Bayern must keep winning, says striker Gomez

January 30, 2010

Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez believes the German giants will need to win all of their remaining Bundesliga games to be sure of the title – starting with Mainz on Saturday.

Bayern are second in the table, two points off leaders Leverkusen who host strugglers Freiburg on Sunday.

Having let a 2-0 lead slip to a 2-2 draw against Bochum last weekend, third-placed Schalke will be hoping to take advantage of Hoffenheim’s slump in form when the sides meet on Saturday.

The fate of this season’s Bundesliga title could well be decided when Bayern visit Leverkusen on the second weekend of April, but until then Gomez says Bayern must keep winning.

Louis van Gaal’s team suffered a shock when they were beaten 2-1 at Mainz last August, but with Bayern locked in a fierce battle with Schalke and Leverkusen, Gomez says only consistent victories will put them top.

“I think we?ll need to win nearly all our games to take the title,” said Gomez, who is set to travel to June’s World Cup with Germany, with 15 league games left to go.

Mainz beat Hanover last weekend to pick up their first Bundesliga win in seven games, but Bayern boss van Gaal will want three more points with his side having won all of their last eight games in all competitions.

Bayern have a good chance of making the Champions League’s quarter-finals as they play Fiorentina in the last 16 next month, but the men from Munich are focused on the German league for the time being.

“The only thing which can stop us now is ourselves,” said midfielder and rising star Thomas Mueller who was called into the Germany squad for fitness testing last week.

But unbeaten Leverkusen continue to resist Munich?s march up the standings from eighth place after 12 matches.

“Bayern have overtaken us twice but we?ve hit back on both occasions. We?ve shown real durability,” said Toni Kroos, who is on loan from Bayern to Leverkusen.

The Rhineland outfit have earned a reputation for dramatic losses of form in the second half of the campaign, but no-one at Bayern thinks that will happen this time.

“Leverkusen are playing consistently well right now. We need to focus on ourselves and win our matches, and success will follow automatically,” said Bayern goalkeeper Joerg Butt.

“We have to keep winning, and see how the others react,” said Butt.

Munich were top of the league for 26 hours last weekend.

“What matters is being first in May,” said Butt. “And it?s all still in our own hands.”

Saturday

Borussia M’gladbach v Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt v Cologne, Hertha Berlin v VfL Bochum, Bayern Munich v Mainz 05, Hanover 96 v Nuremberg, Schalke 04 v Hoffenheim

Sunday

VfB Stuttgart v Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen v Freiburg

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: Bayern, berlin, Bremen, Bundesliga, cologne, dramatic losses, eight games, eighth place, fierce battle, german league, germany squad, good chance, Hanover, league games, Louis, louis van gaal, mario gomez, Munich, nuremberg, quarter finals, rising star, slump, striker, stuttgart, thomas mueller, toni kroos

Robben wonder goal sends Bayern top

January 23, 2010

Dutch star Arjen Robben hit a second-half wonder goal on Saturday as Bayern Munich came from behind to win 3-2 at Werder Bremen as the German giants went top of the league.

Robben’s stunning direct free-kick gave Louis van Gaal-coached Bayern their sixth straight league win while the Holland star hit his fifth league goal of the season.

The flying Dutch winger, who signed for 24 million euros (33.9 million US dollars) from Real Madrid last summer, hit a curling free-kick which gave Bremen’s Germany goalkeeper Tim Wiese no chance of saving on 78 minutes.

It was a bitter blow for the home side who had opened the scoring after midfielder Aaron Hunt slotted home from close range after 10 minutes.

Bayern hit back when rising star Thomas Mueller scored after good work by Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger on 25 minutes before Croatia striker Ivica Olic netted from a Philipp Lahm cross ten minutes later.

It left Bayern 2-1 up at the break as they welcomed back French midfielder Franck Ribery, who came on for Olic in the second-half to make his first appearance for Munich since suffering a knee injury on October 3.

Bremen equalised when Portugal striker Hugo Almeida slotted home a top-class goal on 75 minutes before Robben’s stunning winner.

An injury time goal from Bochum’s Slovakia striker Stanislav Sestak robbed Schalke of the chance to go top as the Royal Blues were held 2-2.

