Bundesliga Season 2011/2012

[Raul Gonzalez]

Thursday 3rd November 2011

Gotze still committed to Dortmund

German wonderkid Mario Gotze insists he believes Borussia Dortmund is still the best place for him to grow as a footballer.

However, the 19-year-old refused to rule out a move to Dortmund's Bundesliga rivals Bayern Munich, citing Champions League football as one of his main priorities when deciding his future.

"Next year is a long way away," Gotze told Sport-Bild. "Who knows if we will finish fourth? Whether I will be injured? Whether things will go well? I've been planning to stay for a long time.

"It is true that I designed a plan with my agent, Volker Struth. It stipulates that I will always play in the [Champions League].

"That's my goal and that is important to me. But no one can predict what will happen in the coming months and years.

"[However], nowhere else do I have the feeling of being able to develop myself as at BVB."

Bayern have made no secret of their desire to sign Gotze, and the German international admits to being flattered by the interest.

"It is an honour, of course, if a big club like Bayern Munich are interested in me.

"Basically I cannot and will not rule out anything."

Gotze has made over 50 appearances for Dortmund since making his debut in the 2009/10 season, and is widely regarded as one of Germany's brightest prospects at present.

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[Raul Gonzalez]

Gomez laments Schweinsteiger injury

3 November 2011

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A serious injury to Bastian Schweinsteiger is a bitter blow for Bayern Munich, according to striker Mario Gomez.

Schweinsteiger sustained a broken collarbone in Bayern's 3-2 Champions League Group A win over Napoli at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

The 27-year-old will be out of action of six weeks as a result of the injury, much to the disappointment of Gomez.

"No matter how bad the injury is, we were obviously all affected by it. The team was shocked. His injury is a bitter blow for us," he said.

"It took us a while to find our feet again and clear our heads. Basti is our midfield motor. He dictates the tempo of the game, and you could see that we lost our rhythm without him."

"It's a bitter one, but we're a top team and if we want to stay that way we'll have to compensate for his absence."

Schweinsteiger's place in the starting XI is likely to be taken by Ukraine international Anatoliy Tymoshchuk for the time being.

 

[Mats Hummels]

Bundesliga preview: Bayern to press home advantage

4 November 2011

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Bayern Munich will aim to keep their Bundesliga title push going strong on Sunday when they visit struggling Augsburg.

But they will have to it without the input of midfield general Bastian Schweinsteiger, who broke his collarbone in Bayern's 3-2 Champions League Group A win over Napoli at the Allianz Arena on Wednesday.

The prognosis on Schweinsteiger's injury is that he will be out for about six weeks. Since their upset loss to Hannover on October 23, Bayern have been in ruthless form domestically, defeating Ingolstadt 6-0 in the DFB Pokal before a 4-0 Bundesliga win over Nuremberg on Saturday.

They will be hoping for maximum points against struggling Augsburg, with the top-flight newcomers second from bottom on the league table. Also on Sunday, second-placed Schalke will look to keep the pressure on Bayern when they visit Hannover.

Defending champions Borussia Dortmund - five points behind Bayern in third - host Wolfsburg at Signal-Iduna-Park on Saturday, looking to build some momentum on the back of their 1-0 Champions League win over Olympiakos on Tuesday.

The result was a relief for Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, whose team broke through for their first win in Group F to keep their hopes of making it to the knockout phase alive. Last season's Bundesliga runners-up Bayer Leverkusen have endured a tough start to the season, and they sit in eighth place ahead of Saturday's home clash with Hamburg.

They head into the match looking to bounce back from a 3-1 loss at Valencia in the Champions League on Tuesday. Also on Saturday, Borussia Moenchengladbach journey to Berlin to meet Hertha, Nuremberg host Freiburg, Kaiserslautern travel to Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen host Cologne at the Weserstadion.

The round of fixtures kicks off on Friday, with Mainz looking to move further away from the relegation zone when they tackle sixth-placed Stuttgart.

 

[Raul Gonzalez]

Huntelaar suffers broken nose

4 November 2011

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Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar is in doubt for his side's Bundesliga clash with Hannover after suffering a broken nose on Thursday.

The Dutchman collided with team-mate Joel Matip in his team's 0-0 draw with AEK Larnaca in Europa League Group J action at the Veltins Arena.

Schalke sporting director Horst Heldt initially feared serious facial damage and an extended lay-off for his striker.

"We suspect he has a nasal fracture, possibly even worse. I hope that the cheekbone is not damaged," Heldt said.

But scans later revealed a fractured nose and no damage to Huntelaar's cheekbone.

