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Borussia Dortmund are set to be without Sebastian Kehl for a month due to a left shoulder injury.
Sebastian Kehl will be out for up to four weeks with a shoulder injury sustained during Borussia Dortmund's 1-0 friendly victory over Steaua Bucharest on Saturday.
The defensive midfielder left the field in the 35th minute of the match in Alicante, before Jakub Blaszczykowski scored the winner for the Bundesliga strugglers six minutes from time.
Kehl's lay-off is as a blow to coach Jurgen Klopp as he bids to haul his side away from danger in the second half of the season.
Dortmund are currently second from bottom, ahead of Freiburg on goals scored, and have just two wins from their last 14 Bundesliga matches.
Klopp's men face two more friendlies, against Utrecht and Fortuna Dusseldorf, before returning to Bundesliga action at Bayer Leverkusen on January 31.
Clubs have been encouraged to pay tribute to the late Junior Malanda, on the day his funeral took place in Brussels.
Bundesliga clubs have been urged to hold a minute's silence for Junior Malanda at their first fixtures back after the mid-season break.
The Wolfsburg midfielder, 20, died in a car accident earlier this month when he was reportedly travelling to catch a flight to South Africa to join up with the rest of the squad for their winter training camp.
Belgium Under-21 international Malanda's funeral took place in Brussels on Tuesday, with some of the country's biggest footballing stars, including Eden Hazard, Kevin de Bruyne and Christian Benteke, among the mourners.
The German Football League (DFL) marked the day by encouraging clubs to pay tribute to Malanda when the top flight returns.
"In memory of Junior Malanda, a player for VfL Wolfsburg, who died in a tragic accident, DFL recommends holding a minute’s silence at all stadiums prior to the kick-off at the matches marking the commencement of the second half of the Bundesliga season from 30 January until 1 February," read a statement.
"In addition, DFL will leave it to all clubs to decide at their discretion whether players may wear black arm bands."
Wolfsburg host Bundesliga champions Bayern Munich on January 30.
Bayern Munich's Philipp Lahm is delighted to have reached the next stage in his recovery as he continues his comeback from an ankle injury.
Philipp Lahm is thrilled with the progress he has made as he continues his rehabilitation from a fractured right ankle.
The Bayern Munich captain picked up the injury in training back in November, with the World Cup winner expected to be out for around three months.
There was positive news on Tuesday, though, as former Germany skipper Lahm did work on an exercise bike having removed the splint and set aside his crutches.
"I'm doing really well. It feels great to be rid of the crutches and in a position to go for it again," he told Bayern's official website.
"It's all going to plan."
Bayern vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger returned to training on Tuesday after suffering bruising to his ankle the day before, while Mario Gotze is also back after a groin strain.
Defender Mehdi Benatia, meanwhile, is close to rejoining the group as he continues his recovery from a back injury.
Koen Casteels will spend the remainder of the season on loan at Werder Bremen, just a day after he joined fellow Bundesliga side Wolfsburg.
Werder Bremen have added to their goalkeeping options with the loan signing of Koen Casteels from Wolfsburg.
The Belgian only moved to Wolfsburg on a permanent transfer from fellow Bundesliga side Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Casteels has subsequently been allowed to join Bremen on a temporary basis until the end of the season and is likely to provide competition for regular number one Raphael Wolf.
"We made the decision together to sign Koen Casteels," Bremen head coach Viktor Skripnik told the club's official website.
"He will integrate very well here and it's a role he's highly motivated to accept."
Casteels made 39 Bundesliga appearances for Hoffenheim, but has not played since April due to a broken leg, an injury that kept him out of contention for last year's World Cup.
Hertha Berlin have been fined €20,000 for their fans' poor behaviour during the DFB-Pokal defeat to Arminia Bielefeld last October.
The German Football Association (DFB) has fined Hertha Berlin €20,000 for the misbehaviour of some of their fans during their shock DFB-Pokal exit at Arminia Bielefeld.
Kick-off at the SchucoArena on October 28 last year was delayed slightly after a flare was thrown onto the pitch from the away supporters' section.
Hertha fans also set off numerous flares towards the end of the match, which finished 0-0 after extra-time before third-tier outfit Arminia won on penalties.
And, citing the "unsportsmanlike conduct" of the fans responsible, the DFB announced on Thursday that Bundesliga club Hertha have been penalised to the tune of €20,000.
