Bundesliga Season 2011/2012

[Manuel Neuer]

Japanese in Europe: Kagawa does it again, while Uchida shows good form in defence

Kagawa's birthday goal was one of few highlights for Japanese players in Europe this weekend, several of whom watched their teams from the bench

Mar 19, 2012 2:30:00 AM

By Gyo Araiwa & Dan Orlowitz

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In Germany‚ birthday boy Shinji Kagawa didn't take long to get the celebrations going in Borussia Dortmund's home 1-0 win against Werder Bremen on Saturday.

The Japanese attacker headed home an easy ball provided by Ilkay Gundogan in the eighth minute which proved to be the winner in a dominating display by the champions.

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Kagawa had a good attempt turned onto the post by Bremen's goalkeeper in the 24th minute and hit wide further promising opportunities shortly after the break‚ and wasn't able to add another goal. With the narrow win‚ BVB have remained unbeaten for 20 games - a feat they have achieved for the first time in the club's history.

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[TD="align: center"]Shinji Kagawa[/TD]
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Let's look past the birthday goal and consider the stats: with three more goals, Kagawa will eclipse former Frankfurt player Naohiro Takahara as the top Japanese goal-scorer in a major European league's season.
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In Sunday afternoon's match‚ Atsuto Uchida had a fine game as Schalke came from behind to beat bottom club Kaiserslautern 4-1.

Solid at the back‚ the 23-year-old showed some neat link-up play with Jefferson Farfan allowing him to launch into his trademark overlapping runs a couple of times‚ one of which he nearly concluded with an assist.

Following the midweek Europa League win against FC Twente‚ the right-back has gained form through his recent run in the first team and will give Knappen boss Huub Stevens food for thought when Germany international Benedikt Howedes returns to contention for a starting spot.

Italy

Yuto Nagatomo (Inter): Made a full appearance in his club's scoreless draw against Atalanta. Turned in a solid if unremarkable performance‚ failing to contribute much in the way of attack.

Takayuki Morimoto (Novara): Featured on bench as his club defeated Siena 2-0 away from home.

Germany

Gotoku Sakai (Stuttgart): Made a full appearance in his club's 2-1 win at Hoffenheim. In his sixth full match‚ the former Albirex player put on a solid performance on the Swabians' left side. The 20-year-old also showed good movements pushing forward‚ but was not involved in his team's goals.

Shinji Okazaki (Stuttgart): Not included as Stuttgart defeated Hoffenheim 2-1 away from home. The attacker sustained an injury in training during the week and is likely to be out of match action for another two to three weeks.

Makoto Hasebe (Wolfsburg): Played a full 90 minutes in his team's 3-1 win at Nurnberg. The Samurai Blue skipper was again fielded at right-back where he had a solid game‚ allowing him also to go forward and put in crosses. The 28-year-old had a hand in the Wolves' third in the 53rd minute as his throw-in eventually led to the goal.

Hajime Hosogai (Augsburg): Played a full 90 minutes as his club defeated Mainz 2-1 at home. The 25-year-old again did a good job taking control of Augsburg's central midfield and prevented the visitors from creating opportunities.

Yuki Otsu (Borussia Monchengladbach): Didn't feature in his team's roster in the 2-1 win at Leverkusen.

Takashi Usami (Bayern Munich): Remained on the bench in Bayern's 6-0 win at Hertha Berlin.

Takashi Inui (Bochum): Made a full appearance in his club's 2-1 loss at Duisburg. The former Cerezo man had a mixed afternoon as he was able to open the scoring in the 19th minute after receiving a fine pass by Mimoun Azaouagh‚ but the struggling home team went on to turn the match around.

England

Ryo Miyaichi (Bolton): Bolton's FA Cup fixture at Tottenham was abandoned in the first half when Fabrice Muamba collapsed on the field and was taken to a local hospital.

Lee Tadanari (Southampton): Left off the roster to recover from a knock as his club defeated Millwall 3-2 away from home.

Netherlands

Maya Yoshida (VVV Venlo): Was left off the line-up to serve a one-game suspension as his club was beaten 2-0 at home by NEC.

Robert Cullen (VVV Venlo): Made a full appearance in the 2-0 home loss against NEC.

Michihiro Yasuda (Vitesse): Played a full 90 minutes as Vitesse defeated Heracles 2-0 at home.

