Bundesliga Season 2011/2012

[Lucas Barrios]

Ryan Babel: Hoffenheim's poor results won't affect my chances of making Netherlands' Euro 2012 squad
The versatile attacker is brimming with confidence, and is hopeful of making the Dutch roster for this summer's European championship, despite his club's poor form

Fulham in talks to sign Stuttgart's Pavel Pogrebnyak - report
The Cottagers close to adding to their attacking options with Russian striker, as Martin Jol looks set to keep Andy Johnson and Bobby Zamora at Craven Cottage

Arsenal set to sign Borussia Dortmund youngster Thomas Eisfeld - report
The 19-year-old attacking midfielder is said to be set to undergo a medical examination in London, with his move allegedly on the verge of being finalised

Timmy Simons: PSV's Dries Mertens has asked me about Bayern Munich & the Bundesliga
The Belgian midfielder has revealed that his compatriot has approached him with questions about the Bavarians, adding to rumours that a German switch could be imminent

 

[Lucas Barrios]

BUNDESLIGA

30.01.2012 16:23:49

DFL increases foreign sales by 50 percent and opens Asian-Pacific office

Christian Seifert is the Chief Executive Officer of the DFL executive board​

Record: Foreign income increases to over 70 million euro annually
DFL SE soon present in Singapore with separate office
Bundesliga.com starting country-specific offer in August

The DFL German Football Association will continue to increase its income from international marketing. Current calculations based on existing contracts estimate that over 70 million euro can be made annually in the coming rights periods (2012-13 until 2013-14). That would be an increase of 50 percent compared to the current rights period (2009-10 until 2011-12).

"The self-marketing through the DFL subsidiary DFL Sports Enterprises has proven worthwhile. The Bundesliga revenues from international marketing are increasing stronger than those of other top leagues. The international repositioning of the Bundesliga as a sporting competition and media content is succeeding more and more", said Christian Seifert, Chief Executive Officer of the DFL executive board.

'Supply country-specific content for fans worldwide'

To help support the growth, DFL Sports Enterprises will be opening an Asian-Pacific office in Singapore in the first half of 2012. The region is already one of the Bundesliga's core markets today with numerous existing media partnerships. "After continually increasing sales in Asia since 2008, we want to continue this dynamic and win a larger market share in this tough field. That is best accomplished with a local office that can make possible even better contact to TV partners, said Jörg Daubitzer, managing director of DFL Sports Enterprises.

The international marketing will be accompanied starting next season with the new online portal Bundesliga.com. The site will not only be a translation of the German internet presence but also offer content tailored specially to the individual markets. "With Bundeliga.com, we want to provide fans worldwide with all the information about their respective stars. In addition to a general section, we will also supply country-specific content for fans worldwide, said DFL chief marketing officer Tom Bender.

 

[Lucas Barrios]

Werder Bremen sporting director Klaus Allofs: No serious offers for Marko Marin
The 22-year-old attacking midfielder, who is out of contract in June 2013, had been linked with a number of big European clubs, including Tottenham, Liverpool and Inter

Borussia Dortmund confirm summer signing of Mainz youngster Erik Durm
The Germany Under-20 international has agreed to move to the Westfalenstadion on a free transfer and will put pen to paper on a two-year contract in July

Ivica Olic will leave Bayern Munich for Wolfsburg this summer - report
The Croatian has found himself surplus to requirements at the Allianz Arena this season and could move to Felix Magath's side when his contract expires

Former Basel coach Thorsten Fink tips Xherdan Shaqiri to make Bayern Munich move
The current Hamburg coach says the Swiss youngster would become a fans favourite at the Allianz Arena and praised the 20-year-old's abilities on the ball

Danijel Pranjic furious with Bayern Munich after Everton move collapses
The Croatia international had already agreed personal terms with the Premier League side, but the deal fell through due to the current Bundesliga leaders' fee demands

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery: Reaching the Champions League final would be a dream come true
The France international has stressed that the Bavarian side are determined to go all the way in Europe, and feels the Bundesliga title race will go right down to the wire

Official: Fulham sign Pavel Pogrebnyak from Stuttgart for £3m
Cottagers complete signing of Russian international on a six-month deal from the Bundesliga side as boss Martin Jol bolsters his attacking options

Official: Arsenal complete signing of Borussia Dortmund youngster Thomas Eisfeld
Gunners delve into the transfer market to swoop for German teenager who has shown promise and versatility at youth level in both national and domestic set-ups

Official: Sunderland complete loan signing of Sotirios Kyrgiakos from Wolfsburg until the end of the season
Former Liverpool defender becomes the Black Cats second transfer of deadline day following the arrival of Wayne Bridge from Manchester City on a similar short-term deal

Nantes sign Damien Le Tallec from Borussia Dortmund
The 21-year-old has returned to his homeland after a difficult spell in Germany, having signed a deal to 2014 with the second division side

Koo Ja-Cheol leaves Wolfsburg for Augsburg on loan
The former Jeju United man has joined the struggling Bundesliga side on a deal that will last until season's end

Official: Mainz sign Mohamed Zidan from Borussia Dortmund
The Egypt international, who was out of contract at the end of the season, has signed a deal with his former club until June, with an option to extend for a further two years

Tottenham's Vedran Corluka joins Bayer Leverkusen on loan for rest of the season
The Croatia international moves to Germany on a temporary basis after struggling for first-team football this term, making just one start in the Premier League since the summer

Michael Ballack to stay with Bayer Leverkusen until the summer
The agent of the veteran has revealed that the player will not move in this transfer window, but admitted that a summer move to China, USA or the Middle East is possible

Agent confirms Lucas Barrios will remain at Borussia Dortmund, but player's name appears on Bundesliga transfer list
The player's representative has asserted that his client will not leave the Westfalenstadion before summer, but the Paraguay international nonetheless is still eligible to move