Schalke took the lead when Uruguay striker Vicente Sanchez converted a pass from Jefferson Farfan in the fifth minute before ex-Germany striker Kevin Kuranyi made it 2-0 to the hosts just before the half-time whistle.

The result left Felix Magath-coached Schalke third in the table, but second-placed Leverkusen have the chance to regain the lead on Sunday providing they win at Hoffenheim.

And defending champions Wolfsburg host struggling Cologne also on Sunday while fourth-placed Hamburg have the opportunity to get back into the league race if they win at fifth-placed Dortmund on Saturday night.

Having picked up only their second win of the season last weekened, bottom side Hertha Berlin were held 0-0 at home by Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Hertha’s Czech Republic goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny kept his side in the game when he saved a first-half penalty from ‘Gladbach’s midfielder Juan Arango from Venezuala while Nuremberg drew 1-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Having taken over from Andreas Bergmann as coach last week, new Hanover boss Mirko Slomka got off to a losing start when his side were beaten 1-0 at mid-table Mainz – their eighth game without a win.

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: aaron hunt, arjen robben, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern, bayern munich, berlin, bitter blow, class goal, cologne, czech republic, felix magath, flying dutch, franck ribery, Hamburg, Holland, injury time goal, jaroslav drobny, jefferson farfan, Juan, Kevin Kuranyi, louis van gaal, MADRID, Mirko Slomka, nuremberg, philipp lahm, portugal, royal blues, thomas mueller, uruguay, vicente sanchez, werder bremen, wonder goal

Van Gaal, Loew clash over fitness test ‘madness’

January 22, 2010

Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal has described the fitness tests for national team players organised by Germany coach Joachim Loew next week as “madness”.

Loew has summoned 29 players, five from Bayern, for four days of tests in Stuttgart that will assess the condition of likely national squad players prior to this summer’s World Cup in South Africa.

“I think it’s madness,” said Van Gaal on Friday, the day before his side’s league meeting with Werder Bremen. “For the clubs, paying our players and then making them available to the national team for four days is not right.”

Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller, Mario Gomez and Miroslav Klose represent the Bayern contingent in Loew’s selection.

“We could have given them the results of our own physical tests. I’ve never experienced something like this and I’ve coached some big clubs,” added Van Gaal, a former manager of Barcelona, Ajax and the Dutch national side.

Loew responded to his critics by pointing out that the dates for the fitness tests had been agreed in advance.

“This get-together was organised a long time ago with the league and the clubs,” he told the SID German news agency.

“I understand the sporting priorities of Louis van Gaal, but we’re in a World Cup year and it’s in the interest of everyone in German football that the team is well prepared.

“That’s why I expect all the clubs to give all their support to the Nationalmannschaft (German national team) until, and during, the World Cup.”

Germany skipper Michael Ballack will not attend the tests in Stuttgart because his club Chelsea require his services for a Premier League match at home to Birmingham on Wednesday.

Van Gaal, meanwhile, will not participate in a seminar for Bundesliga coaches organised by Loew in Stuttgart on Monday, in which the national boss will outline his programme for the run-up to the World Cup.

The Dutchman will be in Portugal for a charity match raising funds for the victims of the Haiti earthquake.

MUNICH, Germany (AFP)

Tags: Ajax, Barcelona, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Bayern, bayern munich, Birmingham, Bremen, dutch national side, dutchman, fitness tests, german football, german national team, german news, Germany, Loew, louis van gaal, mario gomez, Michael Ballack, Miroslav, miroslav klose, munich germany, portugal, premier league, SID German, skipper, South Africa, stuttgart, thomas mueller, Van Gaal, werder bremen, world cup germany

Kroos double puts Leverkusen back on top

December 19, 2009

Teenager Toni Kroos scored twice on Saturday to fire Bayer Leverkusen back to the top of the Bundesliga as the home side came from behind to inflict a 3-2 defeat on Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Kroos, who only turns 20 on January 4, scored the first and last goal of the game as Leverkusen wrestled back control of the German league after Schalke had briefly taken over on Friday night after their 1-0 win over Mainz.

The 19-year-old Kroos opened the scoring on 18 minutes after a pass from ex-Liverpool defender Sammi Hypia.

But goals from ‘Gladbach’s Roel Brouwers and Brazil defender Dante put the guests ahead.

