BL, MD28: FC Bayern München 5 - 0 Borussia Dortmund

[Oliver_Kahn]

v

Bundesliga 2007/08, Matchday 28
FC Bayern München vs BV Borussia Dortmund

Stadium: Allianz Arena, Munich
Kick-off: Sunday, 13th April 2008, 17.00h

[Oliver_Kahn]

The plane bearing a jubilant Bayern party took off from Madrid-Barajas airport at 11.25 on Friday morning, although the Reds’ delight at sealing a UEFA Cup semi-final berth was slightly tempered by injuries to Franck Ribéry and Marcell Jansen. The pair are rated doubtful for Sunday’s home Bundesliga meeting with Borussia Dortmund.

Ribéry sustained a blow to his right foot in the enthralling 3-3 extra-time draw at the Coliseum Alfonso Perez, and was only moving with difficulty and a pronounced limp at the traditional post-match banquet in the team hotel afterwards. The France star will report to Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt for treatment on the squad’s return to Munich.

Kahn to take a rest?

For his part, Jansen complained of pain in the left knee following the Getafe clash and will similarly spend time with the medical unit in Munich this afternoon. In any case, Ottmar Hitzfeld is considering a number of changes to the starting eleven on Sunday, as rotation forms a central part of “a strategy for the next three matches,” the coach revealed after the final whistle in suburban Madrid.

Oliver Kahn may be one of the players rested. Following 120 punishing minutes at the Coliseo, Hitzfeld has offered the captain a break at the weekend. “He’ll take the decision as to whether he plays,“ the coach announced. “I was drained and exhausted, because the mental effort takes so much out of you,“ the keeper said after the Getafe match. Bayern are definitely without Mark van Bommel (suspended) and Hamit Altintop (metatarsal fracture) on Sunday.

[Trim]

Rotation is a must for this game, the guys are very tired after that dramatic night, I have no doubt about that.

Not good news that of Ribéry injury. I hope he recovers quick. Fit or not, he shouldn't start against Dortmund.

This match, just like any single match, is an important one. We have to win this.

It's not going to be easy though, for many obvious reasons.

Don't forget, Werder host our closest follower (Schalke, 9 pts).
If Werder win, our lead will be extended to at least 10 points.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Any news on Sagnol, is he fit again ?

If so, I'd go with:

.......................Rensing
Sagnol....Lucio...Demichelis....Lahm
.............Ottl......ze Roberto
....Sosa.........................Schweini
................Toni....Podolski


Ribery coming off the bench in case we're losing. I hope Kroos and Schlaudraff get some playing time. Perhaps a surprise start for Breno.

[Trim]

Podolski was horrible yesterday. I'd start Klose against Dortmund.
And, Sagnol isn't fit yet, I guess.

Agreed with the rest of your proposed line-up.

Kroos haven't played for some time. Maybe Kroos instead of Ottl?

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Trim

Podolski was horrible yesterday. I'd start Klose against Dortmund.
And, Sagnol isn't fit yet, I guess.

Agreed with the rest of your proposed line-up.

Kroos haven't played for some time. Maybe Kroos instead of Ottl?

Hmm so Lell ( ) instead of Sagnol then.

As for Podolski, indeed he was crap, but honestly, who wasn't ?
Klose wasn't much better.

Kroos - ze Roberto in mid, might be a bit too unbalanced, no tackler. I'd rather play Ottl from the start.

[RunX]

I think sagnol will be fit we needz him in these games :S

[Munchen Minded]

I hope we get something against Dortmund after a night like last night. Even I'm exhausted after celebrating into the wee hours of the night. Anyway, Dortmund have their backs against the wall after they keep dropping in the table, and we are left with little energy. Dortmund have a great squad and I thought they would do better this term, so we need to be careful. Since this is a home game, we have to win -- and then we are only a few games away from the championship. Its hard to say what hitz will do, but I like Sosa coming in, and maybe poldi behind the front two strikers, give Ze a rest, and have Schaludraff as backup stiker. Who knows, maybe Kroos will play and schweini will play in DM:

.......................Rensing
Lell....Lucio...Demichelis....Lahm
.......................Ottl......
....Sosa...........Poldi..........Schweini
................Toni....Klose

or

.......................Rensing
Lell....Lucio...Demichelis....Lahm
..............Ottl......Schweini..........
....Kroos.........................Sosa
................Toni....Klose

[Vargas_4]

I'd surprise everyone and give Schlaudraff a start with Podolski up front, with Kroos & Sosa in midfield.