Mike Havenaar (Vitesse): Was an unused substitute in the 2-0 home win over Heracles.

Yoshiaki Takagi (Utrecht): Came on in the 90th minute in Utrecht's 3-0 home win against Groningen.

France

Daisuke Matsui (Dijon): Didn't feature in the matchday squad in the 2-1 win at Marseille.

Belgium

Eiji Kawashima (Lierse): Made a full appearance in the 1-1 draw against Mons.

Russia

Keisuke Honda (CSKA Moscow): CSKA will play against Spartak in Tuesday night's Moscow derby.

Romania

Takayuki Seto (Astra Ploiesti): Played a full 90 minutes in the Black Devils' 2-1 loss at Steaua Bucharest.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Klopp: Dortmund want to beat Bayern in DFB Pokal final
The BVB coach has stressed that the Bundesliga champions are eager to take down Jupp Heynckes' side and add the German cup to their trophy cabinet this season

Schalke striker Huntelaar compares Athletic Bilbao with Barcelona
The Netherlands international is extremely wary of the threat posed to the Bundesliga's hopes of European glory after watching them in action against the Premier League champions

Thierry Henry: Who wouldn't want to play with Michael Ballack?
The Red Bulls star has made it known that he would love to play with the former Germany international

Inter set sights on Schalke's Jurado - report
Nerazzurri technical director Marco Branca is, according to Tuttosport, already planning for next season and plans to make the Spaniard one of his first new signings

Dortmund's Barrios to join Guangzhou Evergrande - report
The striker was a key man in last season's Bundesliga title success but is allegedly ready to move to China after having losing his starting role at the Westfalenstadion

Bayern Munich and Juventus tracking Adriano - report
The versatile Brazilian player has not featured much for the Catalan giants this season and a summer switch to Italy or Germany could be on the horizon

Strunz: Bayern need to win all eight remaining games to claim Bundesliga title
The former Germany international has stressed that the Bavarians cannot afford to spill any more points in the remainder of the campaign if they want to be champions

Ribery: Bayern were always focused on reaching the DFB-Pokal final in Berlin
The France international has admitted that Wednesday's encounter was not an easy one for Bayern, but stated the Bavarians were always focused on making it to Berlin

Borussia Monchengladbach 0-0 Bayern Munich (aet, Bayern win 4-2 on pens): Dante & Nordtveit misses condemn hosts as Bavarians set up final date with Dortmund
Jupp Heynckes' men were given a run for their money by the Foals, but ultimately did just enough to edge past the hosts and book their place in the domestic showpiece

Italy coach Prandelli hails German youth system
The Azzurri boss has cast an envious glance in the direction of Joachim Low, who will take a squad to Poland and Ukraine this summer packed with exciting young talent

Schalke to offload Jurado, Escudero & seven others - report
The Spanish duo will apparently be sold in order to raise funds for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's lucrative new contract, with the club set to offer the Dutchman a new €8m-a-year deal

Arnesen: Adler to make Hamburg decision in April
The sporting director has revealed that the Bayer Leverkusen goalkeeper has passed his medical with the club and could join HSV next month

Grosskreutz denies racism claims
Furth defender Mergim Mavraj has made serious allegations against the 23-year-old, who has denied any wrongdoing in the aftermath of Dortmund's DFB-Pokal win on Tuesday

Lars Bender extends Leverkusen contract until 2017
The 22-year-old has pledged his long-term future to the Bundesliga side, having penned a new deal that includes an additional two seasons beyond his previous agreement

Koln sign defender Lukimya from Fortuna Dusseldorf
The 26-year-old Congo international has signed a two-year contract with the Cologne-based club and will arrive in the summer from the second-tier outfit

Gomez keen to sign Bayern Munich extension, says agent
The Germany international's representative has revealed that the striker is very happy at FCB and is eager to sign a new deal with his current agreement set to run out in 2013

Klopp: I will not leave Dortmund for Chelsea
The BVB coach is reportedly one of the candidates to take over at Stamford Bridge, but he has insisted that he will not join the Blues this summer, claiming he is "unavailable"

Kagawa: Dortmund needs to consider profligacy in front of goal
The Samurai Blue star had two big chances to score in the extra-time DFB-Pokal semi-final win over Greuther Furth and lamented failing to do so

Kaiserslautern part company with Marco Kurz
The German club have decided to fire the 44-year-old after a series of negative results which has left them at the bottom of the Bundesliga standings