Swiss striker Eren Derdiyok equalised on 60 minutes for the hosts before Kroos scored his second after Germany striker Steffan Kiessling found him on the edge of the penalty area.

The teenager drilled home the winner on 69 minutes to leave his side top going into the winter break.

Bayern Munich stay third and were ruthless against bottom-side Hertha Berlin in a 5-2 rout at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

Bayern’s Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten produced a pin-point accurate header on 16 minutes before Gomez bagged his sixth goal in seven games when he converted a close pass from Germany team-mate Philipp Lahm on 31 minutes.

Gomez then turned goal provider when he set up Dutch star Arjen Robben on 33 minutes before rising star Thomas Mueller gave Berlin goalkeeper Jaroslav Drobny no chance to make it 4-0 on 60 minutes.

Hertha’s Adrian Ramos and Raffael scored consolation goals on 71 and 90 minutes and Bayern’s Ivica Olic hit his side’s fifth on 77 minutes.

But Berlin are still relegation candidates as they finish the first half of the season with just six points and are six points adrift at the foot of the table.

Dortmund went fourth after they celebrated their 100th anniversary as a club with a 1-0 win at home over Freiburg.

The hosts took the lead when Argentina striker Lucas Barrios scored his ninth goal in ten games when he headed past Freiburg’s French goalkeeper Simon Pouplin on 19 minutes.

Defending champions Wolfsburg were held to a 2-2 draw by Eintracht Frankfurt to finish eighth in the table, while Bochum pulled away from the relegation zone with a 3-2 win thanks to a late free-kick from defender Christian Fuchs.

On Friday, a first-half goal from Peruvian star Jefferson Farfan had put Schalke top after a 1-0 win over Mainz.

Farfan notched his sixth goal of the campaign after taking a neat pass from German under-21 international Lewis Holtby, but Leverkusen took back the lead less than 24 hours later.

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: 100th anniversary, Adrian Ramos, allianz arena, Argentina, arjen robben, Bayern, berlin, bottom side, brazil, brouwers, christian fuchs, Daniel van Buyten, Dante, dutch star, FRANKFURT, german league, Germany, ivica olic, jaroslav drobny, jefferson farfan, kiessling, Lewis Holtby, lucas barrios, Munich, ninth goal, pin point, Raffael, sixth goal, steffan, team mate, thomas mueller, toni kroos

Van Gaal´s delight as Bayern keep dream alive

November 26, 2009

Under-fire Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal admitted he was a relieved man after the German giants kept their Champions League dream alive with a crucial 1-0 win over Maccabi Haifa.

Croatia striker Ivica Olic’s second-half strike breathed life into Bayern’s fading dream of reaching the knock-out phase alive at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Wednesday night

After group leaders Bordeaux enjoyed a 2-0 win over Juventus, Bayern are now just one point behind the Italians in Group A and must win their final game at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico on December 8 if they are to progress.

Having drawn their last three league games, this victory was badly needed by van Gaal, who has been told he must win his four remaining Bundesliga games before Christmas to be sure of keeping his job.

“Of course, we are all very relieved to get the win,” said van Gaal.

“The team played well and we are pleased to have got our destiny back into our own hands.”

Van Gaal suspended Bayern’s want-away striker Luca Toni on the eve of the game after the World Cup winner told the Italian media the pair’s relationship has completely broken down.

Bayern later fined Toni 25,000 euros (38,000 US dollars) for his comments, but goalscorer Olic insisted the squad are behind their coach.

“We are 100 percent behind the coach, everything he does is good and I hope we win everything up until the winter break,” said the Croatia star, who was making only his second appearance after injury.

“I think it was very important that we won and put this dark period behind us.

“I had a bad injury and it was a long break and it was pleasing to get the winning goal.

“I owe a lot to (Munich’s team doctor) Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt. The coach wanted to take me off at the half-time break, but I said I felt good and I told him I wanted to score a goal.”

Glum-faced Toni spent the game in the stands next to French midfielder Franck Ribery while Bayern’s fellow walking-wounded Arjen Robben and Miroslav Klose looked on.

But with Germany’s rising stars Thomas Mueller and Mario Gomez causing the Israeli team constant problems, in the end Bayern’s superior fitness made the difference.