The capital club have 24 hours to appeal the ruling.
Hertha resume their campaign following the mid-season break at struggling Werder Bremen on February 1.
Swedish youngster Christian Rubio Sivodedov has joined Bundesliga club Schalke after impressing on trial.
Schalke have completed the signing of promising Djurgardens teenager Christian Rubio Sivodedov.
The 17-year-old midfielder, who only made six Allsvenskan appearances for the Swedish club, was invited for a trial with Schalke in November.
Sivodedov has done enough to earn himself a three-and-a-half year deal with Roberto Di Matteo's side that runs until June 2018.
"It is great for me but at the same time I have mixed feelings," Sivodedov told the official Djurgardens website.
"I have played for Djurgardens all my life and it is the club in my heart. But this is a unique chance for me and I have based my choice on facts together with my family and Djurgardens."
"I think the best football in the world is played in Germany. Schalke is a great club with unique capabilities that give me every chance to develop into a better."
It marks another foray into the transfer market for Schalke this month after they completed the loan signing of defender Matija Nastasic from Manchester City.
Schalke, who are fifth, resume their Bundesliga campaign at home to Hannover on January 31 after the mid-season break.
Birthday boy Robben runs the show in five-goal Bayern romp
23 January 2015
Bayern Munich finished their mid-season break in ominous fashion for their rivals by thrashing Bochum 5-1 in a friendly.
Birthday boy Arjen Robben scored twice and had a hand in two other goals as Bayern Munich came from behind to win 5-1 at Bochum in their final friendly before the Bundesliga resumes following a mid-season break.
Robben - who turned 31 on Friday - cancelled out Danny Latza's superb opener before Dante met the Dutchman's corner with a powerful downward header to put Bayern ahead on the stroke of half-time.
Second-half substitute Mario Gotze netted within three minutes of his introduction following a slick passing move involving Robben and Franck Ribery.
And Robben put the seal on fantastic individual display with a superb 20-yard curler 12 minutes from time before Sebastian Rode's close-range finish completed the rout.
Pep Guardiola will be pleased with the professionalism shown by his Bayern players, who return to Bundesliga action at Wolfsburg next Friday.
Latza put the hosts - 11th in the second tier of German football - ahead in style after just five minutes.
Stefano Celozzi's cross was only headed clear as far as Latza on the edge of the penalty area and he struck a sweet first-time volley across Manuel Neuer.
Bochum goalkeeper Michael Esser denied Robert Lewandowski and Robben saw a shot curl just wide before Bayern's positive response to going behind led to the equaliser.
Robben played a neat one-two with Thomas Muller that saw the Germany striker backheel the ball into the path of his team-mate to coolly slot home.
Bayern edged ahead when Dante slipped away from his marker to nod Robben's inswinging corner low past Esser.
Robben, Ribery and Gotze combined to allow the latter to make an instant impact following his 63rd-minute introduction from the bench.
Fifteen minutes later came the pick of the goals as Robben dispossessed a Bochum player, cut in from the right and curled into the top corner before he was substituted to avoid risk of injury.
Rode got in on the act with six minutes remaining when a failed headed clearance allowed him to poke home as Bayern were at their ruthless best.
Despite being linked with a move away as he struggles to be a Napoli regular, Dries Mertens is keen to stay and fight for his future.
Dries Mertens insists he has no intention of leaving Napoli during the January transfer window amid reports linking him with a move to Schalke.
The Belgium international has struggled to hold down a regular start at San Paolo this season as head coach Rafael Benitez juggles his squad selection to compete in three competitions.
Mertens would like to play more for the Serie A club, but understands the reasoning behind Benitez's rotation policy.
Schalke have been linked with the 27-year-old winger, he says a move away is not something he is considering.
"Of course I want to play more, but I do understand where coach Benitez is coming from," he told Het Nieuwsblad.
"If you are a wide attacker in Italy, you need to do a lot of defending and running, so that is very exhausting. Therefore the coach rotates constantly.
"This week even Gonzalo Higuain was on the bench, so that says something. And the club is also apparently very satisfied. I really see no reason to move.
"I am not going to leave Napoli for another club during the January transfer window."
The Germany international limped out of his side's 1-1 friendly draw with Fortuna Dusseldorf, sparking fresh concern over his fitness ahead of the Bundesliga restart
Borussia Dortmund were left sweating on the fitness of Ilkay Gundogan after he limped out of their 1-1 friendly draw with Fortuna Dusseldorf.