Thorsten Fink to fine players for conceding goals from set plays
The 44-year-old coach will force his players to pay a penalty if they fail to defend properly from a set piece as he attempts to move his team up the Bundesliga table

Schalke determined to keep Huntelaar
The Gelsenkirchen side are ready to make the Dutchman an offer he cannot refuse in their attempts to hold on to the striker, with a two-year extension reportedly on the table

Birmingham make offer for Bayern's Usami, but player closes in on Nurnberg move
The Japan international has gathered interest from England, but is already in advanced talks over a move to northern Bavaria, with FCN having confirmed their interest

Toni Kroos: There should not even be a discussion over Robben's future at Bayern
The Germany international has stressed that the winger is a key player for the Bavarians, and feels there should be no question whether the Dutchman should be offered a new deal

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Thorsten Fink to fine players for conceding goals from set plays

The 44-year-old coach will force his players to pay a penalty if they fail to defend properly from a set piece as he attempts to move his team up the Bundesliga table

Mar 20, 2012 1:43:00 PM

By Tom Webber

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Hamburg trainer Thorsten Fink wants to put a halt to his side's lacklustre defending by imposing a fine should they concede from a set play.

HSV have given up 20 goals from set pieces this season and now sit just two points clear of the relegation play-off position. In order to counteract the sloppy play, Fink has decided to punish the players should they be beaten by a corner or free kick.

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"If we concede a goal from a set play, the players will have to pay into a team fund. If we score a goal, the team can take something out."

Hamburg were performing well in the Bundesliga but a run of five games without a win has seen them slip down the table.

"Some thought we had already made it. We have to get off this level of satisfaction."

Fink remains confident that relegation is not a possibility for his side and that the only way is up.

"Now I'm asking as a coach that the team adjusts. Footballers are like children sometimes. We must help them."

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Schalke to offload Jurado, Escudero & seven others - report

The Spanish duo will apparently be sold in order to raise funds for Klaas-Jan Huntelaar's lucrative new contract, with the club set to offer the Dutchman a new €8m-a-year deal

Mar 21, 2012 8:15:00 PM

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Schalke are reportedly planning a summer clearout which will see both Jose Manuel Juradoand Sergio Escudero leave the club.

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According to Bild, the Bundesliga outfit need to offload some saleable assets in order to fund a new €8 million-per-season deal for star striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar, who has been attracting attention from a number of top European clubs, including Manchester United.

The paper claims that means that both midfielder Jurado and defender Escudero will be sold to the highest bidder at the end of the season.

Jurado, a €13m signing from Atletico Madrid in 2010, has already been linked with a move to Inter and the player has hinted that his days in Gelsenkirchen are coming to an end, tellingMarca: "I'm thinking of leaving Schalke in the summer."

The report also claims that in order to trim their wage bill, Schalke will also try to sell Alexander Baumjohann and release loanees Edu, Anthny Annan, Vasilios Pliatsikas, Ciprian Deac, Mario Gavranovic, and Jan Moravek.

Schalke are currently fourth in the Bundesliga standings, nine points adrift of leaders Borussia Dortmund.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bundesliga wrap: Bayern cut gap to Dortmund, Moenchengladbach lose

25 March 2012

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Bayern Munich closed the deficit on Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund to two points with a 2-1 win over Hannover on Saturday.Toni Kroos and Mario Gomez struck for Jupp Heynckes' men at Allianz Arena, before Didier Ya Konan pulled a goal back for the visitors. The win, Bayern's third straight in the league, saw them put the pressure on champions Borussia Dortmund, who visit Cologne on Sunday.

Bayern broke the deadlock in the 36th minute after Franck Ribery flicked a pass to Arjen Robben.Dutchman Robben back-heeled to Kroos, who chipped over the advancing Ron-Robert Zieler to open the scoring.The in-form Gomez got his goal on 68 minutes when he latched onto a Kroos pass, made space from Christian Pander, and tucked his finish inside the far post.

Hannover reacted positively following Bayern's second goal, and pulled one back within six minutes as Mame Biram Diouf nodded a cross towards substitute Ya Konan, who struck an overhead volley into the net, but Bayern held on for an important win.Elsewhere, Borussia Moenchengladbach suffered a surprise 2-1 loss at home to Hoffenheim.