Bayern took the lead in the 62nd minute when captain Mark van Bommel found Gomez in the penalty area and he fired his shot to the left of Haifa goalkeeper Nir Davidovitch.

The Israel national goalkeeper made the save, but the rebound fell into the path of Olic, who slotted home to keep the dream alive.

“We are of course very pleased to be back in business and everything is back in our own hands,” said 20-year-old Mueller.

“We needed a lot of passion and fire, it was noticeable that everyone is concentrating hard.”

MUNICH (AFP)

Tags: Bayern, Bordeaux, captain Mark van Bommel, croatia, dark period, doctor dr, final game, franck ribery, Germany, group leaders, italian media, ivica olic, league dream, league games, long break, louis van gaal, mario gomez, miroslav klose, Munich, robben, stadio olimpico, team doctor, thomas mueller, Toni, turin, Van Gaal, wilhelm mueller, winter break, world cup winner

Olic strike keeps Bayern´s dream alive

November 26, 2009

Croatia striker Ivica Olic’s second-half strike kept Bayern Munich’s fading dream of reaching the Champions League’s knock-out phase alive after the German giants beat Maccabi Haifa 1-0 on Wednesday.

With group leaders Bordeaux beating Juventus 2-0 in Group A, Bayern are now just one point behind the Italians and must win their final game at Turin’s Stadio Olimpico on December 8 if they are to reach the knock-out phase.

Having drawn their last three league games, this victory was badly needed in Munich.

“I think it was very important that we won and put this dark period behind us,” said Olic who was making only his second appearance after injury.

“I had a bad injury and it was a long break and it was pleasing to get the winning goal.

“I owe a lot to (Munich’s team doctor) Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Mueller-Wohlfahrt, the coach wanted to take me off at the half-time break, but I said I felt good and I told him I wanted to score a goal.”

The victory takes some of the pressure off Bayern’s under-pressure coach Louis van Gaal who suspended want-away Italian striker Luca Toni on the eve of the game for saying the pair’s relationship has completely broken down.

“We are 100 percent behind the coach, everything he does is good and I hope we win everything up until the winter break,” said Olic.

Glum-faced Toni spent the game in the stands next to French midfielder Franck Ribery while Bayern’s fellow walking-wounded Arjen Robben and Miroslav Klose looked on.

But with Germany’s rising stars Thomas Mueller and Mario Gomez causing the Israeli team constant problems, in the end Bayern’s superior fitness made the difference.

In a busy first-half, the best chance fell to Olic, but his shot was saved and there were loud whistles around Munich’s Allianz Arena as the teams trudged off with the scores locked at 0-0 at half-time.

But Bayern took the lead in the 62nd minute when captain Mark van Bommel found Gomez in the penalty area and he fired his shot to the left of Haifa goalkeeper Nir Davidovitch.

The Israel national goalkeeper made the save, but the rebound fell into the path of Olic who slotted home to keep the dream alive.

Haifa remain pointless at the foot of the table and their slim hopes of claiming entry into the Europa League by finishing third in the table are now over.

Elisha Levi’s Haifa remain the only team of the 32 in the group stage yet to find the back of the opposition’s net and they host the group winners Bordeaux in their final game next month.

Should Bayern fail to reach the knock-out stages, this would be the first time they have missed out on a place in the last 16 in their five previous attempts.

The last time they failed to do so was in 2002/03 when they finished bottom of their group with just two points.

MUNICH (AFP)

Tags: allianz arena, Bayern, bayern munich, Bordeaux, captain mark, captain Mark van Bommel, croatia, dark period, doctor dr, Elisha Levi, fading dream, franck ribery, Germany, israel, israeli team, long break, loud whistles, louis van gaal, luca toni, mario gomez, Mark van Bommel, miroslav klose, Munich, stadio olimpico, team doctor, thomas mueller, Toni, turin, wilhelm mueller

Bayern need both victory and luck for Haifa clash

November 25, 2009

German giants Bayern Munich go into their home Champions League group stage fixture against Israel’s Maccabi Haifa FC on Wednesday with their destiny no longer in their own hands.

After home-and-away defeats by French side Bordeaux, Louis van Gaal’s men have slipped to third in Group A – four points behind second-placed Juventus.

