BL, MD18: FC Hansa Rostock 1 - 2 FC Bayern München

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v

Bundesliga 2007/08, Matchday 18
FC Hansa Rostock v FC Bayern München

Stadium: DKB-Arena, Rostock
Kick-off: Friday, 1 February 2008, 20.30h

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After sealing a berth in the last eight of the DFB German Cup, Bayern are now keen to underline their Bundesliga title ambitions away to Hansa Rostock on Friday in the opening fixture of the second half of the league programme. However, the Bavarians are aware they face a more severe test of their credentials than third division Wuppertaler SV provided on Tuesday.

“Hansa Rostock are fighting relegation and have their backs to the wall,” coach Ottmar Hitzfeld pointed out ahead of the meeting with the side lying just two points clear of the drop zone in 15th. “They lost in the Cup in midweek, and will be determined to make amends. They’ll be even more focused and aggressive. We know what we can expect.”

Stiff challenge

“There’s no way we’ll underestimate Rostock,” insisted Miroslav Klose, scorer of a brace in the 5-2 defeat of Wuppertal. Despite the midweek Cup results and Bayern’s comfortable 3-0 triumph when the sides met in Munich on opening day, the leaders are bound to be stretched by the strugglers. “This is a different Rostock to the team we beat 3-0. They’ve made good progress and we’ll have to be at our best,” Hitzfeld commented.

Compared to Tuesday’s Cup tie, “we need to improve by 20, 30 percent,” remarked the 59-year-old coach, a sentiment echoed by the club captain: “If we play like we did at the start against Wuppertal, we’re in for a rude and unpleasant awakening,” Oliver Kahn grimaced.

Physical battle

However, Bayern can be optimistic in the light of their second half display in the Cup. “It’s obvious we’re already in good shape,” commented right-back Willy Sagnol, set for a first Bundesliga start in ten months. “We need to be cautious, and make sure we win the physical battle, like we did in the second half in Wuppertal. That’s the key to success.“

However, Hitzfeld feels Friday’s encounter will not descend into a war of attrition. “Rostock are capable of good football and they’ll keep us busy in defence. They have a strong forward line, and they’re dangerous on the break and at set pieces. We’ll have plenty of work to do,” the General admonished.

Reds in good spirits

In terms of the line-up on Friday, Hitzfeld is without Marcell Jansen (rehab after surgery), Lukas Podolski (slipped disc), Bastian Schweinsteiger (one-match suspension) and Michael Rensing (back). New signing Breno is still working on his fitness and is not a contender for the matchday squad at the present time.

After the six-week mid-season break, Hitzfeld said he was “delighted the Bundesliga’s back. We’ve prepared well and we’re in good physical shape.” A confident Sagnol predicted silverware at the end of the campaign: “It wouldn’t be a surprise if we won in Rostock. Taking the season as a whole, I can’t think of a better Bundesliga team than a fit Bayern Munich.“

Squad: Kahn, Dreher, Sagnol, Lucio, Van Buyten, Demichelis, Lahm, Lell, Ribéry, Altintop, Zé Roberto, Ottl, Van Bommel, Sosa, Kroos, Toni, Klose, Schlaudraff
Unavailable: Rensing (back), Jansen (rehab training), Podolski (slipped disc), Schweinsteiger (suspended), Breno (fitness)

Referee: Florian Meyer (Burgdorf)

Bayern’s record in the fixture: P11 W7 D1 L3 F21 A8

[Oliver_Kahn]

I'd love to see this:

...................Kahn
Sagnol....Lucio...Demichelis....Lahm
..........Hamit....ze Roberto
Schlaudraff.......................Ribery
................Klose....Toni


But I don't think it will happen, Sosa will most likely start on the right flank and van Bommel is one of the undisputed starters (only because we don't have a better option, which I'm sure will come next season)

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Some are speculating that because of the insecurity shown during the last matches of 2007, and in the friendly matches of the winter programme, Martin Demichelis has lost his place in the starting line-up.

