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Bundesliga preview: Strugglers meet in crucial battle
18 August 2011
Cologne and Kaiserslautern can recover from poor starts to the Bundesliga season when they clash on Saturday. Last meets second-last in the clash at the RheinEnergie Stadion, with both sides keen to win all three points for the first time this season. The match will be the late kickoff on Saturday and with the attention of the country on both sides, the pressure will be on.
Cologne's start to the season has been nothing short of disastrous. They started with a home match against Wolfsburg and were comfortably defeated 3-0, before suffering a 5-1 thumping at Schalke on Saturday. They now sit bottom of the table with a goal difference of negative seven after just two matches and need to improve quickly.
Kaiserslautern, who recorded an impressive seventh-place finish last season, were held to a 1-1 home draw against Augsburg on Saturday, after a 2-0 opening-day defeat at Werder Bremen. Goal scoring could prove to be a problem, with last season's top scorer Srdjan Lakic (16 goals), Erwin Hoffer and Jan Moravek (five goals each) no longer at the club.
The trio provided 26 of the 47 league goals Kaiserslautern scored last season, with only Israeli Etey Shechter looming as a quality replacement. On Friday, fourth meets fifth as the unbeaten Borussia Moenchengladbach host Wolfsburg. On Saturday, reigning champions Borussia Dortmund host Nurnberg, with the former keen to bounce back from a 1-0 defeat to bogey side Hoffenheim.
Bayern Munich were lucky to notch a last-gasp 1-0 win at Wolfsburg and manager Jupp Heynckes will demand a more professional performance when his side play in front of their home fans at the Allianz Arena against Nuremberg.
Last season's runners-up Bayer Leverkusen are on the road to Stuttgart, Werder Bremen host Freiburg and Augsburg are at home against Hoffenheim in other matches on Saturday. On Sunday, table-toppers Mainz host Schalke with the former keen to make it three wins from three after an impressive start to the season, while Hannover host Hertha Berlin.
B. M'gladbach vs Wolfsburg Preview Midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger is looking forward to making his Wolfsburg debut against Borussia Monchengladbach.
The 29-year-old has arrived on a free transfer after being released by West Ham, and the former Germany international has high hopes at his new club - starting with a successful debut. "It is all so exciting, but I have been preparing myself for this moment and I am looking forward to my debut in a Wolfsburg shirt," he said on the club's website.
"I have been keeping myself fit training with Tottenham Hotspur and I feel I can play." Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath is also convinced that Hitzlsperger can strengthen his team. "Thomas is a player who, with his professional attitude and international experience, can help us further," he said. "I am delighted that he is here because he is a player who should and can lead the team."
Magath would not be drawn on whether the former Aston Villa and Stuttgart midfielder would make his debut although he did reveal Patrick Ochs may miss out with a thigh strain. Whoever Magath does send out onto the field, he hopes they will experience a touch more fortune than they had in last weekend's 1-0 home defeat against Bayern Munich.
"Unfortunately, our good performance against Bayern was not rewarded with points and we now have to get those lost points back," he said. Should there be a winner, they will become the new league leaders. Gladbach, who have won and drawn their first two games of the season, would certainly be glad to see their name at the top of the pile after spending most of last season right at the bottom.
"It would certainly be great for our fans," said their coach Lucien Favre. "I would also be pleased if we had seven points after this game, but I am not interested in anything else. "I am concentrating on this game, and it is going to be very difficult."
Roel Brouwers, Martin Stranzl and the opening-day match-winner against Bayern, Igor de Camargo, are all ruled out of the game due to injury ."They are three important players for us, but we cannot change it," said Favre on his club's website.
Borussia Dortmund defenders Neven Suboticand Marcel Schmelzer have recovered from their injuries and could play against Nuremberg on Saturday, coach Juergen Klopp told reporters. Klopp said while both players had completed training sessions this week it was still unclear whether they would be in the squad.
"Let's wait and see how they handle the last training sessions," he said. Nuremberg will travel to Dortmund for Saturday's game without their goalkeeper Raphael Schaefer who underwent surgery on Friday to repair a loose tendon in his shin. The Nuremberg captain was expected to be out for six weeks, the club said. "Unfortunately the operation was unavoidable," club official Martin Bader told reporters.