Schalke have confirmed Huntelaar will wear a protective mask if he is deemed fit to play in Sunday's Bundesliga match.

 

[Raul Gonzalez]

Voeller extends Leverkusen partnership

4 November 2011

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Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voeller has signed a contract extension that will keep him at the BayArena until 2017.

The former Germany international's deal was set to expire at the end of the season but Voeller has elected to prolong his tenure at the club.

"I have now, with some interruptions, been connected with Bayer Leverkusen for well over 15 years, and I feel at home here," Voller told Bild.

"We have achieved a lot in that time, especially in sporting terms, but we must always look ahead.""We are already thinking about the team's future for years to come.

This will be an interesting and exciting challenge."Leverkusen president Wolfgang Holzhauser also voiced his optimism for the future and hopes that the club can finally win their first Bundesliga title.

"We blend very well as a team. Together we aim to bring the club to a high level," Holzhauser said.

"This undoubtedly includes the continuous modification of our team. We want to finally bring a title back to Leverkusen."Bayer host struggling Hamburg on Saturday.

 

[Raul Gonzalez]

Bundesliga: Mainz 3 Stuttgart 1

5 November 2011

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Mainz derailed Stuttgart's positive run in the Bundesliga with a 3-1 come-from-behind win on Friday.

Having begun the match just goal difference from the relegation zone, Mainz looked set for more misery when Stuttgart captain Cacau put his side in front five minutes into the second half.

After tight first half, Cacau broke the deadlock when Martin Harnik forged a way down the left flank and guided a perfectly weighted ball across two defenders for the Germany forward to prod home.

But Anthony Ujah headed the hosts level soon after, and an Andreas Ivanschitz strike saw Mainz take the lead by the 60-minute mark.

Nigerian forward Ujah - an off-season signing from Norwegian club Lillestrom - then ensured his first goals for the club would be memorable when he again headed past Stuttgart goalkeeper Sven Ulreich to complete the scoring.

Mainz's Eugen Polanski saw red for a vicious tackle late on, but the hosts were able to hold on for a much-needed victory and hand Stuttgart their first loss in all competitions since September 23.

Stuttgart's trip only worsened after the final whistle, when Mexican defender Francisco Rodriguez's protests to referee Guido Winkmann earned him a second yellow card.

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

Bundesliga wrap: Goetze sparks Dortmund rout

6 November 2011

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Mario Goetze's brace helped Borussia Dortmund thrash Wolfsburg 5-1 in the Bundesliga on Saturday, and Werder Bremen beat Cologne 3-2.

Teenage midfielder Goetze put Dortmund ahead 12 minutes into the match at Signal Iduna-Park, and Japan forward Shinji Kagawa made it 2-0 a minute before the break. Former Arsenal winger Alexander Hleb pulled one back for Wolfsburg on 58 minutes.But it took Dortmund just two minutes to restore the two-goal margin, with Sven Bender the man on target.

Robert Lewandowski weighed in with the hosts' fourth goal in the 66th minute.Goetze then capped off the rout when he notched Dortmund's fifth with 13 minutes remaining. The reigning champions are second on the table, two points behind Bayern Munich, who visit Augsburg on Sunday.

In other matches, Werder Bremen came from 2-0 down to win 3-2 at home to Cologne.Goals from Christian Clemens and Lukas Podolski saw visitors Cologne lead 2-0 by the half-time break at Weserstadion.

Claudio Pizarro pulled one back for the home side three minutes into the second half.The veteran Peru striker levelled from the penalty spot on 54 minutes, with Cologne's Henrique Sereno sent off for bringing down Markus Rosenberg inside the area.

The 10-man visitors looked set to hold out for a draw, before Pizarro scored with four minutes to go, completing his hat-trick and snatching all three points for Bremen.The win lifts Thomas Schaaf's team to third, level on points with Dortmund.

Elsewhere, Freiburg came from behind to win 2-1 at Nurnberg, courtesy of Papiss Demba Cisse's penalty three minutes into injury time.Borussia Moenchengladbach also fought from a goal down to win by the same scoreline, with Marco Reus' brace enough for a 2-1 victory away to Hertha Berlin.

Hoffenheim were held 1-1 in their match at home to Kaiserslautern.And goals from Heiko Westermann and Marcell Jansen helped Hamburg come from 2-0 down to draw 2-2 away to Bayer Leverkusen.

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

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Heynckes retains faith in Bayern quality
Despite losing Bastian Schweinsteiger to injury, Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes is confident his deputies will rise to the occasion.