Ivan Santini joins Freiburg on loan from Zadar
The Croatian forward, who is seen as a replacement for Papiss Demba Cisse, will be revealed shortly at the Bundesliga club, and will pen a six-month loan deal

Hoffenheim confirm loan signing of Wolfsburg's Srdjan Lakic
The Croatian attacker was no longer needed at his previous club, and will join the Sinsheim outfit on loan for the remainder of the season from die Wolfe

Russia international Pavel Pogrebnyak undergoes Fulham medical in Munich as Londoners have Hugo Rodallega bid rejected
Deal to sign Stuttgart striker for £3 million is complicated by work permit difficulties and his history of knee problems, while Andy Johnson and Chris Baird are offered to Wigan

 

[Lucas Barrios]

BUNDESLIGA

31.01.2012 15:33:06

'The Bundesliga is much quicker'

The centre back looked comfortable on the ball and had a passing accuracy of 91 per cent

Bremen - If ever there was any doubt that the world of football is a fast moving environment, a look at the transfer of Swiss international Francois Affolter to SV Werder Bremen should dispel any lingering reservations.

The 20-year-old signed for the club on Wednesday last week, trained with the squad for the first time on Thursday and made his Bundesliga debut in the starting line-up in the 1-1 draw against Bayer 04 Leverkusen on Saturday.

"Of course I was a bit nervous before kick-off, it was my first game after all. But that all disappeared as soon as the match started because I was concentrating on the task at hand and soon got into the swing of things," Affolter told bundesliga.de.

He went on to explain how he managed to communicate with his teammates, what coach Thomas Schaaf said to him before the match and the differences between playing in Switzerland and in Germany.

bundesliga.de: Herr Affolter, congratulations on making your Bundesliga debut. What were your first impressions?

Francois Affolter: I'm happy with the way I played. I wasn't sure what to expect as I hadn't been in the starting eleven in Bern for a while, but from the off I had a good feeling. I was calm on the ball and tried to help the team as much as possible. Unfortunately the result wasn't what we wanted, which is a shame because everyone was fighting for each other.

bundesliga.de: From the very beginning you appeared calm and collected, as if you'd been playing in the team for years. Did you not feel any pressure?

Affolter: I've been a professional for three years now and have learnt how to deal with pressure. Of course I was a bit nervous before kick-off, it was my first game after all. But that all disappeared as soon as the match started because I was concentrating on the task at hand and soon got into the swing of things.

bundesliga.de: Did you notice any difference between the German league and the Swiss league?

Affolter: Yes, the differences are huge. In the Bundesliga everything is much quicker and better organised than in the Swiss league. The players are excellent, both technically and tactically. They don't hold on to the ball for very long here, but pass it on as quickly as possible. You don't have as much space, especially when you have the ball, but I like this international way of playing.

bundesliga.de: What did Thomas Schaaf say to you before kick-off?

Affolter: He told me I shouldn't be nervous, that I should focus on my own ability, play football and that would stand me in good stead. It's only another game of football, just like any other I've played in.

bundesliga.de: And how did he ask you to play tactically?

Affolter: He talked about the most important things: good organization and staying compact. There are certain principles in football that are the same everywhere. When you know that, it's easier to adapt to new systems. The team welcomed me really well, which made it easier for me to integrate into the side.

bundesliga.de: How did you manage to communicate with fellow centre back Sokratis? Did you speak German or English?

Affolter: A little bit of everything: German, English, Italian but we didn't need to speak that much, as we stuck to the basics. When one goes for the ball, the other needs to cover and that worked really well. We just lost a bit of concentration and that allowed Leverkusen to score.

Michael Reis

 

[Lukas Podolski]

Arsenal ignore their problems once again, Wolfsburg sign a new team - the losers of the January transfer window

We take an in-depth look at the dealings from the last month, picking out which teams failed to sign their targets, which had moves back-fire, and which were overall duds

Feb 1, 2012 12:30:00 PM

​

Much was promised in the January transfer window, but in the end, relatively little actually happened. In spite of widespread rumours linking them with moves, Carlos Tevez, Keisuke Honda, Giovani dos Santos, Lucas Barrios and more stayed put.

And as proposed deals collapsed left and right, many teams failed to bring in the reinforcements they had sought last month. Some even acted to sell first, assuming the eventual signing of a player who never came. Indeed, as the deadline struck, there were many 'losers.'

Below, we take a look at the teams that suffered most during the January transfer window.

AJAX

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<tbody> [TD="bgcolor: #001111, colspan: 2"] IN A NUTSHELL

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[TD="colspan: 2"]Failed to sign a much-needed winger, and sold the wrong player[/TD]

</tbody>

[/TD]

</tbody>

They were in the market for a new winger as in their current squad only Derk Boerrigter and Miralem Sulejmani are Ajax quality, and announced on deadline day that they wanted to sign Heerenveen star Luciano Narsingh. Nevertheless, the 21-year-old ruled out a move to the Amsterdam ArenA shortly after.

To make things even worse, Ajax lost one of their biggest talents for a relatively small fee as Netherlands Under-19 star Ouasim Bouy left the club for Juventus. The midfielder turned down a contract offer in December, and would have been available on a free this summer. Therefore, Ajax had little choice but to cash in on Bouy now.

And to cap a not so successful month, they failed to offload Mounir El Hamdaoui to Fiorentina. The Morocco international is one of the top earners in Amsterdam, but has not played a single game since April after falling out with head coach Frank de Boer. A move to the Viola seemed to be on the cards, but eventually fell through after Ajax demanded a bank guarantee minutes before the window closed, and Fiorentina could not present one on that short notice.

