We won't be thrown out of our stride by the defeat, and we'll learn our lessons from it," he said. "We still have a comfortable lead in the table." Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who went forward in the game's dying stages, dribbled past two Bayer players and nearly set up an equaliser, said: "We practically scored the goals against ourselves. We gave it everything we had in the second half and tried to salvage something. The defeat wasn't due to our attitude."

And skipper Philipp Lahm said: "We still have a lead, but we certainly have to be careful now. If we win against Lautern [in the cup] and Hamburg, the world looks different again."

 

[Donor]

Arjen Robben says Bayern Munich's defeat to Bayer Leverkusen must act as a wake-up call for his team-mates if they want to win the Bundesliga title.

Despite having an expensively assembled team Bayern have missed out on the title to Borussia Dortmund for the last two seasons. And last year they also lost the DFB Pokal final to Jurgen Klopp's side, as well as missing out in the Champions League final to Chelsea.

But after another massive summer outlay on stars such as Javi Martinez, Mario Mandzukic and Xherdan Shaqiri they have started the season in fantastic form, winning eight out of eight in the league until they were derailed against Leverkusen in a game which also saw Robben's return from injury.

"On the one hand disappointment about losing, but on the other, I was delighted to be back on the field," the Netherlands international said of his comeback game.

"We need to learn from last year. The defeat against Leverkusen was a wake-up call. We have to be wide awake now and react immediately. Obviously, it can't be that we start dropping lots of points again and allow our rivals to come back at us.

"The best way to not drop points was to set off on the next streak straight away. In every match, we have to be up for it from the start and every minute that follows. We can't allow ourselves to let up. And none of that is automatic, you have to work hard to achieve it."

Meanwhile Robben has also dismissed reports that he was considering retirement, claiming he was mistranslated in an interview he gave to Dutch TV.

The former Chelsea and Real Madrid winger has suffered with injury throughout his career, but insists he was never close to hanging up his boots.

"I believe, my Dutch wasn't translated very well," Robben explained. "I talked about my difficult injuries and said that it sometimes crosses your mind: Here are my shoes, bugger off!

"It is frustrating when you are in good shape, have a good pre-season and then something happens and you are out for four weeks."

He explained that he might have tossed around the idea of retiring over the past two years, but only speaking to his wife. "Certainly, I won't do it in the end," he added. "I am just honest when I tell people about what crosses my mind. But I have also said I miss half the matches  maybe I can go on until I am 40 or 45."

 

[Mario Gomez]

Muller: Bayern must forget Champions League disappointments of the past
The Germany international no longer wants to think about previous results and is desperate for success in the 2012-13 campaign

Klopp: We do not have Bayern's depth
The trainer believes that no Bundesliga team have so many quality players to choose from, but insisted that his side is doing just fine with what they have at their disposal

Hildebrand: No matter what happens, I will only play against teams like Sandhausen
The Schalke goalkeeper believes his knee injury and the form of Lars Unnerstall has meant he has dropped down the pecking order at the Veltins-Arena

Robben: I'm not fully fit yet
The Dutch winger was in excellent form as he returned to the Bayern Munich first team on Wednesday, but he explained he needs more time on the pitch to get back to his best

Van der Vaart: I like playing Bayern Munich even more than Barcelona
The creative midfielder is looking forward to the match versus the Bundesliga leaders, and is hopeful of causing an upset

Son Heung-Min unsure of Hamburg stay
The South Korean star says he is still unsure about whether to sign a new contract at the Imtech Arena, with his current deal set to expire at the end of next season

No offers for Kuzmanovic, claims agent
The Serbian's representative has denied that any club has made a bid for his client, who is in the final year of his current deal at Stuttgart

Heynckes tells Gomez to slow down
The Bayern Munich coach has told the striker he is doing himself no favours if he tries to rush back from his injury

Heynckes: Bayern Munich must remain calm
The experienced coach feels people should not read too much into his side's defeat to Bayer Leverkusen, as they prepare for their cup game against Kaiserslautern