Schalke central defenders Benedikt Hoewedes and Kyriakos Papadopouloshttp://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/kyriakos-papadopoulos.html, who featured in Thursday's 2-0 defeat to Helsinki in their Europa League play-off first leg, missed training on Friday but are expected to be fit for their league game against Mainz on Sunday (1330). Coach Ralf Rangnickhttp://uk.eurosport.yahoo.com/football/ralf-rangnick.html said Hoewedes had some pain in his neck while his Greek defensive partner had picked up a knock in his thigh.
"We assume both will be ready to play in Mainz on Sunday," Rangnick said.
Bundesliga: Moenchengladbach 4 Wolfsburg 1 20 August 2011
Borussia Monchengladbach moved top of the Bundesliga on Friday with a 4-1 victory at home against Wolfsburg. The visitors led early in the match at Borussia-Park, courtesy of a 12th-minute goal from Makoto Hasebe. The Japan international completed a well-worked team move, receiving the ball from Christian Trasch on the edge of the area and firing home for 1-0.
The lead lasted just three minutes before Raul Bobadilla disposed Simon Kjaer to set up Marco Reus, who beat Diego Benaglio in the Wolfsburg goal. Monchengladbach went in front on 32 minutes, with Belgian defender Filip Daems converting from the penalty spot after Michael Schulze brought down Reus.
And on the stroke of half-time, Bobadilla headed home from a corner to fire the hosts 3-1 ahead. Juan Arango came close to adding to the tally, hitting the post from a volley shortly after the restart. With 23 minutes remaining, Reus did make it four, finding the bottom corner from Arango's cross to complete his brace and seal a comprehensive win.
The victory sees Monchengladbach move into first place, one point ahead of Mainz and Hannover, who are in action on Sunday. Wolfsburg are 11th, with one win and two defeats from three matches played.
Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes is sweating on the fitness of Arjen Robben and Mario Gomez ahead of Saturday's clash with Hamburg. The Bavarian giants lost their opening Bundesliga fixture against Borussia Moenchengladbach on August 7, but bounced back to defeat Wolfsburg 1-0 last Saturday.
Hamburg, in contrast, have picked up just a single point from their opening two fixturesm after being held to a 2-2 draw at home by Hertha Berlin last Saturday. Bayern eased past Swiss outfit FC Zurich in the first leg of their Champions League qualifier on Wednesday, with both winger Robben and striker Gomez nursing minor knocks ahead of the meeting with Hamburg at the Allianz-Arena.
"Arjen Robben said after the last game that he had physical problems before and during the match," Heynckes said of the Dutchman, who made his first start of the season against Zurich. "We have to check the current situation. It's an injury which has its origins in his back and going to the groin. It causes him pain."
"Mario Gomez has a calf muscle strain and nerve pain. He told me it's better (Friday) though, so I hoping that both players can play on Saturday." Of Hamburg, Heynckes is expecting a tough contest: "They have a squad that stays together and they have good players," he said. "I am almost certain that they won't play like they did against Hertha Berlin at home, because every team that comes to Munich tries to defend."
Bundesliga wrap: Bayern hit five past hapless Hamburg 21 August 2011
Bayern Munich produced an emphatic display to dispatch Hamburg 5-0 in the Bundesliga on Saturday while champions Dortmund also won. Bayern opened the scoring at the Allianz Arena through a Daniel Van Buyten header after he was recalled for Jerome Boateng.
The defender's 13th-minute opener was shortly followed by Franck Ribery's strike and when star-of-the-show Arjen Robben made it three on 35 minutes, the points were all but sealed. Robben's sublime chip after a superb solo run did not abate Bayern's hunger, with Mario Gomez and Ivica Olic adding the fourth and fifth goals in the second half to end a miserable day for Hamburg.
Dortmund's second win from three starts this season sent them back into the top four after they saw off Nuremberg 2-0 at home. Second-half goals for Robert Lewandowski and Kevin Grosskreutz proved decisive, with the impressive display much more like the 2010-11 champions would expect following last week's loss to Hoffenheim.
Meanwhile, Werder Bremen moved up to fourth with a 5-3 victory over Freiburg in a see-sawing affair. Bremen took the lead and relinquished it three times before an 87th-minute penalty from Aaron Hunt and a stoppage-time strike from substitute Wesley gifted the home side all three points at Weserstadion.