Marco Reus opened the scoring for the hosts in the 38th minute, but the game turned in Hoffenheim's favour in three second-half minutes.Midfielder Roberto Firmino equalised before Boris Vukcevic struck a 79th-minute winner to see his side to the shock win.In other matches, lowly Kaiserslautern's struggles continued as they slumped to a 2-0 loss at Freiburg, who had Karim Guede and Cedric Makiadi on the scoresheet.

Augsburg snatched a 1-1 draw at Werder Bremen thanks to Paul Verhaegh's 90th-minute equaliser, which came after Niclas Fuellkrug had opened the scoring.Hertha Berlin took another step towards moving out of the relegation zone with a 3-1 win at Mainz. A brace from Colombian striker Adrian Ramos and an Anis Ben-Hatira goal saw Hertha to the vital win, which lifted them to within a point of safety.

In the late kick-off, a brace by Klaas-Jan Huntelaar earned Schalke the points at home to Bayer Leverkusen and moved them to third place on 53 points, six behind leaders Borussia Dortmund.Dutch striker Huntelaar struck in the 18th and 86 minutes, adding to his already impressive tally of 20 goals for the Champions League-chasing club.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bundesliga wrap: Leaders Dortmund rout Cologne

26 March 2012

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Bundesliga leaders Borussia Dortmund thrashed Cologne 6-1 on Sunday to restore their five-point advantage atop the table.Milivoje Novakovic opened the scoring to give Cologne a surprise 13th-minute lead at RheinEnergieStadion.

Juergen Klopp's men drew the game level prior to half-time through Lukasz Piszczek, before they ran rampant after the break.Shinji Kagawa netted a brace to go with strikes from Ilkay Gundogan, Robert Lewandowski and Ivan Perisic to seal an impressive victory.

Dortmund were made to pay for a sloppy start when a Martin Lanig cross found Novakovic, who sent a looping header over Roman Weidenfeller.The visitors equalised in the 26th minute when Marcel Schmelzer picked out Piszczek with a lovely cross, and the Poland international applied a skilful header to beat Michael Rensing.

Dortmund dominated the second half and Kagawa started the rout when he gave his side the lead with a powerful volley that cannoned in off the bar.The Japan international was involved in Lewandowski's goal, releasing Jakub Blaszczykowski, who squared for the striker to apply a simple finish.

They made it 4-1 when a superb one-two between Kagawa and Gundogan split open the Cologne defence.Gundogan was left to easily convert to pile more misery on Stale Solbakken's team, before Kagawa completed his brace by poking home a Piszczek cross and Perisic put the icing on the cake with Dortmund's sixth.

In the day's other game, Stuttgart extended their unbeaten run to five matches with a 1-0 win over Nuremberg. Cacau scored the only goal of the encounter in the 78th minute, collecting a Martin Harnik pass before placing into the bottom corner.Nuremberg missed several chances throughout the contest, and were unable to make anything out of their 14 corners.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Official: Bayern Munich sign Bastian Schweinsteiger's brother Tobias
The Bundesliga giants have confirmed that the Germany international's older sibling will join the Bavarians in the summer transfer window

Schalke hope Raul commits to one-year contract extension
The Gelsenkirchen outfit are eager to retain the services of the Spaniard, but the two parties are not on the same page in terms of the length of the striker's new deal

Ribery: Marseille will be tough opponents for Bayern
The winger, who has been capped 57 times by France, enjoyed two seasons at the Stade Velodrome and believes his former side will be difficult to beat later this week

'All credit to my team' - Heynckes delighted with Bayern's victory over Hannover
The veteran trainer has spoken of his pleasure at the Bavarians' performance after taking into account their condition, having played a high-intensity DFB-Pokal cup tie midweek

Bayern Munich and Dortmund set to battle for Kirchhoff signature - report
The 21-year-old has attracted the interest of several Bundesliga sides, including the two German powerhouses who may make their move this summer

Beckenbauer remains coy on Heynckes' future at Bayern Munich
The former Germany international appeared rather sheepish when discussing whether he believed the 66-year-old trainer would be at the Bavarian giants for years to come

Borussia Dortmund prepares to make offer for Japan defender Hiroki Sakai - report
The youngster is contracted through until the end of the year with Kashiwa Reysol, but the club has expressed a willingness to negotiate with the Bundesliga leaders