ARSENAL

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<tbody> [TD="bgcolor: #001111, colspan: 2"] IN A NUTSHELL

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[TD="colspan: 2"]Needed full-backs, signed an unproven, injury-prone midfielder[/TD]

</tbody>

[/TD]

</tbody>

Much of the damage was already done even before Deadline Day for Arsenal, who lost all three of their Premier League games this month largely because Arsene Wenger has had no fit full-backs in his squad.Arsenal should have signed a left-back, even on loan, to see them through this injury crisis while the news that Jack Wilshere could be out until the end of the season has left the Gunners lacking drive in midfield.

Despite having the highest ticket prices in the country and public proclamations that there is money available, Arsenal made just one signing this month, a €750,000 deal for relatively unknown Borussia Dortmund teenager Thomas Eisfeld.

The risk for Arsenal now is that they miss out on the top four finish this season and find themselves in a vicious circle in the summer, when it will be difficult to attract top quality players without the incentive of Champions League football.

LAZIO

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<tbody> [TD="bgcolor: #001111, colspan: 2"] IN A NUTSHELL

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[TD="colspan: 2"]Targeted forward reinforcements, but weakened their attack[/TD]

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[/TD]

</tbody>

In a rare position of strength going into January, the Biancocelesti had high hopes of backing up their elevated league position with a good transfer campaign. However, despite sitting in the box seat in the race to sign Keisuke Honda, they ended up just missing out on the Japanese international's signature, and their late bid to raid Villarreal for Nilmar as a second choice option proved fruitless.

And while they have not lost names of note, they have certainly lost numbers. Djibril Cisse's summer move never came off, with only his debut goal against Milan to show for his 18 league games. But, due to the Honda and Nilmar failures, he has not been replaced.

Elsewhere, Antonio Candreva - who has flattered to deceive in countless settings over recent years - and Emiliano Alfaro have both come in, but they are the only incomings to offset six departures as an already shallow squad just got lighter.

Failing to sign the striking quality they sought while also reducing their squad size does not add up to a good month for Lazio.

MARSEILLE

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<tbody> [TD="bgcolor: #001111, colspan: 2"] IN A NUTSHELL

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[TD="colspan: 2"]Indirectly and unwittingly strengthened their rivals[/TD]

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[/TD]

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In a glorious case of irony, Marseille helped strengthen the top contenders for the Ligue 1 title, PSG. In letting Lucho Gonzalez leave for Porto, L'OM set in motion a string of transfers that ended with Thiago Motta moving to the Paris club.

Gonzalez had been struggling this season and was an acceptable loss for Marseille. However, his arrival at Porto allowed the Portuguese side to loan Fredy Guarin to Inter, which in turn facilitated PSG's move for the Brazilian midfielder.

Now, with nine points separating them from the leaders, Marseille have dug themselves an even greater deficit than before. A seemingly harmless move gone awry.

VILLARREAL

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<tbody> [TD="bgcolor: #001111, colspan: 2"] IN A NUTSHELL

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[TD="colspan: 2"]Aimed high, had to settle for a second-choice striker[/TD]

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[/TD]

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Having lost star midfielder Santi Cazorla in the summer, Villarreal got off to an awful start in La Liga, winning just one of their first nine games and lurking in the relegation zone before suffering another big blow as they lost striker Giuseppe Rossi to a serious injury.

The January window was just around the corner, though, and seemed an ideal time for the club to strengthen their struggling squad. A new striker was the priority, but the defence had also looked sub-standard and the midfield short of quality following the departure of Cazorla.

The club set their sights on Tottenham's Giovani dos Santos, but failure to free funds through the sale of Nilmar means the club were unable to sign the Mexican, and are stuck with an injury-prone and under-performing forward who does not want to be at the club.

Meanwhile, the deadline-day arrival of Argentine Alejandro Martinuccio looks like a Plan B at best and the squad remains short in other areas. The only plus point: the club have found some form under new coach Jose Molina. But they remain in the bottom three and desperately need to avoid further injuries if they are to beat the drop. This transfer window was a missed opportunity for Villarreal.

WOLFSBURG

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<tbody> [TD="bgcolor: #001111, colspan: 2"] IN A NUTSHELL

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[TD="colspan: 2"]Sold (almost) entire team, signed a new one[/TD]

</tbody>

[/TD]

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When Monchengladbach host Wolfsburg on Saturday, Marco Reus & co. will recognise only a couple faces from the last time the two sides squared off. During the transfer window, Felix Magath made no fewer than eight signings, and sent away six either on loan or as full transfers.

Wolfsburg's willingness to freely move players in and out of the Volkswagen Arena is risky, and to some extent nonsensical. The Lower Saxons stand in mid-table now, and have absolutely no chance of qualifying for the Champions League. But with just five points separating them from potential relegation to the 2. Bundesliga, to roll the dice by making such wholesale changes is to take a massive risk.

It would be unfair to write off Wolfsburg's new signings already, but their policy has a familiar tune with an unsavoury precedent, and smacks of despair. Time will tell whether Magath has signed the next Dzeko, Misimovic and Grafite - or whether he simply signed the next batch of duds to be shown the door in six months.