But we all know that ain't gonna happen.

I would really like to see Schlaudraff play though. I'd rest Klose & Toni for the final. We're better off that way.

I'm sure Dortmund will be more focused on their only chance of silverware this season too. I don't think they'll want to give away much in this game.

[Oliver_Kahn]

Originally Posted by Vargas_4

I'd surprise everyone and give Schlaudraff a start with Podolski up front, with Kroos & Sosa in midfield.

But we all know that ain't gonna happen.

I would really like to see Schlaudraff play though. I'd rest Klose & Toni for the final. We're better off that way.

I'm sure Dortmund will be more focused on their only chance of silverware this season too. I don't think they'll want to give away much in this game.

Podolski-Schlaudraff wouldn't work, in our style of play, we need a box player.

I'd start Toni, he'll score a goal and win us the match, then sub him off at HT for Klose.

[RunX]

Poldi and schlaudraf will make a problems for dortmund worse defense thery are slowlys poldi and schalaudraf are too fasst !! :P
i would like to see poldi and schaludraff open ...

[vampyrian]

What the hell are you talking about, man?!

[__-SNAKE-__]

He said he would like to see Podolski and Schlaudraff start.

[Trim]

With the club and the media still abuzz after Thursday’s “Miracle of Getafe“ in the UEFA Cup, Bayern need to refocus on the bread and butter of the league against Borussia Dortmund at the Allianz Arena on Sunday, a match widely billed as a dress rehearsal for the German Cup final on 19 April in Berlin, when the sides meet for the second time in six days.

“The league title is our focus. We want all three points,” Bayern boss Ottmar Hitzfeld demanded ahead of the meeting with his former club, “although the Cup final is obviously in the back of our minds,” the General acknowledged. Victory over the side lying eleventh in the table is therefore doubly important, not only as another step on the road to a 21st domestic title, “but also to lay down a marker for the Cup final.“

Chance beckons

“But we want to wrap up the league as quickly as possible,” chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge urged. “We want to win because we want to maintain or possibly extend our lead. It’s an opportunity we intend to take,” the former world-class striker intoned. Going into the weekend, Bayern were nine points clear of second-placed Schalke 04, but Bremen leapfrogged the Royal Blues with a thumping 5-1 triumph when the pair met on Saturday. The upshot is that a win for home side on Sunday would see their lead stretched to ten points.

However, for that to happen, the men in red know they will have to improve on the midweek performance in the suburbs of Madrid. “We didn’t play to our potential in Getafe,” Rummenigge observed. “The game unquestionably cost us a lot of energy,” the chairman continued, “but now it’s time to show character and morale, and win Sunday’s match.“

Danger from Dortmund

Hitzfeld acknowledged his players’ weariness, but also felt the midweek result would be a boost to morale. “We were successful. We staved off a defeat and made our own luck. That’s release reserves of energy,” the General remarked, warning his side to beware Dortmund, now unbeaten in three: “There are two sides to their character. On a good day they’re a match for anyone, but on a bad day they get beaten, especially away from home.“

Bayern are not without selection problems. Hamit Altintop (metatarsal) and Mark van Bommel (suspension) are definitely out, with Franck Ribéry and Marcell Jansen rated doubtful. Club medic Dr. Müller-Wohlfahrt ruled out the possibility of serious injury to either player, and both will continue to receive treatment before fitness tests and final decisions on Sunday.

Twenty-strong squad

The club ultimately took 20 players to a pre-match retreat, including Daniel van Buyten, available again after shaking off a knee problem. “We’ll make sure we have a good line-up capable of beating Dortmund at home,” said Hitzfeld, predicting “an exciting game. We’re looking forward to the first of two meetings with Dortmund inside six days.“

Borussia, who have not won on their last 15 visits to Munich, are hoping to reverse that trend. “There are plenty of teams who’d love to play Bayern twice in a week,” declared BVB coach Thomas Doll, believing the way the fixtures had worked out “was neither an advantage nor a disadvantage. In any case, you can’t choose who you play. One’s a league game, one’s a finale with a trophy at stake.“

[Trim]

The match will be televised live from those TV channels:

C+ Futbol
DigitAlb SuperSport 2
Federalna TV
G Extra
NTV Turkey
NTV+ Sport On-Line
Premiere Sport Portal
Setanta Sports 2
Sky Calcio 10
Sport 2 (Ukr)
Sport 5+
SportKlub (Croatia)
SportKlub (Hungary)
SportKlub+ (Poland)