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Borussia rue Subotic cheekbone injury
Despite enjoying a 5-1 win over Wolfsburg, Borussia Dortmund manager Jurgen Klopp had to suffer the loss of Neven Subotic to a fractured cheekbone.

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Labbadia fumes at refereeing

Stuttgart coach Bruno Labbadia claimed his side were given no chance in Mainz due to the performance of the referee.​

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Agent: Gotze staying at Dortmund
The agent of Mario Gotze has move quickly to clarify recent comments from his client which suggested the youngster was ready to leave Borussia Dortmund.

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Bayern battle on without Schweini
Bayern Munich will seek to make light of Bastian Schweinsteiger's absence when they return to Bundesliga action against Augsburg on Sunday.

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Finke: Arsenal not keen on Podolski
Cologne general manager Volker Finke has shrugged off Arsenal's reported interest in star striker Lukas Podolski.

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Gotze still committed to Dortmund
German wonderkid Mario Gotze insists he believes Borussia Dortmund is still the best place for him to grow as a footballer.

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Pizzaro receives injury boost
Claudio Pizarro's foot injury is not as bad as the player feared, according to Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf.

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Rummenigge warns of complacency

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge insists it is way too early to say whether the current side is one of the best in the club's history.​

 

[Shinji Kagawa]

Finke: Arsenal not keen on Podolski

Cologne general manager Volker Finke has shrugged off Arsenal's reported interest in star striker Lukas Podolski.

The Germany international is out of contract with the Bundesliga side in June 2013 and has been linked with a move away from the RheinEnergie stadium next summer.

The Gunners are thought to be chasing the 26-year-old's signature but Finke refused to be drawn on that speculation when questioned by Germany daily Bild.

He said: "I am trying to stay indifferent to rumours like this. We all know what we are facing.

"Sometime around Christmas we will be going to meet to try and thrash out the contract extension of Lukas Podolski.

"I have already spoken to his agent, Kon Schramm. We have no clear date just now. Maybe we will meet two weeks before Christmas or two weeks after Christmas.

We should fix this without any pressure."

Manager Stale Solbakken added: "It's pretty usual there is big interest in a player like Podolski. He needs to talk to his family, his agent and the club about his future."

Polish-born Podolski, who arrived in Cologne from Bayern Munich in 2009, has scored eight goals for the German club so far this season.
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[Raul Gonzalez]

Bundesliga wrap: Bayern restore buffer, Schalke held

7 November 2011

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Bayern Munich have restored their five-point lead atop the Bundesliga after a 2-1 win over Augsburg on Sunday.Jupp Heynckes' men had their advantage closed to two points after Borussia Dortmund won on Saturday, but goals from Mario Gomez and Franck Ribery at the SGL Arena were enough to overcome lowly Augsburg.

Hajime Hosogai ensured Bayern had to deal with some late pressure, while the visitors had Ukrainian midfielder Anatoliy Tymoschuk sent off for a dangerous challenge in stoppage time.In-form Gomez moved clear at the top of the scoring charts with his 12th league goal of the campaign on 15 minutes.

France attacker Ribery doubled their advantage just before the half-hour mark with a neat finish, and they looked headed for an easy win.But Japan international Hosogai netted in the 59th minute and Augsburg, who are bottom of the league, continued to push in search of an unlikely equaliser.

They failed to find it before Tymoschuk was given his marching orders for a dangerous studs-up tackle.In Sunday's other game, Schalke secured a come-from-behind 2-2 draw at Hannover.Teemu Pukki put them ahead with a well-placed finish on 26 minutes, but they found themselves behind by the hour mark.

Schalke defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos headed into his own net in the first half, before Mohammed Abdellaoue put Hannover ahead.The Norwegian forward placed his header into the bottom corner after attacker Jan Schlaudraff delivered a pinpoint cross with the outside of his boot.But Pukki ensured Schalke took a point from their travels when he levelled in the 73rd minute.

 

[Raul Gonzalez]

Monday 7th November 2011

Dortmund raise Gotze value to stop Arsenal

In an attempt to scare off interest from Arsenal for midfield star Mario Gotze, Borussia Dortmund have raised their valuation of the 19-year-old.

According to reports in the Daily Mail, Arsenal scouts were once again present at the Westfalenstadion to watch the attacking midfielder score a brace to help Dortmund to a 5-1 thrashing of Wolfsburg last Saturday.

Considered to be an up-and-coming, potential world class player, his speed, technical skill and creativity has attracted interest from North London, but the Bundesliga side are not keen to part with their prized asset.

In an attempt to frighten off Arsenal, who have historically been reluctant to spend heavily on individual stars, Dortmund have raised their valuation of the player to £20million.