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery misses training due to back problem
The France international was unable to participate in Wednesday's training session due to injury, but is expected to be match fit in time for the match against HSV

Lucas Barrios: I stayed at Borussia Dortmund because of the fans
The Paraguay international has revealed that despite interest from a number of sides on transfer deadline day, he stayed at Signal Iduna Park due to the supporters' affection

Bayern Munich's Daniel Van Buyten: My season is not over yet
The Belgium international is currently unavailable due to a foot injury, but has insisted that he will make a return to action before the end of this campaign

Bayern Munich decline option to make Takashi Usami loan permanent
The Bundesliga leaders have apparently decided to allow the 19-year-old Japanese talent to leave in the summer, when his loan deal will expire

Chicago Fire interested in Bayer Leverkusen star Michael Ballack - report
The MLS outfit are keen on adding the former Germany captain to their ranks but will face competition from clubs in Russia and the United Arab Emirates

Wesley plans talks with Werder Bremen over returning to Brazil
The 24-year-old arrived at the Weserstadion in 2010 but he has made just 25 Bundesliga appearances for the club up until now and is desperate to leave for home

Bayern Munich defender Cunyet Koz chooses Turkey over Germany - report
The 19-year-old defensive all-rounder has opted to play for the land of his forefathers, rather than the nation of his birth

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

BUNDESLIGA

02.02.2012 11:16:01

Half a league in trouble

Does Vedad Ibisevic know what he got himself into? Despite occupying tenth Stuttgart are involved in a relegation battle

Munich - It's getting cosier than it has in years in the lower echelons of the Bundesliga table. Only seven points separate eighth placed 1899 Hoffenheim and SC Freiburg who currently sit at the foot of the table. It's a curious situation to be in: the teams not competing for a European qualification spot are all embroiled in a fluctuating relegation battle and big name teams aren't the exception as Wolfsburg, Stuttgart and Hamburg are all looking nervously over their shoulder.

Since the introduction of the three-point rule back in 1995 it's an unusual phenomenon considering that the basement battle has only been this close once before. In the 1997/98 season Hansa Rostock in seventh after Matchday 19 only had a six point lead over bottom of the table Arminia Bielefeld. In all the other seasons during the age of the three-point rule there has always been at least a nine point gap separating eighth and 18th.

Mid-table mediocrity

The situation has arisen less so because of the strength of the cellar dwellers, but more so as a result of the floundering mid-table teams. No eighth placed team has ever had as few points after 19 matches as 1899 Hoffenheim do with their 23.

For instance, VfB Stuttgart who are currently occupying one of those safe mid-table positions are well aware of the precarious position they find themselves in. "We're setting realistic expectations and aren't looking at things through rose tinted glasses," explained head coach Bruno Labbadia: "The pressure will increase and the table will get tighter." The VfB boss' sentiments were echoed by goalkeeper Sven Ulreich. "We certainly don't need to be looking up the table just yet. We've got to make sure we don't slip further down the table."

It's the right attitude to take considering what happened to Eintracht Frankfurt. Just last season the side led by head coach Michael Skibbe proceeded to put themselves in the Bundesliga's history books. After 19 matches Eintracht were in seventh place. "Why shouldn't we look up the table? We've got nothing to do with the relegation battle now," were the infamous words from Chairman Heribert Bruchhagen during the winter break. Frankfurt promptly went on a shocking run of form that ended up with them getting relegated that season.

Stats prove no one's safe

Comparing how things stand after 19 matches in the current season to the teams that got relegated in campaigns gone by there is one clear message: no club is safe. Sides that have found themselves between seventh and 13th have been caught out with demotion come the end of the season, while understandably the probability of dropping into Bundesliga 2 increases dramatically from 14th place and lower:

[TABLE="class: boxbig"]
<tbody>[TR]
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<tbody>[TR]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD]<center>7.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD]<center>1</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD]Hannover 96[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: FARBE_Tab"]
[TD]<center>8.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD]<center>0</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD]1899 Hoffenheim[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD]<center>9.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>2</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]VfL Wolfsburg[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: FARBE_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>10.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>3</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]VfB Stuttgart[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>11.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>2</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]Hamburger SV[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: FARBE_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>12.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>3</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]1. FSV Mainz 05[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>13.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>3</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]1. FC Nuremberg[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: FARBE_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>14.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>13</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]1. FC Köln[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>15.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>15</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]Hertha BSC[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: FARBE_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>16.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>24</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]1. FC Kaiserslautern[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>17.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>23</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]FC Augsburg[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: FARBE_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>18.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]<center>34</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: #E7E7E7"]SC Freiburg[/TD]
[/TR]
[TR="class: BG_Tab"]
[TD="width: 5, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>19.</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]<center>1</center><center></center>[/TD]
[TD="width: 10, bgcolor: transparent"]-[/TD]
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[Shinji Kagawa]

Bayern Munich's Jerome Boateng: Hamburg will pull everyone back against us
The Germany international has stated his belief that Thorsten Fink's men will focus on defending, and expects a difficult encounter at the Imtech Arena

Paulo Sergio: Bayern Munich right to reject ordinary Robinho
The now-retired forward has revealed that while he was working as a scout for the Bavarians, he recommended that they sign his compatriot, who was still at Santos at the time

Franck Ribery slams Bayern Munich's transfer policy
The France international feels that the Bavarians do not have the necessary strength in depth to compete in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

Franck Ribery slams Bayern Munich's transfer policy

The France international feels that the Bavarians do not have the necessary strength in depth to compete in both the Bundesliga and the Champions League

Feb 2, 2012 4:50:00 PM

By Mark Doyle

​

Franck Ribery believes that Bayern Munich have jeopardised their own chances of chances of lifting some silverware this season by failing to strengthen during the January transfer window.

The 28-year-old is concerned by the Bavarian outfit's strength in depth and thinks that they could end up paying for their parsimony in either the Bundesliga or the Champions League - or even both.

"I think it is a big problem for us if two or three players are injured,” Ribery told Sport1. "We do not have a really good bench and have no really good second team."

Ribery's comments are unlikely to go down well at the Allianz Arena because club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge revealed on the same day that it had been the wish of coach Jupp Heynckes to remain inactive during the transfer window.

"It was the desire of the coach not to make any changes in the winter," the Bayern supremo told Bild. "We hope that we can get through with this squad."

Bayern angered their own supporters last week by tricking many of them into believing that the club had signed a high-profile striker when in fact they were merely generating publicity for the launch of a new Facebook application.