Christian Fuchs' agent plays down rumoured Barcelona interest
The Blaugrana are said to be looking for a replacement for Eric Abidal, who is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines as he is expected to undergo a liver transplant this week

Barrios to earn €6.7m per year at Guangzhou as Dortmund line up Polter as replacement - report
The Paraguay international was expected to leave the Westfalenstadion during the January transfer window but a proposed move to Fulham collapsed at the 11th hour

Wenger: Podolski deal not done yet
The Arsenal boss has insisted that reports of a deal being done for the Germany international are wide of the mark and that a timescale could not be put on the move

Dante disappointed with Bayern Munich penalty miss
The Brazilian defender has revealed that he lost sleep over the mistake during the shoot-out, but has vowed to bounce back and help Gladbach finish the season strongly

 

[Manuel Neuer]

I could return to Brazil, says Werder Bremen's Naldo
The towering defender has revealed that he would be open to a move back to his homeland, should his current club receive an acceptable offer at the end of this season

Ribery: I want to retire at Bayern Munich
The French ace wants to end his career with the Bavarians and says he expects to be jeered by Marseille's fans when he returns to his former club for Champions League action

Monchengladbach target Standard Liege's Felipe as Dante replacement
The South American star will look to move to Germany in the summer and take the spot of his compatriot in the Foals' side for the 2012-13 Bundesliga campaign

Dortmund do their talking on the pitch, says Watzke
Bayern have drawn to within five points of Jurgen Klopp's side and are increasingly confident of triumphing when the two sides meet at the Westfalenstadion next month

Wesley completes Palmeiras move
The former Werder and Santos man will be presented as a Verdao player on Tuesday after training with the club for more than two months as negotiations continued

Leverkusen to part ways with Dutt at season's end - report
With his side 11 points behind a Champions League spot, it is reported that the trainer has lost the faith of the B04 management, and will leave the club in July, if not sooner

Questioning Bayern Munich is laughable, says Nerlinger
The Bavarians' sporting director has stressed that FCB have plenty of quality in the squad to win silverware this season, but downplayed talks of claiming the treble

Gotze to make comeback against Bayern Munich - report
The Germany international has spent the past few weeks on the sidelines due to injury, but is on his way back and could return to match action versus the Bavarians

Bayern monitoring Huntelaar as Schalke scramble to extend deal
The Bavarian giants are among a number of teams that are keeping tabs on the Netherlands international, but Schalke are willing to spend heavily to hold on to their star striker

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Tuesday 27th March 2012

Beckenbauer backs Pizarro return

Bayern Munich's honorary president Franz Beckenbauer has backed his club to sign Claudio Pizarro from Werder Bremen in the summer.

Pizarro has a year left to run on his contract in Bremen, but he is stalling on accepting a new deal and has hinted several times that he may leave in the summer.

When asked if he would like to play for Bayern again, he said that it would be an attractive option and that he would "have to listen" to them if they were to show an interest.

With Ivica Olic leaving Bayern in the summer and Nils Petersen failing to make the grade this season, a new striker is at the top of their wishlist, and Pizarro's pedigree makes him an ideal candidate, according to Beckenbauer.

"I have read about Pizarro and he is still one of the best, even at the age of 33," he said to Sky.

"The goals he scores, the way he moves - there is no sign of age there. In my eyes, it would make sense to sign Claudio."

Pizarro scored 71 goals in 174 appearances for Bayern between 2001 and 2007 before moving to Chelsea.

Since returning to Germany to join Bremen in 2009, he has become the Bundesliga's all-time top foreign goalscorer, breaking the previous record of 133 set by another former Bayern player Giovane Elber. Pizarro's current Bundesliga tally is 141.
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[Manuel Neuer]

Low: Helmes is a striker with enormous quality
The boss of die Mannschaft praised the 28-year-old forward as he considers his striking alternatives in the potential absence of Miroslav Klose

Gotze explains Arsenal & Bayern snub: Dortmund are nowhere near their peak
The 19-year-old, who recently committed his long-term future to the Bundesliga title holders, believes BVB still have plenty of room to improve in the coming years

Allofs unaware of talks between Bayern and Pizarro
The Peruvian hitman was believed to be ready to depart the Weserstadion at the end of the season with his former club zoning in, but the sporting director has slammed the reports

Pogrebnyak: 'I would love to stay at Fulham'
The in-form Russian striker insists he is settled in the Premier League and would like to make a permanent move to London when his loan deal from German club Stuttgart expires

