BL, MD12: FC Schalke 04 1 - 2 FC Bayern München

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Bundesliga 2008/09, Matchday 12
FC Schalke 04 v FC Bayern München

Stadium: Veltins-Arena, Gelsenkirchen
Kick-off: Sunday, 9 November 2008, 17.00h

[RunX]

We have a good record in veltins arena, Last season we won 0-1.

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Toni To Retrun Against Schalke

Bayern Munich will be boosted by the return to fitness of star striker Luca Toni when they take on Schalke in the marquee Bundesliga clash this weekend.

The Azzurri ace has been grappling with the effects of a rib injury he originally sustained on the 18th of October in a Bundesliga fixture against Karlsruhe, and was already forced to sit what would have been a sentimental return to Florence for him in midweek.

Toni has now been given the all-clear to face Schalke, however, as confirmed by Bayern boss Jürgen Klinsmann on Friday.

"Luca is fit to play. Hopefully, he’ll be hungry for goals too,” said the ex German coach.

Sunday's showdown could also see the return to the lineup of Philipp Lahm after a two-and-a-half week lay-off.

“Philipp is back in training. We’ll wait and see how he feels on Saturday, and then we’ll decide whether to take him with us to Schalke,” Klinsmann added.

There are genuine doubts about whether key midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger will be fit to play, however, having taken a nasty knock to his shin during Wednesday night's 1-1 draw at Fiorentina.

"I don't know if I will make it for the weekend," he admitted.

"I want to play in it because I feel it is a decisive moment in the Bundesliga."

Bayern have notched up four league wins on the trot and propelled themselves up to third and now sit just four points behind leaders Hoffenheim.

Goal.com - Bayern Munich - Toni To Return Against Schalke

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We're definately not going to loose this one.

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Schweini rated doubtful
Bayern turn attention to Schalke challenge

Fewer than 15 hours after Bayern’s 1-1 Champions League draw away to Fiorentina, the three-day short break to Tuscany was already becoming a rapidly-fading memory. The Bayern squad had hardly touched down on Munich soil before switching focus to the next stiff task. The champions travel to face domestic title rivals Schalke 04 on Sunday, seeking to maintain their vastly improved Bundesliga form in a fixture which has proved a big ask down the years.

“We’re fired up and full of confidence regarding Sunday’s match,” commented Tim Borowski after Wednesday’s European tie, “although we’ve been in a hard-fought game that’s cost a lot of energy.“ After turning round at half-time a goal down for the fifth time in their last six matches, Bayern’s latest fightback owed a lot to the resurgent Borowski. The ex-Bremen midfielder played the full 90 minutes for the third time in a row, and notched his sixth goal of the season to boot.

Fully-fit Tim

“I’m feeling really fit, and that’s a decisive factor,” the 28-year-old commented. “I get into these penalty box situations because I’m in top physical shape. I seem to be in the right place at the right time at the moment.“ The Germany star’s excellent form has drawn recognition from boss Jürgen Klinsmann. “Tim is emerging as an increasingly important player for us.“

The player described his latest goal as “helpful” in his quest for established status at “this huge club that is Bayern Munich.“ Added Klinsmann: “He’s had to adapt to the fact that at Bayern we have any number of internationals, and two players for every position. He has to fight for his place here, he’s not an automatic choice like he was at Bremen.“

Three points worth weight in gold

Bastian Schweinsteiger rates as an established player these days, and has been in excellent form since the start of the campaign. The 24-year-old, whose contract in Munich expires this season, was less of an influence than normal in Florence after collecting an injury. A robust challenge early on in the game left Schweini with painful bruising on the shin, and he is now rated doubtful for Sunday’s trip to Gelsenkirchen.

“I don’t know how it looks for the weekend,” the player admitted before reporting to the medical unit for treatment, although he is determined to face the Royal Blues if humanly possible. “I want to play all the big games. I sense a pivotal moment in the league campaign,” he declared, “three points in Schalke would be worth their weight in gold.“

FC Bayern

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Poldi and Schweini sidelined
Enforced changes for Schalke on Sunday

Bayern have set off from Munich to face Schalke 04 in one of the Bundesliga’s highlight fixtures needing to compensate for a couple of injury headaches. Both Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski will be missing when the champions take to the Veltins Arena turf in Gelsenkirchen on Sunday.

“Lukas has back problems and he’s simply not in contention. Bastian is still troubled by the shin injury he collected against Fiorentina,” coach Jürgen Klinsmann informed fcbayern.de after final training at the Säbener Strasse on Saturday.

Toni restored

Luca Toni will return to his usual position at centre-forward in place of Podolski. “He’ll start tomorrow,” Klinsmann announced. The Bayern coach named Toni Kroos and José Sosa as possible stand-ins for Schweinsteiger in midfield.

Philipp Lahm also remained at home when the FCB party took off for Düsseldorf on Saturday evening. “It’s too early for him,” Klinsmann reported. The Germany international, sidelined by a foot injury sustained at home to Fiorentina on 21 October, only resumed the team training programme on Friday.