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

Bundesliga preview: Top three look for wins

3 February 2012

​

Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund take on Nuremberg on Friday as the tight top three again face winnable outings.Juergen Klopp's Dortmund side are second to title rivals Bayern Munich on goal difference, while Schalke are third level on points with the top two.

None of the top three dropped points last time out, and Dortmund meet a Nuremberg side they have not lost to in their last six league meetings. Freezing temperatures are expected across the country, but the German Football Federation believes all games will go ahead as clubs have under-soil heating.

Poland striker Robert Lewandowski (14 goals) leads the goal-scoring for Klopp's men, who retained Paraguay international Lucas Barrios during the January transfer window despite speculation he would move elsewhere.

League leaders Bayern Munich travel to the Imtech Arena to meet Hamburg having decided not to strengthen their squad in January.Star attacker Franck Ribery was unhappy they failed to add to their squad, although Bundesliga top-scorer Mario Gomez has ensured they have had few troubles this campaign.

Schalke enter their clash at home to Mainz coming off a 4-1 thrashing of Cologne on Saturday.Huub Stevens' men, guided by the strike power of Dutchman Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Spaniard Raul, have shown themselves to be a genuine threat for a first German league title since 1958.

At the other end of the table, Cologne and Kaiserslautern battle at Fritz-Walter-Stadion on Sunday.Currently third-last, in the relegation play-off spot, Kaiserslautern will move out of the bottom three with a win over a Cologne side winless in their last two outings.

Elsewhere, surprise packets Borussia Moenchengladbach, who are fourth, visit Wolfsburg on Saturday on the back of seven consecutive wins in all competitions.Werder Bremen have a great chance to end their three-game winless league run when they meet bottom-placed Freiburg on Sunday.

Bayer Leverkusen welcome Stuttgart to the BayArena on Saturday, while Hannover visit Hertha Berlin on the same day.Meanwhile, Augsburg will be eyeing a spot outside the relegation zone when they visit Hoffenheim.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bayern Munich don’t have enough depth to win the treble, but Jupp Heynckes was wise not to request any January transfers
The Bavarians' squad is not complete and will not be before summer, but the coach's decision not to pursue additions last month was financially prudent & essential to team harmony

Bayer Leverkusen forward Eren Derdiyok out for three weeks - report
The Switzerland international stepped on broken glass in his bathroom, leaving him in need of seven stitches in his foot

Agent: Bayern Munich is the best club for Xherdan Shaqiri
The player's representative revealed that his client will likely leave Switzerland in the summer and admitted that the Allianz Arena would be an ideal destination

Germany coach Joachim Low at odds with Bayern Munich over Netherlands friendly
The Bavarian club are set to take on the Dutch national side in an exhibition match that may interfere with the 51-year-old's preparations for Euro 2012

Genoa's Sebastien Frey: I spoke with Paris Saint-Germain last summer & Bayern Munich have wanted me in the past
The French goalkeeper has revealed talks with the current Ligue 1 leaders and the Bavarians, and stressed that Fiorentina have missed their chance to become a top team

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bayern Munich don’t have enough depth to win the treble, but Jupp Heynckes was wise not to request any January transfers

The Bavarians' squad is not complete and will not be before summer, but the coach's decision not to pursue additions last month was financially prudent & essential to team harmony

Feb 4, 2012 9:00:00 AM

By Clark Whitney | German Football Editor

January was a relatively quiet month in the transfer market, and there was no team more silent than Bayern Munich, who opted neither to sign nor offload a single player.

Much to the dismay of many fans, die Roten never had interest in bringing in reinforcements. And on Thursday, Franck Ribery voiced his concerns that the club lack depth to cope with a spate of injuries or suspensions.

Ribery does have a point: if he and Arjen Robben or Thomas Muller are sidelined, the Bavarians lack a touch of class in attack. And if even only Mario Gomez is missing, scoring goals becomes much, much more difficult.

I think it is a big problem for us if two or three players are injured. We do not have a really good bench and really haven’t a good second team - Franck Ribery, to Sport1 ​

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Paulo Sergio also weighed in on the issue of Bayern’s depth on Thursday, asserting that the main difference between the team that won the 2001 Champions League final and the current side is the difference in options available.

In all likelihood, Bayern do not have the depth needed to win the Champions League, Bundesliga, and DFB Pokal. Anything is possible, of course, but it is a stretch to assume that a club will manage half a season without a few injuries and suspensions. And in the case of a small squad, one or two absences can make all the difference.

[In 2001] they had 16 players on a high level. That was key for the Champions League title ... If two of Franck Ribery, Arjen Robben, Thomas Muller and Mario Gomez are out, the attack no longer works - Paulo Sergio, to Spox​

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But the question has to be asked: were Bayern wrong not to spend in the winter? The overwhelming evidence is that Jupp Heynckes was wise not to make any additions.

The key detail to remember is that the market in January is far different from that in the summer. Teams are always more reluctant to sell stars in mid-season and transfer fees are always inflated. Recruits have just days to integrate in their new team, a process that is even more difficult for purchases from overseas, which is why Hoeness has a heavy preference for Bundesliga and German-speaking players. In short, buying in January is a huge gamble, and a buying team rarely gets the desired outcome from a winter transfer.

​	​	​

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[TD="colspan: 3"] LIMITED OPTIONS | Available this January... [/TD]
[TD="align: center"] Cisse [/TD]
[TD="align: center"] Wolf [/TD]
[TD="align: center"] Obasi [/TD]

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Consider Bayern’s decision to sign Luiz Gustavo 12 months ago. The Brazilian, who, at the time was far from being the best holding midfielder in Germany, cost a whopping €17 million. He was shuffled between central defence and midfield, but in neither position was particularly an improvement. Within six months, the former Hoffenheim man was a surplus to requirements, as Bayern made a serious move for Arturo Vidal, a better player who also would have cost significantly less. The Chilean ended up moving to Juventus for €10.5m, but even if he had transferred to the Allianz Arena, Bayern would have effectively spent nearly €30m on one position.