Arango: I am just as good as Messi and Ronaldo at free kicks
The Venezuelan playmaker believes his ability from dead ball situations is good enough to rival football's two biggest names

Schweinsteiger: Bayern weren't good enough against Leverkusen
The Germany international is livid with Bayern Munich's lacklustre performance in Sunday's 2-1 loss and has declared the need to switch up their style of play

Ribery set for Bayern comeback
The Frenchman missed his side's loss against Leverkusen at the weekend, but could return to match in Wednesday's cup clash with Kaiserslautern

 

[Mario Gomez]

Sammer has gone too far in criticisms of Bayern, says Jens Lehmann

The former Arsenal shot-stopper believes that die Roten official cannot afford to get worked up over his club's performances in public again

Oct 31, 2012 12:50:00 AM
By Simon Harrison

Ex-Germany goalkeeper Jens Lehmann has criticised Bayern Munich sporting director Matthias Sammer's recent comments in which he expressed a disappointment of the side’s recent performances.

Sammer voiced his displeasure at the Bundesliga leaders’ form following the Champions League defeat to BATE Borisov and even after the Bavarian's victory over Werder Bremen, and Lehmann believes that the former Borussia Dortmund man has gone too far.

“Matthias has blown his lid,” the former Arsenal custodian told TV show Sky 90.

"I don't think he's going to get worked up over Bayern's performances in the media again.

The former Germany international went on to say that that Sammer’s comments are damaging the club’s image, and that competition for places is vital to Jupp Heynckes’ side recovering their early season form.

"He's not going to say anything else like this in public… he can't do, because to do so would mean Bayern losing their credibility,” he said.

"In the Bayern side, everybody has to fear for his position, which is beneficial for the team.”

 

[Mario Gomez]

Van Gaal: Hoeness forced me out of Bayern Munich

The Netherlands coach has accused the Bavarians' president of intervening with first team events and causing his departure from the Bundesliga side

Oct 31, 2012 12:55:00 PM
By Patrick Gleeson

Louis van Gaal has revealed Uli Hoeness was solely responsible for his exit from Bayern Munich.

The Netherlands coach has blasted his former boss because of the way he interfered with the management of the first team and insists that a coach must have 100 per cent control over the selection or it does not work.

"The only one in the club who forced me to leave was Uli Hoeness, nobody else. That's why collaboration is not possible in the future," he told Sport Bild.

"It's not a good thing if one person holds all the power in such a big club like Bayern. For me and my work, Uli Hoeness was no good.

"A coach must judge the players with his staff because he watches them in the dressing room and on the field. The president can't judge them as he doesn't know what's going on in the team, that's why he shouldn't have intervened."

"The president can influence everybody, from the board to the coach. Franz Beckenbauer didn't do that but Uli Hoeness did it to a massive extent."

Van Gaal parted company with the club in April 2011, with Bayern ending the season in third place.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Bayern Munich are not run by one person, insists Sammer

In response to recent criticism from Louis Van Gaal, the sporting director of the Bavarian giants stated that Uli Hoeness is not the only man in charge at the club

Nov 1, 2012 8:35:00 PM
By Frank Tigani

Bayern Munich's Matthias Sammer has insisted that the German outfit's board of directors work collectively and that there is no one man running the show.

The comments come in light of recent criticism from former trainer Louis Van Gaal, who suggested that the Bavarians are managed prinicipally by president Uli Hoeness.

"We don’t have a one man show at Bayern. My experience in the last 120 days tells me that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Karl Hopfner and Uli Hoeness all reach decisions together," Sammer said after the DFB-Pokal victory over Kaiserslautern.

"If I were in his [Van Gaal's] position, I wouldn’t have named who is allegedly solely responsible here just to attack this exact person," he continued.

"It did not work that way. Hoeness was not the only one who made the decision regarding Van Gaal's sacking. I wouldn't have said that to the media if I were in his place."