Official: Azkals star Stephan Schrock joins Bundesliga outfit Hoffenheim
The Filipino right-back has penned a deal until 2015 with Markus Babbel's side and has declared himself delighted with the opportunity of playing in Germany's top flight

Van Buyten: Hazard has asked me about Bayern Munich
The 34-year-old would like to see his fellow countryman move to the Allianz Arena, but admitted that the young attacker may go in a different direction

Huub Stevens: You have to ask Raul about his Schalke future
The Dutch trainer is in the dark about the Spaniard's future in Gelsenkirchen, while insisting that he is wary of the threat posed by Athletic Bilbao

Andre Ayew: Bayern Munich are a dream club for all Marseille players
The Ghanaian freely admits that his goal is to one day join a side of the Bavarians' stature, believing the Bundesliga giants to be on the same level as Barcelona

Gotze to earn €4.6m per year while Dortmund close in on Kagawa extension - report
The 19-year-old signed a deal until 2016 and will receive a lucrative pay rise while the Japan star is set to sign a new contract with the German champions

Stuttgart fans do not like the Europa League, says Bobic
The VfB director claims there is little appetite for Europe's second-tier tournament among the club's supporters, citing poor attendance during the team's last campaign

Tying down talent and buying Europe's best
The Bavarians have turned down some lucrative offers for their star players, sticking to a plan for long-term prosperity as they continue to assemble a young and talented team

Not for sale! Bayern tell Barcelona, Chelsea & Inter that Germany trio are going nowhere
The European powers have made inquiries about Philipp Lahm, Holger Badstuber and Toni Kroos, but the Bavarians have turned down negotiations, labeling the trio not-for-sale

Keep your eyes on David Alaba - the unsung Austrian who could be Bayern Munich's next Lizarazu
Even at just 19 years of age, the Austrian has become a key player for the German record champions and the all-rounder has a bright future ahead of him

Diego happy at Atletico but open to Wolfsburg return
The Brazilian has admitted that he made many mistakes during his debut season at the Wolfswagen Arena and insists that his relationship with current coach Felix Magath is 'fine'

Wesley: Palmeiras move is a dream come true
The talented midfielder was introduced to some of the fans who paid from their own pockets to seal a move from Bremen, and admitted he was delighted to be in the club

Papin: Bayern are on the same level as Real Madrid and only Barcelona are better
The former France international feels that only the Catalans are better than FCB, and thinks that the Bavarian side's forwards will make the difference against Marseille

Mario Gotze extends Dortmund contract until 2016
The 19-year-old Germany international has committed his future to the Bundesliga title holders, having agreed to lengthen his current deal by two years

Schalke sign Chinedu Obasi on permanent deal
The Gelsenkirchen outfit have exercised the option to retain the Nigeria international's services, following his impressing performances since arriving on loan

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Koln board members informed of Podolski's move to Arsenal - report

The Germany international retains a strong emotional connection with his hometown club but he has now apparently decided to try to further his career in the Premier League

Mar 29, 2012 3:00:00 PM

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Koln chairman Werner Wolf has reportedly informed the club's board members that star forward Lukas Podolski will join Arsenal at the end of the season.

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The Germany international has been heavily linked with a move to the Emirates and the Gunners are confident of finalising the proposed €12.9 million transfer before the end of the month.

Wolf has now confirmed the details of Podolski's summer switch to his colleagues, according toExpress.

Koln had been hoping that a lucrative new contract might persuade the player to stay but the 26-year-old attacker has becoming increasingly frustrated by the Bundesliga strugglers' lack of progress on and off the field.

Podolski, who is out of contract in June 2013, is currently in his second stint with his hometown club, having rejoined from Bayern Munich in 2009.

 

[Manuel Neuer]

Bayern Munich expand into Japan with new Hiroshima academy

The German giants hope to expand their fan base and discover new talent in the East Asian nation, which has recently become a valuable source for Bundesliga players

Mar 29, 2012 5:35:00 AM

By Dan Orlowitz

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Bundesliga giants Bayern Munich will open a football academy in the western Japanese prefecture of Hiroshima next month, according to Kyodo News.

Based in the city of Fukuyama, the school will enroll 320 children ranging from three to 15 years of age, with fees ranging from €270 to €900 per term.