The fact is, in the positions in which Hoeness has vowed to improve, there were no available long-term options. In the Bundesliga, the top three central defenders outside Bayern - Mats Hummels, Benedikt Howedes and Dante - were never going to be allowed to leave at the halfway mark, especially with their respective teams still alive in the title race. And the only classy strikers of note were Patrick Helmes and Papiss Demba Cisse, although neither is proven in the Champions League.

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[TD="colspan: 3"] CORNUCOPIA OF QUALITY | Available in July? [/TD]
[TD="align: center"] Berbatov [/TD]
[TD="align: center"] Howedes [/TD]
[TD="align: center"] Shaqiri [/TD]

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Perhaps one or two January signings might have helped in the immediate future, but overpaying for a six-month solution would only deplete funds ahead of the summer transfer window, and create future disharmony in the squad upon the long-term signing’s arrival.

Bayern are yet to peak. They are now a far more balanced team than that which reached the 2010 Champions League final and are missing just a couple pieces in the puzzle. With confidence in his coaching at a high, Hoeness is planning to make a splash in the transfer market, with Howedes and Xherdan Shaqiri headlining his wish-list.

It is unfortunate that Bayern will not have their ideal squad in the same year that they host the Champions League final. But great teams are made piece-by-piece, over the course of several years, not with a series of rash and unnecessary transfers. On paper, Bayern will be a better team in 2012-13. Until then, fans can hope the spectre of injury keeps at bay.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

BUNDESLIGA

03.02.2012 16:58:32

Bayer hoping to avoid Ballack distractions

Just a few months ago Michael Ballack looked to be resurrecting his career, but things have since taken a turn for the worse.

Ballack might be on the out, but Leverkusen have only won one match out of the six in which he hasn't started
​

Bruno Labbadia is hoping his side can stop the rot, but is yet to record a win against his former side Leverkusen

Munich - While the media circus surrounding Michael Ballack rages on, it's back to business for Bayer 04 Leverkusen as they look to hold onto their unbeaten record in the second half of the season against struggling VfB Stuttgart.

19 games into the Bundesliga season and neither side's campaigns have gone exactly to plan thus far. While Robin Dutt's side's inconsistency has seen them struggle to keep pace with the league's high-flying front-runners, Bruno Labbadia has had to watch his team get dragged down into a relegation battle that spans over half the league.

Dutt: "A good state of mind"

Leverkusen have taken four points from their first two matches since the winter break and head coach Robin Dutt is confident his charges can build on those results. "The team are in a very good state of mind and with the exception of the 15 minutes before the break against Mainz, they're playing with great determination," stated the head coach. The 47-year-old has new signing Vedran Corluka, who "has fitted in very quickly", at his disposal as well as the returning duo of Renato Augusto and Sidney Sam. "It's a nice situation to be in, but one we've waited long enough for," added Dutt.

Rudi Völler used the press conference on Thursday as an opportunity to voice his opinions on the Michael Ballack situation: "It's not right that everybody is talking about it like it's the end of the world after the win against Mainz. We've put in far too much work for that. We're still aiming high this season and we want to put together a good run of form. For that we need a Michael Ballack who gives 100 per cent regardless of whether he's playing or not," stressed Völler. "We'd all do well to look forward now and get back to focusing on playing good, successful football."

Labbadia: "We've lacked determination"

Stuttgart meanwhile are enduring an unrelenting winless streak and four losses in a row have certainly got the Schwaben side looking nervously over their shoulder. Ahead of the game against his former employers, head coach Bruno Labbadia admitted that his team "aren't exactly brimming with self-confidence at the moment" making it all the more important for them to get back to winning ways. "We've lacked some vital determination at the back as well as up front. That's something we must have - it's a factor that set us apart at the beginning of the campaign," stated Labbadia.

The 45-year-old wants his team to rediscover their strengths such as their "compactness and transitional movement". However Labbadia was unwilling to start pointing the finger of blame. "It's not even an issue for me. I know how hard we're working so nothing else needs to be said about it," declared the VfB boss who will be without Timo Gebhart (stomach muscle) and Matthieu Delpierre (suspended) as well as Arthur Boka, Ibrahima Traore and Mamadou Bah who are all participating in the African Cup of Nations.

Probable line-ups:

Leverkusen: Leno - Corluka, Schwaab, Friedrich, Kadlec - Castro, Reinartz, Bender, Rolfes, Schürrle - Kießling

Stuttgart: Ulreich - Boulahrouz, Tasci, Maza, Molinaro - Harnik, Kvist, Hajnal, Okazaki - Cacau, Ibisevic

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bundesliga wrap: Hopefuls fail to close gap on Dortmund

5 February 2012

​

Bayern Munich failed to close the gap on Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga, settling for a 1-1 draw with Hamburg.Jacopo Sala's scored his first Bundesliga goal to put Hamburg in front on 23 minutes but former Hamburg striker Ivica Olic levelled with less than 20 minutes remaining to rescue a point for Bayern.

Arjen Robben and Bastian Schweinsteiger had chances to win it for Bayern while Hamburg substitute Heung-Min Son latched onto a late through ball and rounded goalkeeper Manuel Neuer only to inexplicably miss with an open goal gaping.

Bayern now trail the new league leaders by two points with Dortmund also profiting from title challengers Schalke and Borussia Moenchengladbach's failure to win.Schalke - who started the day in third - were held to a 1-1 draw by Mainz while Moenchengladbach came away with a goalless stalemate at Wolfsburg.

Schalke had to come from behind to win their point at the Veltins Arena in Gelsenkirchen, with Egyptian forward Mohammed Zidan scoring the opener for Mainz after just 15 minutes.Nigerian Chinedu Obasi levelled proceedings just before the hour mark but Huub Stevens' side were unable to find the elusive winner.