There could be some truth in this, however, I would prefer to wait until tomorrow and see what's up. If Micho is in the bench, it has to be that.

I liked the starting line-up for the match against Wuppertal, why not playing with the same line-up against Hansa?

Hamit should be on the bench Miguel, at least for the next upcoming matches, I doubt he has gained full fitness yet. For more, we all agree that he's better as a joker, coming in the second half.

We won't see Schlaudraff in the right wing, however, I'm sure he'll be introduced as a substitute around the 70th minute or earlier (still, depending on how things are at the time). He will substitute off either Klose or Toni, again, depending on the situation.

[Ylli_Bayern]

No way Micho has lost his starting position.....at least he has been doing much better than Van Buyten. Maybe Hitzfield didnt play him against Wuppertal because he wanted him to 100% fit

I'm hoping to see this starting line-up

-------------Khan

Sangol----Lucio-----Micho----Lahm

----------MVB-----Ze

Sosa-----------------------Ribery

-------Klose-----Toni


I would prefere Shweini at MVB position but hi is suspended

[Pupesh]

talk about nobody liking van Bommel

[kaiserzizu]

i'd like to see a 5-0 blowout win...kkkk
Poldi was probably only going to miss the first game. So likely he was taking about the NT.

[lionel]

I'm going to watch bayern after more than a month, so I'm looking forward to seeing how things are now, hopefully they are on a better form than they were in the last games of 2007.

Originally Posted by Trim

Some are speculating that because of the insecurity shown during the last matches of 2007, and in the friendly matches of the winter programme, Martin Demichelis has lost his place in the starting line-up.

realy? I was thinking he's doing very well...

Originally Posted by kaiserzizu

i'd like to see a 5-0 blowout win...kkkk
Poldi was probably only going to miss the first game. So likely he was taking about the NT.

Welcome to Talk Soccer!

[Eric]

Originally Posted by lionel

I'm going to watch bayern after more than a month, so I'm looking forward to seeing how things are now, hopefully they are on a better form than they were in the last games of 2007.



realy? I was thinking he's doing very well...


Welcome to Talk Soccer!

yeah actually he had a teriffic first half of the season being one of the best defenders in the bundesliga, as Bayern only got 8 goals in 17 matches with micho playing every second of this.

That was basically what the commentator said in the cup game but i expect him to start today in rostock despite van buyten scoring a goal in the cup. at least i hope so. i trust him more than van Buyten by far...

let's hope bayern can do the same thing they did at home against rostock. win 3-0

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The match will be televised live from the following channels:

Alfa TV Cyprus
ARD Das Erste
Bundesliga Home
C+ Futbol
CT4 Sport
Digitalb SuperSport 1
Dubai Sport 1
ESPN+
G Sports 1
NRK 2
NTV Spor
NTV+ Football
Premiere HD
Premiere Sport Portal
Setanta Sports 1
Sky Calcio 1
Sky Super Calcio
Sport 1 (Ned)
Sport 1 (Ukr)
SportKlub (Hungary)
SportKlub (Poland)
SportKlub (Romania)
SportKlub (Serbia)
SuperSport 2 [Hellas]
TV2 Sport (Den)
Viasat Sport 1

This is just a short list obviously, as Bayern website reports that the match will be televised live in 158 countries.
It's a new record in the Bundesliga history.

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Definite starting line-up's:

[BlackNess]

GOALLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLLL Ribery !!!!!!!!!!

[lionel]

Excellent goal.

Sosa is looking great.

[BlackNess]

another one !!!!!!!!!

Toni !!!!!

2- 0 Bayern !

[Oliver_Kahn]

FT 2-1.

Deserved win, Rostock only put some pressure on the first 20mins of the second half, after Kern scored the goal.

Hitz took way too long to bring on Ottl, he should have been brought on at the 65th min, our midfield was a lot more solid after he went on for Klose.

Also Schlaudraff should've come on for the last 10mins or so. Sosa started off well (first 20-30mins), then faded away and was invisible in the 2nd half, only to appear again after the 80th min.

We so missed Ribery in the second half