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The four-time European champions are one of the more popular German clubs in Japan, having won the 2001 Intercontinental Cup in Tokyo in addition to a pre-season tour against J-League clubs in 2005.

However, Bayern's popularity has waned recently as Japanese loanee Takashi Usami has failed to make an impact while stars such as Shinji Kagawa, Shinji Okazaki, and Atsuto Uchida have made waves with other Bundesliga clubs.

With even more Japanese players expected to make the leap to Europe after the 2012 London Olympics, the school represents a prime opportunity for Bayern to expand their reach into one of Asia's deepest talent pools.

 

[Arjen Robben]

Monchengladbach's Hanke targets 'dream' Champions League qualification
The 28-year-old striker says he will do everything he can in the final seven games of the league campaign to help his side to a place in Europe's elite club competition

Juventus scouted Llorente and Farfan at Veltins Arena - report
It is believed that the Turin giants had representatives present for the Europa League quarter-finals clash between the players' club sides in Germany earlier this week

'Situations like that have never happened before' - Klopp rues Dortmund's defensive errors against Stuttgart
The 44-year-old trainer felt mistakes were key to seeing his side drop two points, which could allow Bayern Munich to close the gap at the Bundesliga summit

Claudio Pizarro: I have not yet made a decision on my future
The Peruvian has remained tight-lipped on rumours linking him to Bayern Munich, and maintains that his only focus is scoring goals for his current club

Bayern Munich sack Mats Hummels' father
Herman Hummels has been relieved of his duties as the Bavarian club's youth coordinator and will be replaced by Franz Beckenbauer's son

Podolski's Arsenal move delayed over fears of Koln fan revolt – report
The north London club were expected to announce the signing this week but the German side requested it be postponed after suffering a 6-1 Bundesliga loss to Dortmund last weekend

Borussia Dortmund ready to double Kagawa's wages - report
The Bundesliga champions are determined to hold on to the Japan international, and have reportedly offered the attacking midfielder a new deal worth €3m per year

Juventus offer Elia to Schalke & Wolfsburg - report
The Netherlands international joined the Bianconeri at the start of the 2011-12 campaign, but has been unable to make his mark and could be on his way out again

Bayern's Usami confirms reports of Nurnberg move
The 19-year-old Japanese striker has been unable to break through to the starting lineup since his loan from Gamba Osaka last summer and is looking for a new club

Diego Simeone: Atletico Madrid won deservedly against Hannover
The Argentine coach is wary that the result leaves everything open for the second leg and praised his side for recovering from their weekend setback

Werder Bremen and Stuttgart lead Bundesliga pursuit of Marcelo
The 24-year-old centre-back still has another full season to run on his current contract with the Eredivisie outfit but he has attracted a lot of interest from Germany

 

[Arjen Robben]

Bayern Munich sack Mats Hummels' father

Herman Hummels has been relieved of his duties as the Bavarian club's youth coordinator and will be replaced by Franz Beckenbauer's son

Mar 30, 2012 1:37:00 PM

By Enis Koylu

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Bayern Munich have fired the father of Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels from his role as youth coordinator, according to Bild.

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Herman Hummels had been associated with the Bavarian club for a number of years, fostering youth talents such as his son, who swapped the Allianz Arena for Signal Iduna Park in 2009 after a successful loan spell.

His position will be filled by Franz Beckenbauer's son, Stefan, who has been coaching in Bayern's youth ranks since 2001.

BVB currently top the Bundesliga table, five points ahead of Bayern. The two rivals are set to meet twice in the coming months, in the league on April 11, and in the DFB-Pokal final on May 12.

 

[jw5]

Bayern Munich have fired the father of Borussia Dortmund star Mats Hummels from his role as youth coordinator, according to Bild.

Fergie, quickly hire Mr Hummels as your youth coordinator, whatever that is.

 

[Arjen Robben]

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[Arjen Robben]

Bayer Leverkusen sack Dutt and name Hyppia as caretaker coach

The German side were humiliated by Barcelona in the second leg of their Champions League last-16 tie and have also slipped to sixth in the Bundesliga after this weekend's games

Apr 1, 2012 11:00:00 AM

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Bayer Leverkusen have sacked Robin Dutt after a run of five successive defeats in all competitions and installed Sami Hyppia as caretaker coach until the end of the season.

The decision to remove the 47-year-old Dutt from his position was taken after Saturday's Bundesliga loss at home to his former club Freiburg and was confirmed by the club at a press conference the following morning.