Alongside Schweinsteiger, Podolski and Lahm, third-placed Bayern are without long-term absentees Hamit Altintop and Willy Sagnol for the meeting with the side directly beneath them in the table. Schalke boss Fred Rutten picks from a full squad, with the exception of Orlando Engelaar (suspension).

FC Bayern

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No holds barred
Schalke showdown for battle-ready Bayern

Not so very long ago, Bayern’s away trips to Schalke 04 were not merely a battle against the men in Royal Blue and their passionate fans. There was also the Curse of the Arena to contend with. In the six seasons after Schalke left the venerable Parkstadion in 2001 in favour of the state-of-the-art Veltins Arena, Bayern failed to record a single victory in Gelsenkirchen. But at the start of 2008, third division Wuppertal elected to switch a Cup meeting with Bayern to Schalke’s home ground – and the men from Munich won 5-2. Just a month later, the Bavarians finally recorded a first league victory over Schalke at the previously impenetrable stadium.

All good things come in threes, so the proverb goes, and Bayern travel to the Ruhr valley on Sunday (Live in English from 4.45 pm CET on FCB.tv Web Radio) aiming to make it a treble at the Arena in 2008. “Schalke are title rivals. It’s important we get a result, so we can start to focus on top spot in the table,” FCB coach Jürgen Klinsmann declared, urging his men to go full-out for a fifth Bundesliga triumph on the bounce.

It is only the twelfth match of the league programme, but a glance at the standings indicates just how important Sunday’s game could be for the weeks to come. Before the weekend, Bayern occupied third spot, four points off leaders TSG Hoffenheim and three behind second-placed Bayer Leverkusen. The Rhineland side tossed away a three-goal lead to draw 3-3 away to Karlsruhe on Saturday, so a win in Gelsenkirchen would see Klinsmann’s side’s make up ground. Hoffenheim are away to Hertha BSC on Sunday.

“It’s always special when you play in Schalke, but this is a really significant match,” argued Tim Borowski. “It’ll be a bit of a setback for the losing team,” predicted Schalke general manager Andreas Müller. Schalke are just a point behind Bayern, “and we obviously want to win our home games," offered S04 coach Fred Rutten.

Schalke versus Bayern has generally produced high-energy entertainment with plenty of raised emotions, and Klinsmann is expecting nothing less this time. “It’ll be a no-holds-barred fight. Both sides will get stuck in,” the FCB coach warned. Michael Rensing described the fixture as “the next battle” in a long run of physically demanding fixtures this autumn: “But we’ve done well in recent weeks, so we’re full of confidence and we’re looking to take one or more points off Schalke.“

Bayern will naturally hope to claim all three points, but will have to prise open the best defence in the Bundesliga to do so. Keeper Manuel Neuer and Co have conceded just eight goals so far this term, and none in their last three matches. Fortunately, Bayern welcome back opening goal specialist Luca Toni, an absentee for the last four games with bruised ribs. Last season’s leading scorer will partner Miroslav Klose up front, but Bastian Schweinsteiger and Lukas Podolski are out with injury. Out of interest, Klose netted the only goal of the game when the sides last met in Gelsenkirchen on 1 March, Schalke’s last home defeat.

FC Bayern

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Toni - Klose
Ribéry - van Bommel - Borowski - Kroos
Zé Roberto - Demichelis - Lucio - Oddo (Lell)
Rensing

Could this be the starting line-up?

[Oliver_Kahn]

I doubt it, can't see Klinsmann starting Kroos at the Veltins Arena, we'll probably see Lell at LB and Ze Roberto moving back to midfield.

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Originally Posted by Trim

Toni - Klose
Ribéry - van Bommel - Borowski - Kroos
Zé Roberto - Demichelis - Lucio - Oddo (Lell)
Rensing

Could this be the starting line-up?

Yes it can be, Schweini rated Doubtful So Kroos will take his place or it can be Sosa.. Will see later on.

[Vargas_4]

we're now in the 20th minutes.

1-1

The goals were in the first 5 minutes. I missed them live but saw the repeat of Toni's goal in the 3rd minute. Farfan leveled on the 5th.

We aren't looking so well. Schalke have been doing pretty good and attacking a lot. Rensing is doing great. Stopped many good occasions for Schalke.

[Vargas_4]

Borowksi has been fouling a lot. Seems a bit lost or something.

[Vargas_4]

Jones almost scored. Missed by inches.

[Vargas_4]

GOL MIERDASSSSSSSSS!!! GOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOL!!!!!!!

Undeservedly, really. But i don't fucking care.

Schalke has been dominating all along. But we finally crack a good counter attack. Great combination between Ze Roberto and Ribery.

The goal was Ribery's. Great run and pass from ZeRo.

1-2

[Vargas_4]

Borowski got yellow carded for faking a foul.

He isn't looking too good.

Kroos has been so so.