The player himself said after the game: "I am really happy here. That is all that counts."

However, much could also depend on how the two sides do in the Champions League this season.

The Gunners are leading Group F on 8 points, and look favourites to qualify for the knockout stages for yet again, while Dortmund are languishing at third place with four points, which could influence Gotze's decision, should the Bundesliga side fail to qualify for Europe at the end of this season.

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[Raul Gonzalez]

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Dortmund close in on Cottbus whiz kid
Reigning German Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund are reportedly weighing up a bid for Energie Cottbus young gun Leonardo Bittencourt.

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Dortmund: Kagawa talks on hold
Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa's proposed talks over a new contract has been put on hold.

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Kyrgiakos sorry for Subotic clash
Wolfsburg defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos has apologised for the clash with Neven Subotic which led to the Borussia Dortmund defender needing facial surgery on Saturday.

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Lehmann: Neuer can still improve
Ex-German international Jens Lehmann believes Manuel Neuer still has lots to learn, despite seeing him earn Bayern Munich a win over Augsburg on Sunday.

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Heynckes expected Augsburg test

Following their 2-1 win over Augsburg on Sunday, Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes admits he had expected their hosts to pose a tough test ahead of the game.

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[Raul Gonzalez]

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Dortmund close in on Cottbus whiz kid

Reigning German Bundesliga champions Borussia Dortmund are reportedly weighing up a bid for Energie Cottbus young gun Leonardo Bittencourt.

According to Bild, Dortmund are considering making a €3.5million bid for Bittencourt, with coach Jurgen Klopp reportedly keen on adding more depth to his squad, especially in midfield.

The 17-year-old has reportedly caught the eye of Bayern Munich, Bayer Leverkusen and Schalke, but it is understood that he has set his sights on joining Dortmund, and will put pen to paper on a five-year deal in the coming days.

Despite his tender years, Bittencourt has already established himself as a key member of the Cottbus starting eleven this season, and while he has represented Germany at under-19 level, he is also eligible to play for Brazil.

Dortmund's interest in the young playmaker is in line with their recent youth policy, having focused on signing talented youngsters in recent seasons, including the likes of Mats Hummels, Neven Subotic, Shinji Kagawa and more recently Ilkay Gundogan, Ivan Perisic and Moritz Leitner.
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[Raul Gonzalez]

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Dortmund: Kagawa talks on hold

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa's proposed talks over a new contract has been put on hold.

The Japan international has starred in the Bundesliga since joining from Cerezo Osaka in 2010, playing an integral role in helping his side to the league title last season.

His form has attracted attention from English giants Manchester United and Arsenal, with Dortmund eager to secure his services. But sporting director Michael Zorc has revealed that talks have been put on hold until the end of the season.

"Other things have priority at the moment. Shinji does not want to talk about a possible contract extension at the moment. The talks have been put on hold," Zorc told Kicker.

The 22-year-old has regained his form after a slow start to the season, scoring once and assisting twice in his side's 5-1 win over Wolfsburg last weekend.

And manager Jurgen Klopp is more than delighted to see the midfielder in full flow. "Shinji has found his energy of the past season again. The game against Wolfsburg was his best this season," Klopp told reporters after the game.

Kagawa also revealed his relief in getting back to his best. "It really bugged me that I struggled at the start of the season, but I told myself to remain calm and have slowly gotten back to my old form. It pays off now."
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[Raul Gonzalez]

Tuesday 8th November 2011

Lehmann: Neuer can still improve

Ex-German international Jens Lehmann believes Manuel Neuer still has lots to learn, despite seeing him earn Bayern Munich a win over Augsburg on Sunday.

Neuer made a fine save to deny Edmond Kapllani an equaliser in the 83rd minute of Bayern's 2-1 win, but Lehmann was still not fully convinced.

"His technique is questionable," said Lehmann to Sky television.

"He goes to ground quickly and it was a stereotypical movement - he just got lucky to save it.

"It would have been better had he remained on his feet longer."

However, Lehmann still sees plenty of potential in his successor as Germany number one and has predicted a rosy future for the 25-year-old.

"A young goalkeeper can never be so good," added the 42-year-old. "When you are 20, you don't read the game as well as when you are 30.

"In five or six years' time, he will be significantly better. He has certainly improved with Bayern and he is more mature.