Hoffenheim continued their good form with a comfortable 2-0 win over Augsburg at the SLG Arena. Former Liverpool forward Ryan Babel opened the scoring for Hoffenheim on five minutes with a second-half Sejad Salihovic penalty securing three precious away points. Leverkusen held off Stuttgart away to clinch a 1-0 victory thanks to Stefan Kiessling's 28th-minute strike.
Bundesliga wrap: Schalke comeback stuns Mainz 22 August 2011
Schalke arrested an early deficit to beat Mainz 4-2 in their Bundesliga contest on Sunday.
The home side at the Coface Arena were flying when goals to Andreas Ivanschitz and Elkin Soto had Mainz 2-0 up after just 12 minutes.
They maintained their two-goal buffer until the early stages of the second half, when Klaas Jan Huntelaar put Schalke on the board on 57 minutes.
Defender Benedikt Howedes then equalised for Schalke seven minutes later, before Joel Matip completed the turnaround with an 81st-minute strike to give the visitors an unlikely lead.
Christian Fuchs rounded out the match with a 90th-minute goal to seal a remarkable comeback from Ralf Rangnick's men.
Meanwhile, Hannover were denied a third win from three games when Hertha Berlin held them to a 1-1 draw at the AWD Arena.
The hosts led courtesy of a Sergio Pinto goal on 33 minutes, but Pierre Lasogga equalised for Hertha seven minutes from time to earn his side their second point this term.
Voller insists Ballack will stay Bayer Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voller insists Michael Ballack still has a future at the club, even if he was left out of the starting XI.
The former Germany captain spent the entire 90 minutes of Leverkusen's 1-0 win over Stuttgart on the bench and left the stadium afterwards without talking to journalists, increasing speculation that he is to seek a move away from the club this week.
However, Voller says his time will also come and, with Leverkusen playing in the Champions League this season, they need a large squad with lots of rotation for every match. "We are far more relaxed about this than many people think from the outside," he said. "There are other players who are not playing at the moment too, and he played last weekend anyway.
"We definitely need everybody. There will be times when other players will be glad of a break because they are worn out." Leverkusen coach Robin Dutt gave Ballack the captain's armband last weekend when Simon Rolfes was dropped to the bench and the roles were reversed on Saturday, but he felt he got his choice right once again.
"Lars Bender and Simon Rolfes had a very good game and so there was no need to make a substitution," he said. Nevertheless, after making it clear that Ballack and Rolfes will not appear in his team together, Dutt is going to have to disappoint one of them each week.
Raul pledges future to Schalke Veteran Schalke striker Raul has pledged his future to the club amid speculation he was set to leave.
Raul met club officials this week to resolve his future after he was left out of the squad that lost 2-0 away to HJK Helsinki in the first leg of their Europa League play-off in midweek. After Schalke turned down a bid from Blackburn for the 34-year-old last week there was speculation Raul was keen on leaving after one season at the Royal Blues.
But the former Real Madrid frontman, who started in the Sunday Bundesliga trip to Mainz, denied such talk and instead claimed he was happy to remain in Gelsenkirchen for the final year of his contract. "I never tire of repeating that I feel at home at Schalke," he said in a statement on the club's website.
"The affection shown to me by the Schalke fans is extraordinary and unforgettable. I'm definitively staying at Schalke and I will fulfil my contract. "I'm fortunate to have a great family. My wife and my children and fully integrated in German life and I'm proud to be playing in the Bundesliga."
The Spaniard denied any rift with Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick and claimed he had been left out of the squad that flew to Finland to improve his fitness. "It's good, proper and professional, as it should be between a coach and a player," he added. "There are no problems. We're all concentrating on working together to achieve the best for Schalke this season."
Speaking about his omission in Helsinki, he added: "Although I can understand it being interpreted in various ways, perhaps because people didn't have the background knowledge, but I had spoken to the coach and we took the joint decision that I would have a rest and do some special customised training. "There is nothing else to say."
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt welcomed the news after Raul scored 14 times in 36 games for the Royal Blues last season and helped inspire their run to the semi-finals of the Champions League. "This clarity was important because it means we can now put the subject to bed and turn our focus back to our most important task, that of achieving success on the pitch with FC Schalke 04," he said.