Despite dropping two points, Schalke remain in the top four with 40 points, while Mainz move four points clear of the relegation zone.Meanwhile, Moenchengladbach's unbeaten record extended to four matches with their draw, although they too failed to close the gap on Borussia Dortmund at the top of the league.

Both teams were struggling to create much in the way of goalmouth action, with the visitors edging the run of play during the first half.Wolfsburg upped the tempo after the interval, but Marc Andre Ter Stegen still had precious little to do in the Gladbach goal in the second half as the match finished all square.

Elsewhere, a 10-man Stuttgart snatched a late point in an entertaining 2-2 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.The hosts - who opened the scoring through Stefan Kiessling after just 11 minutes - also finished the match with 10 men at the BayArena.Julian Schieber responded on 24 minutes for Stuttgart with a powerful free kick into the bottom corner that left Bernd Leno in the Leverkusen goal with no chance.

But a penalty from Simon Rolfes just after half-time looked to have given Leverkusen all three points. Michal Kadlec's red card on 63 minutes put Leverkusen's hopes in doubt and the visitors made their numerical advantage pay in the dying stages as Austrian substitute Martin Harnik scored with just a minute of normal time remaining.There was still enough time for Stuttgart's Italian defender Cristian Molinaro to be sent off although both sides were forced to share the spoils.

In other matches, Sebastian Langkamp's 72nd-minute equaliser helped relegation-threatened Augsburg to a 2-2 draw at mid-table Hoffenheim, while Norwegian Mohammed Abdellaoue scored the only goal in Hannover's 1-0 win at Hertha Berlin.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bayern Munich's Jupp Heynckes unhappy with draw against Hamburg
The 67-year-old has voiced his disappointment at seeing his team pick up just the solitary point on their travels to the Imtech Arena, after insisting he only had eyes for a win

Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath heaps praise on new signing Petr Jiracek
The 58-year-old trainer has commended his new signing who arrived at the club from Viktoria Plzen last month

Holger Stanislawski: Sigurdsson & Obasi do not care about Hoffenheim
The 42-year-old trainer has criticised the two attacking players, who left the club in the winter transfer window on temporary deals, with both unlikely to rejoin his team

 

[Manuel Neuer]

'Bayern say they have more quality. Then they should show it!' - Dortmund's Kevin Grosskreutz
The 23-year-old's team have taken the lead in the Bundesliga title race and has now challenged Jupp Heynckes' side to show their worth

Dortmund's Lewandowski: 'I play for the champions, why should I move to Bayern?'
The Poland forward has dismissed all rumours linking him with a move to Bavaria, saying that his current employers are Germany's premier team

Uli Hoeness: Bayern saved Dortmund from bankruptcy with €2m loan
When the Ruhr club were on the brink in 2003, die Roten elected to help their rivals rather than see them go under, the FCB chief revealed. His claims were later confirmed by BVB

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Sven Bender set to miss two weeks with ankle injury
The 22-year-old was the victim of a heavy tackle from Daniel Didavi in the 2-0 win over Nurnberg, and wants to return in time for his side's trip to Hertha Berlin on February 18

Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar: I do not regret spells with Real Madrid & AC Milan
The Netherlands international has looked back at his time in La Liga and Serie A with a positive outlook of the experience and is enjoying playing in Germany

Bayer Leverkusen midfielder Sidney Sam ruled out of Barcelona Champions League tie
The attacking midfielder has picked up a muscular problem and faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines as a result, ruling him out of the clash against the Blaugrana

Bayern Munich closing in on Basel's Xherdan Shaqiri - report
The Bavarians are thought to be on the verge of signing the Switzerland international, who could sign a contract with FCB later this week if the German press is to be believed

Japanese in Europe: Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa contributes on both ends while Yuto Nagatomo's Inter flops
Once again it was Shinji Kagawa who put in a superb performance in another Dortmund win, while many other Japanese players in Europe struggled to make an impact

Thomas Muller 'immensely annoyed' with Bayern Munich's draw against Hamburg
The versatile attacker feels that his side can not afford to spill too many points if they are to fight for the Bundesliga title following a disappointing show at Imtech Arena

Bayern Munich confirm Netherlands friendly despite Joachim Low protests
Bundesliga giants will face the KNVB side to end their dispute over an injury to Arjen Robben, in spite of the trainer's claims the match will interfere in Euro 2012 preparations

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Uli Hoeness: Bayern saved Dortmund from bankruptcy with €2m loan

When the Ruhr club were on the brink in 2003, die Roten elected to help their rivals rather than see them go under, the FCB chief revealed. His claims were later confirmed by BVB

Feb 6, 2012 1:20:00 PM

By Enis Koylu

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has revealed that his club gave Borussia Dortmund a loan when the Signal Iduna Park side were on the verge of bankruptcy.

The Ruhr area side were staring into the abyss in 2003, but rather than see their rivals go under, Hoeness decided to loan them money in order to help with their crippling debts.

"When they [Dortmund] were aware that they could no longer pay their salaries, we gave them €2 million without collateral for a few months," the 60-year-old told fans in Hamburg.

When questioned about the loan, current Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke confirmed that the Bavarians had indeed helped his club out with their crisis.

"Yes, I can confirm a loan," he told Ruhr Nachrichten.

Bayern have in the past also given financial aid to local rivals 1860 Munich, as well as St Pauli.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Japanese in Europe: Borussia Dortmund's Shinji Kagawa contributes on both ends while Yuto Nagatomo's Inter flops

Once again it was Shinji Kagawa who put in a superb performance in another Dortmund win, while many other Japanese players in Europe struggled to make an impact

Feb 6, 2012 3:45:00 AM

By Gyo Araiwa & Dan Orlowitz

​

In Germany, things cannot currently go wrong for Shinji Kagawa who had another match to remember when Dortmund visited Nurnberg for the Bundesliga's Friday night game.