"He has great potential because he is a great athlete."
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[Raul Gonzalez]

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Mainz 3 - 1 Stuttgart
All Goals & Highlights 04.11.11


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Werder Bremen 3 - 2 Koln
All Goals & Highlights 05.11.11


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Borussia Dortmund 5 - 1 Wolfsburg
All Goals & Highlights 05.11.11


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Bayer Leverkusen 2 - 2 Hamburger SV
All Goals & Highlights 05.11.11


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Augsburg 1 - 2 Bayern Munchen
All Goals & Highlights 06.11.11


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Hannover 2 - 2 Schalke
All Goals & Highlights 06.11.11


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[Raul Gonzalez]

Photo: Undressed man interrupts Augsburg - Bayern football game

Posted by foxcrawl at 1:40 am Nov082011

http://www.foxcrawl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Augsburg-Bayern-incident.jpg
A naked man saluting the audience during Augsburg-Bayern Munich


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A fanatic guy grabbed the whole attention after he revealed his intimacy in front of a full stadium.

That happened in Germany, where the intruder invaded the football field without clothes to the amusement of the people who were attending the confrontation between Augsburg and Bayern Munchen (1-2). The man interrupted for a few moments the game after scrolling on the field completely naked.The event happened in the 90th minute and the main character was extremely satisfied with a few somersaults performed at center of the pitch. Rafael, from Augsburg, ran after the crazy fan making the entire audience laugh. In the end the fan was restrained by three stewards.

http://www.foxcrawl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Augsburg-Bayern-naked-man.jpg
The crazy fan shows off his acrobatic skills in front of the audience at Augsburg Stadium
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http://www.foxcrawl.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/11/Rafael-Augsburg-nude-intruder.jpg
Rafael from Augsburg tries to catch the "hot" intruder
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[Raul Gonzalez]

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Gotze puts pressure on Bayern to win
Borussia Dortmund's Mario Gotze has played down his side's chances of defending their Bundesliga title this season, saying that Bayern Munich remain a cut above.

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Favre: Reus not ready for Arsenal
Borussia Monchengladbach coach Lucien Favre has advised Marco Reus that he would be better off staying put than joining Bayern Munich or Arsenal next season.

Subotic: Kyrgiakos apology not enough
Borussia Dortmund defender Neven Subotic has refused to accept an apology from Sotirios Kyrgiakos.

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Favre: Arsenal interested in Reus
Borussia Monchengladbach manager Lucien Favre revealed that Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger has talked to him over the availability of starlet Marco Reus.

"Dortmund on par with Bayern"

Borussia Dortmund midfielder Kevin Grosskreutz believes that the defending Bundesliga champions are equal to Bayern Munich.
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[Raul Gonzalez]

Wednesday 9th November 2011

Favre: Reus not ready for Arsenal

Borussia Monchengladbach coach Lucien Favre has advised Marco Reus that he would be better off staying put than joining Bayern Munich or Arsenal next season.

The Germany international, who will miss his country's clash with the Ukraine on Friday due to a stomach bug, has been strongly linked with a move to a bigger club next season after breaking onto the international scene.

However, Favre believes he would improve more as a player if he stays where he is. "He needs a basis to perfect his game," said Favre to the Bild newspaper. "He has that here with Borussia and Marco can become more complete here. "He knows that and this is also what he wants."

Reus is reported to have a clause in his contract that enables him to switch clubs for a fee of 18 million euros, but Favre says his side does not necessarily have to sell the talented midfielder - nor does Reus have to accept the riches offered elsewhere.

"I think that a transfer now would be too soon for him," added Favre. "It would be good for Marco to stay one or two years here and, who knows? Maybe we will be up at the top the anyway. "I think he can turn them down."

However, Favre knows Arsenal are already monitoring the 22-year-old's progress.

"[Former Arsenal goalkeeper] Jens Lehmann gave him [Arsenal manager Arsene Wenger] a tip to keep an eye on Marco and Arsene then called me," revealed the Swiss coach.

"I know Arsene very well and I just told him the truth: that Marco is a very, very interesting player. "But I am coach of Monchengladbach and I would like to keep hold of him."
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[Arjen Robben]

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Watzke: Klopp can coach Germany
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke believes coach Jurgen Klopp is good enough to one day take charge of the Germany national team.

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Magath to leave out Wolves duo
Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath has omitted defender Sotirios Kyrgiakos and midfielder Jan Polak from his squad.

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Magath given board backing
Wolfsburg boss Felix Magath has been given a vote of confidence by his board after a 5-1 defeat to Borussia Dortmund left them in the bottom half of the table.

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Gotze puts pressure on Bayern to win

Borussia Dortmund's Mario Gotze has played down his side's chances of defending their Bundesliga title this season, saying that Bayern Munich remain a cut above.​