The midfielder only returned from a back injury late in 2014, so Jurgen Klopp will be hoping it is not a serious setback.
The visitors had to come from behind in the match at the Esprit Arena after Joel Pohjanpalo gave Dusseldorf the lead, with Jakub Blaszczykowski converting a late penalty.
Dortmund were grateful to Roman Weidenfeller early on as he made two good saves, but there was nothing he could do with four minutes of the half remaining.
Charlison Benschop cut the ball back for Pohjanpalo to poke home and give the hosts a surprise lead.
Klopp introduced Ciro Immobile at the break and he almost brought the visitors level with a low shot across goal.
Dortmund began to pose a greater threat with Mats Hummels heading over and Immobile seeing an effort rebound off the post, with Michael Rensing beaten.
They were saved with nine minutes to go as Blaszczykowski was brought down by Jonathan Tah in the area, the Polish midfielder duly scoring from the spot.
Dusseldorf still had a chance to win the game as Axel Bellinghausen found space in the penalty area, but he failed to connect properly and the ball drifted wide.
Dortmund return to league action on January 31 against Bayer Leverkusen as their attentions revert back to a scrap for Bundesliga survival.
Hummels: There's no guarantee I can get back to my best
By Rupert Fryer
Jan 25, 2015 11:01:00
The defender is desperate to help Dortmund recover from their disastrous first-half of the Bundesliga season and is targeting a much-improved display against Leverkusen next week
Borussia Dortmund's Mats Hummels says he cannot guarantee he will return to the form that saw him rated as one of Europe’s best central defenders.
The 2011 and 2012 German champions have endured a woeful first half of the Bundesliga season and sit second-from-bottom at the halfway stage.
And as they prepare to return from the winter break, Hummels says he will do all he can to ensure the club steer clear of relegation and salvage something from a dismal start to the campaign.
“I’m in a much better shape than in the first half of the season,” the 26-year-old told the club website. “In the 90 minutes [in the friendly] against Utrecht I felt, despite the tough training sessions before, in top shape.
“I felt better than in any of the games in the first half of the season and that’s an important step.
“However, it’s no guarantee that I will play the way I expect myself to play, but it’s a good basis to start from.”
BVB drew 1-1 with Fortuna Dusseldorf on Saturday in a friendly and return to domestic action next week against Bayer Leverkusen when Hummels hopes for a much-improved showing.
“We definitely still have to work on some things, but we also had a tough week with two games”, he said.
“We will be much fitter when we face Leverkusen next week. We were a bit better against Utrecht, but I’m confident that we will play much better next Saturday.”
Dortmund sit 12 points off Germany’s final Champions League place.
The German attacker is enjoying the 11-point lead that the Bavarians have in the Bundesliga and does not think Borussia Dortmund will stay playing poorly
Thomas Muller says Bayern Munich would love to propel towards another treble in 2014-15, replicating their clean sweep two years ago.
In Jupp Heynckes' final season in charge at the Allianz Arena, the Bavarians triumphed historically in the Champions League, Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal.
Last season, Bayern won four trophies out of a possible six (the BuLi, DFB-Pokal, Uefa Super Cup and Club World Cup) but they missed out on defending their European title, and Muller would love an opportunity to bag another treble success.
"I play with great players," the 25-year-old forward told TZ. "We've got a lot of points thanks to a lot of good work.
"Inevitably, you end up getting linked with things like the treble when you compete at the top, no matter what competition. If the chance to win the treble comes again this year and we have the chance to grab, then we are also very happy to pack up.
"Of course our goals are to win games. That is why we are already well on track towards winning [the Bundesliga] at the end of the year, with the gap being a safety net in case anything unexpected happens.
"The 11-point lead is very comfortable but you have to make sure you maintain it. We just need wins, as always are expected from Bayern."
The Germany international also commented on the shock of demise of Borussia Dortmund, who finished runners up last season but are placed second-from-bottom - in the relegation zone - with half of 2014-15 played.
"The first half of the season for BVB went the way no expert could have predicted," Muller added. "Dortmund certainly have the quality to go on a winning streak of several games, however.
"The Dortmund who we are accustomed to in the league have not necessarily disappeared."
Jaroslav Drobny will continue in goal for Hamburg when the Bundesliga resumes this weekend, according to Joe Zinnbauer.