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"We had to act and to make a statement to pursue our goal of international football for next seasen with fresh energy," Leverkusen director Wolfgang Holzhaeuser told reporters in Leverkusen.

Consequently, Hyppia has now been appointed as boss on an interim basis and will be assisted in his new position by youth team coach Sascha Lewandowski.

"I know the team and firmly believe in it," said the Finn, who joined Leverkusen from Liverpool in 2009 before retiring last year to take up a coaching role with the club.

"We - Sascha Lewandowski and I - want to show Bayer Leverkusen how to get back on track."It is an unsettled team that has not taken its chances in recent weeks. But, having been at the club for the past three years, I have an advantage in that I know the players."

Leverkusen appeared to be well in contention for a fourth-placed finish after upsetting Bayern Munich at the start of last month but they suffered a dramatic collapse after suffering a humiliating 7-1 defeat in the second leg of their Champions League last 16 tie with Barcelona, losing four on the bounce in the Bundesliga.

Their dreadful dip in form generated great unrest among the club's fans, while it is believed that Dutt's strained relationships with influential midfielders Michael Ballack and Simon Rolfes also contributed to his downfall.
Dutt only took charge of Leverkusen last summer, having replaced the Bayern Munich-bound Jupp Heynckes at the helm, but had previously been reported that Leverkusen had planned to dismiss him at the end of the current campaign anyway.

 

[Arjen Robben]

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Podolski will have to get used to the pace in the Premier League if he joins Arsenal, says Lehmann
The former Germany goalkeeper believes that the attacker has what it takes to succeed at the Gunners, but added that he will have to adapt to the different circumstances

 

[Arjen Robben]

Podolski will have to get used to the pace in the Premier League if he joins Arsenal, says Lehmann

The former Germany goalkeeper believes that the attacker has what it takes to succeed at the Gunners, but added that he will have to adapt to the different circumstances

Apr 1, 2012 7:00:00 PM

By Stefan Coerts

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Former Germany international Jens Lehmann has stated his belief that Koln attacker Lukas Podolski has what it takes to succeed at Arsenal.

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The Germany international is continually being linked with a move to the Premier League side and is widely expected to make the move to the Emirates Stadium this summer.

Lehmann, who wore the Arsenal jersey from 2003 until 2008 and made a brief return in 2011, is full of praise for Podolski, but did warn that the forward will have to get used to the pace in the Premier League.

"He is quick, dangerous in front of the goal, and has a good pass. I'm happy for him if he soon joins Arsenal," Lehmann stated to Bild.

"It won't be easy though. He will have to get used to the pace [in the Premier League]. And he will have to realise that participating is not enough. You must win. Expectations are very high."

The 26-year-old Podolski has netted 17 goals in 23 Bundesliga appearances this term.

Meanwhile, Koln have stressed that they will not give head coach Stale Solbakken the sack following the club's poor results in recent weeks.

The Geissbocke have dropped to 16th spot in the table after losing their last three games, but they have no intention of sacrificing their trainer.

 

[Arjen Robben]

Mario Gomez thanks Stuttgart for Dortmund draw

The Germany international has sent his former team-mates a video message to thank them for taking two points off the Bavarians' biggest title rivals at the weekend

Apr 3, 2012 11:51:00 AM

By Stefan Coerts

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Bayern Munich attacker Mario Gomez has sent a video message to his former Stuttgart team-mate Christian Gentner to thank the Schwaben for holding Borussia Dortmund to a 4-4 draw on Friday.

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BVB held a five-point lead over Bayern at the top of the Bundesliga table ahead of matchday 28. But much to the delight of Gomez, the Bavarians have now slashed the gap to just three points after Dortmund's tie against Stuttgart and FCB's 1-0 win over Nurnberg at the weekend.

"Mario congratulated us immediately after the game. Not by text, though. He sent a video message together with a few Bayern players," Gentner was quoted as saying by Bild.

The 26-year-old Gomez is a product of the Stuttgart youth academy and made well over 100 Bundesliga appearances for VfB before joining Bayern in 2009.

He played alongside Gentner in several youth sides, as well as in the first team between 2004 until 2007.

Bayern take on Olympique de Marseille in the quarter-final of the Champions League before turning their attention back to the Bundesliga when they meet Augsburg on April 7, before facing rivals Dortmund three days later.