All they can do now is defeat Haifa and hope that Juventus fail to beat Bordeaux in the other group game in France.

Bayern have also drawn their last three Bundesliga games to go seventh in the German league and with coach Van Gaal under increasing pressure, a defeat to the Israeli side could make his position precarious.

“We’re unhappy, because none of us likes the situation in the league table,” said chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

“The fans don’t like it, the coach doesn’t like it, the team doesn’t like it, and neither do I, naturally enough.

“We need a big win to relieve the pressure.”

Haifa travel to Munich still seeking their first points after their own successive losses to Juventus left them out of the running at the foot of the table.

Four points adrift, they retain a slim hope of finishing third and claiming entry into the Europa League, but they must beat Bayern to keep that ambition alive.

Bayern won the first-ever encounter between the two sides at the Ramat Gan Stadium in the first group stage match on September 15, when Daniel Van Buyten and Thomas Mueller scored on the way to a 3-0 win.

But the Germans go into the match looking for the first home goal of their campaign having recorded blanks in a stalemate with Juventus and a 2-0 loss to Bordeaux.

Elisha Levi’s Haifa have even bigger problems in front of goal as they are the only team of the 32 in the group stage yet to find the back of the opposition’s net.

If they fail to reach the knock-out stages, this would be the first time they have missed out on a place in the last 16 in their five previous attempts.

The last time they failed to do so was in 2002/03 when they finished bottom of their group with just two points.

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: bayern munich, champions league group, Daniel van Buyten, elisha, four points, french side, german league, group game, group stage, haifa, home goal, israeli side, karl heinz, knock out, louis van gaal, maccabi haifa fc, ramat gan stadium, slim hope, stalemate, thomas mueller

Loew calls up Hunt and Mueller for friendlies

November 6, 2009

Coach Joachim Loew has named promising Werder Bremen midfielder Aaron Hunt and Bayern Munich’s rising star Thomas Mueller in the Germany squad for friendlies against Chile and the Ivory Coast.

Loew’s squad will play Chile in Cologne on Saturday November 14 and the Ivory Coast in Gelsenkirchen on Wednesday November 18.

Having already secured their World Cup berth for South Africa 2010 with a 1-0 win over Russia in Moscow last month, Loew is keeping one eye on the future by calling up 20-year-old Bayern midfielder Mueller.

And 23-year-old Hunt, who can play for Germany or England because of his English mother, has caught the eye with a series of strong performances for Bremen including two goals in a 2-2 draw at Nuremberg last weekend.

Both Mueller and Hunt are capable of playing as strikers and offer Loew plenty of flexibility as he looks at options for his World Cup squad.

Mueller is involved in Germany Under-21s European Championships qualifier against Northern Ireland in Belfast on Friday November 13, but will join the senior squad immediately after.

“Thomas will be with us for three or four days, simply to get to know the atmosphere around the national team,” said Loew.

But while Mueller is unlikely to get much game time for the national team, Loew said he has been impressed with Hunt and expects to give him a start.

“We now have the possibility of giving him a chance,” said Loew.

“Aaron has taken a step up this season and been very consistent with his performances.”

There is also a place for Leverkusen’s Steffan Kiessling who last played for Germany in the 1-0 defeat to Norway last February, but has helped his side to the top of the Bundesliga with seven goals in 11 games.

Both Leverkusen midfielder Simon Rolfes and Stuttgart striker Cacau are missing with injuries, but there is a place for 21-year-old Hamburg defender Jerome Boateng despite being sent off in Moscow on his full debut last month.

There is no place in Loew’s squad for Hanover goalkeeper Robert Enke, who has lost his number one place to Leverkusen’s Rene Adler, while Werder Bremen’s Tim Wiese and Schalke’s Manuel Neuer have been called up.