Van Gaal enjoyed a highly successful first year as head coach of the Bavarian giants, winning the Bundesliga and guiding them to the 2010 Champions League final, before being sacked in 2011.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Bundesliga preview: Bayern look to extend lead

1 November 2012

Bayern Munich head into Saturday's derby at Hamburg full of confidence, while Schalke seek their fourth Bundesliga win in a row.

Bayern, who suffered their first league defeat last week, bounced back with a convincing 4-0 victory over Kaiserslautern in the German Cup on Wednesday.

Claudio Pizarro and Arjen Robben scored two goals apiece for Bayern, who look determined to add to the trophy cabinet after finishing last season with no silverware.

Bayern are four points clear on top of the Bundesliga table after nine games with eight wins and a shock 2-1 loss to Bayer Leverkusen.

Hamburg are seventh on 13 points, knowing a fifth win of the campaign would strengthen their claims for a European berth next season.

Second-placed Schalke will be out to keep the pressure on Bayern when they travel to lowly Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Schalke are enjoying a rich vein of form, having accounted for Nuremburg, champions Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg in their past three outings.

Hoffenheim, on the other hand, have taken just two points from their past four matches, losing to Mainz and Bayern in the process.

Perhaps more alarmingly, Hoffenheim have conceded 20 goals this term - two more than any other team in the league and 16 more than Bayern.

Meanwhile, third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt play host to Greuther Furth on Friday.

Frankfurt have made a stellar start in their return to the top flight with 19 points, while fellow promoted side Furth are rooted to the bottom of the league without a win in their past seven starts.

Elsewhere, fourth-placed Dortmund come up against Stuttgart on Saturday, while Freiburg journey to face Borussia Monchengladbach.

Nuremburg take on Wolfsburg at home, with Hannover set to welcome Augsburg.

Fortuna Dusseldorf will play Leverkusen away from home on Sunday, followed by Werder Bremen's home clash with Mainz.

 

[Mario Gomez]

Voronin: I don't fit into Fortuna Dusseldorf
The Dinamo Moscow forward has expressed his unhappiness about playing for the Bundesliga side, after having struggled to perform recently

English clubs are interested in Holtby, says Schalke team manager
The Knappen official has revealed details about the interest of several Premier League sides hoping to clinch the signing of the talented playmaker

Gentner: I hope we can gain something at Dortmund
After the DFB-Pokal clash against St Pauli, in which die Roten came out victorious, the midfielder took the time to speak exclusively with Goal.com

Atletico interested in re-signing Diego, claims agent
Jose Maria Martin has stated that the capital club have already contacted the former Wolfsburg man, who could move back to the Vicente Calderon as early as January

Huntelaar: I hope Bayern lose to Hamburg
The Dutch striker believes his side have a great shot at Bundesliga glory this season if they continue their rich vein of form against Hoffenheim on Saturday

 

[Mario Gomez]

Ballack fires his lawyer during speeding trial

The former Germany captain has expressed unhappiness with the arguments set out by his representative during a court case, leading to the legal practitioner's dismissal

Nov 2, 2012 8:35:00 PM

By Chris Kvesa

Ex-Chelsea midfielder Michael Ballack has parted ways with his lawyer on the first day of his speeding trial.

The 36-year-old, who retired from football in October, had earlier been arrested for speeding near Trujilo, Spain, and had already requested a reduction of the €10,000 required to pay the fine.

His lawyer then argued on Thursday that his client currently does not have a regular wage at his disposal and he therefore pleaded for a reduction of the fine to €1000.

Ballack told reporters: "The Spanish lawyer, whom I only let attend because he was appointed to me before the first day of trial, did not have the assignment to argue in the non-sensical way like he apparently did.

"Because of that, I immediately released him from his duty. Of course I respect the Spanish law, the Spanish court and their judgement," he continued.

The final judgement in the case is expected to be announced next week.