The 22-year-old was a decisive factor in the champions' 2-0 win as he not only provided the assist for the second goal by Lucas Barrios, but kept his side from falling behind clearing the ball off the line in the 11th minute.

In what started out as a difficult game against a spirited Nurnberg side, Kagawa created numerous chances throughout the 90 minutes. Having nearly scored with a backheel in the 36th minute himself, his pass to Sebastian Kehl could have led to another goal, but the play was controversially ruled offside. The result propels Dortmund to the top of the table as no other team in the top four was able to win.

Augsburg collected another valuable point on the road after Hajime Hosogai's team managed to record a 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim. The former Urawa Reds man, again playing the full match, had a solid game and showed attacking awareness as it was his cross into the box which led - after flicked on - to Sascha Molders opening goal in the 31st minute.

STAR OF THE WEEKEND

Shinji Kagawa

His team may have gotten off to a slow start but Kagawa was a key contributor to Dortmund's victory, which helped them take sole control of the Bundesliga table.​

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In the Eredivisie, Vitesse's Mike Havenaar made his first European start, and provided his first assist when he perfectly trapped a low cross before passing to Nicky Hofs who scored with a volley. In the second half Havenaar received a cross from team-mate Michihiro Yasuda before being fouled in the box and earning a penalty, which Alexander Buttner failed to convert. Havenaar was replaced on 81 minutes.

Germany

Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart): Had a good chance early on in his first start for the Swabians in five games, but wasn't able to leave his mark in the 2-2 draw in Leverkusen until he was substituted in the 76th minute.
Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart): Didn't make the squad for the 2-2 draw away to Leverkusen.
Atsuto Uchida (Schalke): Found himself outside the matchday squad, watching a 1-1 draw against Mainz from the stands of the Veltins-Arena.
Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg): The Samurai Blue skipper was an unused substitute in a goalless draw at home against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Yuki Otsu (Borussia Monchengladbach): Didn't feature in the Foals' roster for the 0-0 at Wolfsburg.
Takashi Usami (Bayern Munich): Featured on the Bavarians' bench for the 1-1 draw at Hamburg.
Kisho Yano (SC Freiburg): Is taking a trial at second division Swiss side FC Aarau.
Takashi Inui (Bochum): Helped his team winning a free kick which led to Bochum's opening goal in the 19th minute, but was wasteful on numerous other occasions in the narrow 2-1 home win against struggling Hansa Rostock.

Italy

Yuto Nagatomo (Inter): Started at left half but his Inter had their second poor performance of the week, following up the 4-4 draw on Wednesday with a 4-0 loss to Roma on Sunday.
Takayuki Morimoto (Novara): Not included in scoreless draw against Cagliari

England

Tadanari Lee (Southampton): Was not selected for Southampton's scoreless draw.
Ryo Miyaichi (Bolton): Watched Bolton's 2-0 loss to Norwich from the stands.

Belgium

Eiji Kawashima (Lierse): Made his 24th straight full appearance in Belgian play, but his team lost 2-0.

Netherlands

Maya Yoshida (VVV): Full appearance in 3-1 loss at Excelsior
Robert Cullen (VVV): Came on in the second half for his first playing time in three matches.
Yoshiaki Takagi (Utrecht): Watched Utrecht's 2-0 win over Ajax from the bench.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Xherdan Shaqiri set to undergo Bayern Munich medical - report
The Swiss attacker appears to be just one step away from signing for the Bundesliga leaders and a transfer could be announced in the next few days

DFL announces record attendance in first round of Bundesliga
The German top flight has experienced significant increases in turnout over the first half of the season, with figures on pace to shatter the books at season's end

Mario Basler: Bayern Munich should drop Arjen Robben
The former Germany international feels that the Bavarians perform better without the Dutchman and has urged them to bench the winger for the sake of the team

Bayern Munich agree deal for Basel's Xherdan Shaqiri - report
The Bavarians are thought to be on the verge of landing the Switzerland international, who is expected to sign a four-year contract with the club in the coming days

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes: Forwards will start scoring soon
The Bavarians have slipped to second in the Bundesliga after collecting just four points from a possible nine since the winter break but their veteran coach is remaining calm

Thomas Muller: Bayern Munich must always win every game
The Germany international was not a happy man after seeing the Bavarians displaced at the top of the Bundesliga by reigning champions Borussia Dortmund over the weekend

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes cryptic on Xherdan Shaqiri stories
The Bundesliga giants were noncommittal about the Swiss youngster, with Heynckes stating only that some players at Basel stand out

 

[Manuel Neuer]

DFL announces record attendance in first round of Bundesliga

The German top flight has experienced significant increases in turnout over the first half of the season, with figures on pace to shatter the books at season's end

Feb 7, 2012 1:23:00 PM

By Clark Whitney

The DFL (German Football League) has announced record-breaking attendance figures in the Bundesliga over the first half of the 2011-12 season.

An unprecedented 6.78 million fans attended the league's 153 games between August and December of 2011, an average of 44,345 spectators per match. The figures represent a seven per cent increase relative to the previous season.

In spite of the league's high demand, cost of admission has remained consistent, with the average ticket priced at €22.43.

"The numbers are a testament to the attractiveness of the competition in the Bundesliga, which thrilled fans with top-class sport and excitement more than in any other league,"
DFL chairman Christian Seifert told the official Bundesliga website.

"In addition, the strategy of the clubs to use moderate ticket prices and impose great comfort and high safety standards obviously helps."

In addition, the 2. Bundesliga has seen a sharp rise in attendance. The DFL revealed that on average, 17,125 turned out per game, a 27 per cent increase over last season's figure of 13,474.​