Squad:

Goalkeepers: Rene Adler (Bayer Leverkusen), Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Tim Wiese (Werder Bremen)

Defenders: Andreas Beck (1899 Hoffenheim), Jerome Boateng (Hamburg), Arne Friedrich (Hertha Berlin), Philipp Lahm (Bayern Munich), Per Mertesacker (Werder Bremen), Marcel Schaefer (VfL Wolfsburg), Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04)

Midfield: Michael Ballack (Chelsea/ENG), Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg), Thomas Hitzlsperger (VfB Stuttgart), Aaron Hunt (Werder Bremen), Marko Marin (Werder Bremen), Thomas Mueller (Bayern Munich), Mesut Oezil (Werder Bremen), Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern Munich), Piotr Trochowski (Hamburg)

Forwards: Mario Gomez (Bayern Munich), Stefan Kiessling (Bayer Leverkusen), Miroslav Klose (Bayern Munich), Lukas Podolski (Cologne)

BERLIN (AFP)

Tags: Aaron, aaron hunt, bayern munich, boateng, cacau, Christian Gentner, english mother, friendlies, game time, Germany, germany squad, Heiko Westermann, Ivory Coast, joachim loew, kiessling, Michael Ballack, midfielder, Per Mertesacker, robert enke, simon rolfes, steffan, strikers, thomas mueller, world cup berth, world cup squad

Bayern are worse off under Van Gaal than Klinsmann — official

November 5, 2009

Bayern Munich directors must be feeling very uncomfortable at the moment. Their team are sixth in the Bundesliga and almost out of the Champions League.

So far their chosen successor to Juergen Klinsmann, who was sacked a few weeks before the end of last season for failing to secure any silverware, has had a worse run than the former striker.

Louis van Gaal, handpicked for what Bayern said was his discipline and teaching skills, was supposed to make everything good again after the Klinsmann experiment.

The Dutchman also got a roster boosted by more than 70 million euros worth of new signings including record Bundesliga transfer Mario Gomez, Croat striker Ivica Olic, Dutch midfielder Arjen Robben and Russian defensive midfielder Anatolyi Tymoshchuk as well as Croatia international Danijel Pranjic and Dutch defender Edson Braafheid.

Throw in 20-year-old Thomas Mueller’s superb current form and you have arguably a much stronger side. Klinsmann was begging for players but both Tymoshchuk and Olic, who were signed in December, joined in the summer.

Despite all this, Klinsmann still comes out on top on a head-to-head after 11 league matches played. Under him Bayern were in third place on 21 points with six wins, three draws and two defeats, with 25 goals for and 17 against.

Van Gaal’s Bayern are in sixth place after 11 matches on 19 points, with five wins, four draws, and two defeats. Goals are 17-9. So Klinsmann’s Bayern may have been conceding more goals but they also scored eight more in 11 matches. Without Gomez.

By this stage Bayern were already through to the next round of the Champions League under Klinsmann, all but out under van Gaal.

PHOTO: Bayern Munich’s coach Louis van Gaal watches his players during a team training session in Munich November 2, 2009. Bayern Munich will play Girondins Bordeaux in a Champions League soccer match on Tuesday. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

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Tags: arjen robben, Bayern, bayern munich, Bordeaux, champions league soccer, croat, croatia, danijel pranjic, dutchman, girondins bordeaux, ivica olic, klinsmann, Louis, louis van gaal, mario gomez, michaela rehle, midfielder, Munich, new signings, reuters, silverware, striker, thomas mueller, training session, Van Gaal

Would Bayern have been better off selling Ribery?

October 24, 2009

Franck Ribery’s knee injury has flared up again and the problem could not have come at a worse time for Bayern Munich.

Ribery picked up the injury in pre-season training at the height of Real Madrid’s efforts to sign him.

He has played only a handful of matches, his last three weeks ago, and now he is out again, for at least a month, maybe more. He will likely miss France’s World Cup qualification play-off against Ireland and by the time he returns for Bayern there won’t be many matches left before the long mid-season break.

This raises the question: does anyone at Bayern regret not selling the player to Real?

They could certainly have done without another injury saga. Frustrated 30-million-euro striker Mario Gomez has been relegated to the bench, Dutchman Arjen Robben and Mark van Bommel are only just recovering from injury, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is reportedly unhappy in Munich and emotions seem to be running high after Thomas Mueller and Daniel van Buyten were both sent off in the Champions League defeat by Bordeaux this week.

It is not the start coach Louis van Gaal had envisaged. So would they they have been better off with Ribery sold to Real and many millions in the bank?

PHOTO: Bayern Munich’s midfielder Franck Ribery reacts during the Champions League game against Juventus in Munich September 30, 2009. REUTERS/Michaela Rehle

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