Olic faces more injury frustration Bayern Munich striker Ivica Olic is facing up to more injury frustration after being ruled out for up to eight weeks with a hip problem.
The Croatia international, making just his second appearance after nine months out with knee ligament damage, sustained the injury in the act of scoring the fifth goal in Saturday's 5-0 thrashing of Hamburg at the Allianz Arena.
Olic lunged to direct Holger Badstuber's header over the line but could not stop himself from crashing into Hamburg central defender Jeffrey Bruma as well.
An initial diagnosis suggested he had bruised his pelvis but a further examination from Bayern doctor Dr Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt revealed a partial rupture of a tendon in the hip area.
Olic told Bayern's official website: "This is a catastrophe. I was so pleased finally to be able to play again. But that's how professional sport is."
Kyrgiakos leaves Reds for Wolfsburg Liverpool have confirmed that defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos has joined Wolfsburg.
The Greece international has signed a two-year contract with the German club although no fee has been announced. "Liverpool FC this afternoon confirmed that Sotirios Kyrgiakos had left the club and joined Bundesliga outfit Wolfsburg," a statement on Liverpool's website read. Kyrgiakos made 49 appearances for Liverpool after joining the club from AEK Athens in the summer of 2009.
The 32-year-old made 28 of those last term although his first-team opportunities were reduced when Kenny Dalglish returned as manager. Kyrgiakos revealed he was looking forward to returning to Germany after spending two season at Eintracht Frankfurt from 2006 to 2008. "Wolfsburg are a good club. They won the championship in 2009," he told the club's official website.
"I'm here to play and I would like to play every game. "I am fit and ready, but the coach decides when and if I get to play."
Report: Inter chase for Mario Gotze Inter Milan are keen to swoop for Borussia Dortmund's young starlet, Mario Gotze, as they seek to bolster their attack.
The Serie A side are keen to splash the cash after selling Samuel Eto'o to Anzahi Makhachkala in a big money deal, and are planning to bid for the Bundesliga midfielder, according to reports in calciomercato.
Inter Milan was expected to move for Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan, but latest reports indicate that their attention has been captured by Gotze after his performances for Borussia Dortmund.
Initial reports suggested Inter were looking to sign a direct replacement for Eto'o in the form of Atletico Madrid's Diego Forlan, but it is now believed that Gotze is viewed as an alternative.
The 19-year-old's star brightened considerably after he scored in Germany's 3-2 friendly victory over Brazil, and so has his transfer value, as Inter will have to spend at least €20 million in order to nab their man.
Three offers for wantaway Cisse Freiburg chairman Fritz Keller has confirmed three foreign clubs have tabled bids for in-demand striker Papiss Demba Cisse.
The Senegal international has been linked with the likes of Blackburn, Sunderland and Fulham, who all play in the Premier League. Freiburg are believed to want in the region of £13.5million for the 26-year-old who is under contract until June 2014.
Cisse has also bagged four goals in just three appearances for Freiburg this season and he has 32 strikes in 18 months with the Bundesliga side. Keller insists the club are going to study the offers carefully, stating they are not necessarily going to sell simply because offers are in.
"We have received three concrete offers for the services of Papiss Demba Cisse," Keller told Deutsche Presseagentur. "All three are from clubs in foreign leagues. "We are going to consider these offers calmly, but this doesn't necessarily mean we are definitely going to sell him."
Cisse's agent Guido Nickolay told BILD: "I'm actually on a journey abroad. In this case I am looking into everything and I hope that in the end every party involved is satisfied."
Inter linked with bid for Schalke's Jurado Inter Milan are reportedly considering a bid for Schalke midfielder Jose Manuel Jurado, if reports from Italy are to be believed.
In the wake of Inter coach Gian Piero Gasperini's comments that the Nerazzuri could do with some reinforcements in midfield, La Gazzetta dello Sport believe the club have identified Jurado as an ideal arrival at the Giuseppe Meazza. And Inter have already witnessed Jurado's abilities first-hand, after the Spanish midfielder played a pivotal role in Schalke's stunning 7-3 aggregate victory over the Nerazzuri in last season's Champions League quarter-finals.
Schalke's run was eventually halted by Manchester United in the semi-finals, but even then, Jurado impressed in the second leg of that encounter, scoring an thumping effort in the Gelsenkirchen outfit's 4-1 defeat. Jurado's current contract with Schalke is only due to expire in 2014, but the Gelsenkirchen outfit are said to be willing to do business if the right offer comes in.
Bundesliga: Hertha Berlin 1 Stuttgart 0 27 August 2011
A late header from Raffael helped Hertha Berlin secure their first Bundesliga win of the season with a 1-0 victory over Stuttgart on Friday.
The Brazilian scored the winner three minutes before the end when he capitalised on a rebounded strike from Adrian Ramos at the Olympiastadion Berlin.
In a very balanced first-half, the home side had the first opening 20 minutes in, but Raffael got his feet tangled when he had just the goalkeeper to beat.
Stuttgart went close 10 minutes later as Japan international Shinji Okazaki put his header onto the bar.
The winning goal came three minutes from time through Raffael, who headed home after Ramos' shot had been saved by Stuttgart goalkeeper Sven Ulreich.
Hertha Berlin have moved up to 10th courtesy of the win, while Stuttgart sit one place below.
Bundesliga wrap: Gomez stars as Bayern go top 28 August 2011
A hat-trick from striker Mario Gomez helped Bayern Munich move to the top of the Bundesliga standings for the first time in over a year. Jupp Heynckes' side cruised past a disappointing Kaiserslautern outfit 3-0 at the Fritz-Walter-Stadion on Saturday to move to nine points, ahead of second-placed Werder Bremen on goal difference.
Gomez opened the scoring from the penalty spot eight minutes before half-time and added a second 10 minutes after the interval when Bayern were awarded another penalty. Although Kaiserslautern goalkeeper Kevin Trapp stopped Gomez's second spot-kick attempt, the marksman slotted home the rebound.
German international Gomez completed his hat-trick in the 69th minute. Bremen, meanwhile, came from behind to defeat Hoffenheim away from home. Roberto Firmino handed the hosts the lead on the 37-minute mark, but Marko Arnautovic restored parity just a minute later. A Markus Rosenberg strike seven minutes from time ensured Bremen kept pace with Bayern at the top of the standings.
Cologne climbed from the foot of the table with a thrilling 4-3 win in their clash with fellow strugglers Hamburg. In a see-sawing affair, Cologne twice came from behind to level proceedings at the HSH Nordbank Arena, before a goal from Canadian centre-back Kevin McKenna in the 83rd minute made sure of the three points.
In other results, a goal from striker Alexander Esswein handed Nuremberg a 1-0 win over newly promoted Augsburg, while strikes from Oliver Barth, Erik Jendrisek and Cedric Makiadi propelled Freiburg to a 3-0 triumph against Wolfsburg.
Bundesliga wrap: Raul sends Schalke into second 29 August 2011
Schalke made it three-straight wins in the Bundesliga after a Raul goal gave them a 1-0 victory over Borussia Moenchengladbach.
The Spaniard scored the only goal of the game on 64 minutes at the Veltins-Arena on Sunday as Schalke moved into second.
Raul brought the game to life after the interval, drilling home at his third attempt after a scramble in the Monchengladbach penalty area.
The goal sprung both sides into action but Schalke were able to hold on and put a dent in fifth-placed Monchengladbach's strong start to the campaign.
In the day’s other match, Hannover and Mainz played out a 1-1 draw. Visitors Mainz got off to a flying start, netting a goal after 72 seconds through Sami Allagui.
Mainz struck the crossbar twice and those missed chances would come back to haunt them as Mohammed Abdellaoue found space in the area to salvage a draw for his side.
Son injury adds to Hamburg woes Hamburg coach Michael Oenning has received more bad news to accompany his side's poor start to the season with confirmation that striker Son Heung-Min will out for over a month.
The South Korea international picked up an ankle injury in the 1-1 draw against Cologne at the weekend and tests revealed he had torn ligaments.
"He will be out for approximately four to six weeks," said Hamburg's doctor Werner Siekmann on his club's website.
In addition to the torn ligaments, a build-up of liquid around the bone was also revealed by a scan, further complicating his recovery.
Son scored 18 goals in pre-season and has found the back of the net twice already in the Bundesliga, accounting for a third of Hamburg's goals in the first four games of the season.
Hamburg currently sit at the bottom of the table with just one point.