Hamburg coach Joe Zinnbauer has no intentions of making any changes in goal ahead of the Bundesliga's return this weekend.
Cologne travel to the Imtech Arena on Saturday with Hamburg sitting two points off the foot of the table.
Hamburg avoided their first relegation last season, but have been unable to turn their fortunes around in the current campaign.
However, it is not a change in goal that will improve their fortunes, according to Zinnbauer, after only conceding 19 goals in the first half of the season – the fourth lowest in the division.
That means Jaroslav Drobny will continue as first choice, leaving Germany international Rene Adler on the bench as back-up.
"Drobo is playing, he has the edge," Zinnbauer told Bild. "I have already spoken with Rene.
"He will not give up the fight, but the decision was well received."
Hamburg's problems at the other end of the pitch are stark, with just nine goals from 17 league games.
Schweinsteiger under no pressure to extend Bayern contract
26 January 2015
Bayern Munich midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is not looking to sign a new deal at the Allianz Arena just yet.
Bastian Schweinsteiger says he feels no pressure to commit his long-term future to Bayern Munich despite only having 18 months to run on his contract.
The 30-year-old midfielder's deal at the Allianz Arena expires at the end of next season, but he does not see the need to enter into talks just yet.
Schweinsteiger has previously been linked with moves away from Bayern, with the likes of Manchester United and Chelsea reportedly interested in his signature.
"I have no pressure," he told Sport 1 when asked about extending his contract. "I know what Bayern Munich means to me and Bayern Munich also knows what they have in me.
"We know each other very well.
"I feel very good again and I have gathered a lot of experience. I can imagine to play three or four years at the highest level."
However, Schweinsteiger – who only made eight appearances in the first half of the season due to a troublesome knee injury – does hope head coach Pep Guardiola signs fresh terms.
He added: "There are not so many coaches [like him] in the world, and the people responsible for Bayern know that.
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge admits Bayern Munich have no back-up plan if coach Pep Guardiola decides to leave at the end of his contract.
Bayern Munich have no Plan B should coach Pep Guardiola decided to leave the club at the end of his current contract, according to chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.
The Spaniard has 18 months left on his deal at the Allianz Arena after joining the Bavarians following their treble-winning 2012-13 campaign under Jupp Heynckes.
However, Rummenigge insisted last week that Bayern were in no hurry to open negotiations with Guardiola, who guided Bayern to success in the Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, UEFA Super Cup and the FIFA Club World Cup in his first season in charge.
Despite being prepared to hold off on entering talks, Rummenigge insists Bayern have not contemplated what might happen if Guardiola elects to make an exit.
"There is only a Plan A, and that means Guardiola," he told Kicker.
"If he and his family feel at home, he remains. If not, we would have to deal with it in a relaxed way."
Bayern are 11 points clear of Wolfsburg at the top of the Bundesliga at the halfway point of the season.
Werder Bremen have moved to address their defensive frailities by signing out-of-favour Hoffenheim centre-back Jannik Vestergaard.
Bundesliga strugglers Werder Bremen have swooped to land centre-back Jannik Vestergaard from Hoffenheim.
The Denmark international made 71 league appearances for Hoffenheim after joining from Brondby in 2010.
However, the 22-year-old has slipped down the pecking order at the Rhein Neckar Arena this term and has featured in just six Bundesliga games.
Vestergaard moves to Bremen on a deal that runs until June 2018 and will attempt to shore up a defence that has conceded 39 league goals this term, the highest amount in the Bundesliga.
"We want to develop the squad," said Bremen head coach Viktor Skripnik.
"He [Vestergaard] is strong in the centre, has a physical presence and is tactically very aware."
Bremen sit in the Bundesliga relegation play-off spot and return to action following the mid-season break at home to Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
Werder Bremen have moved to address their defensive frailities by signing out-of-favour Hoffenheim centre-back Jannik Vestergaard.
Bundesliga strugglers Werder Bremen have swooped to land centre-back Jannik Vestergaard from Hoffenheim.
The Denmark international made 71 league appearances for Hoffenheim after joining from Brondby in 2010.
However, the 22-year-old has slipped down the pecking order at the Rhein Neckar Arena this term and has featured in just six Bundesliga games.
Vestergaard moves to Bremen on a deal that runs until June 2018 and will attempt to shore up a defence that has conceded 39 league goals this term, the highest amount in the Bundesliga.
"We want to develop the squad," said Bremen head coach Viktor Skripnik.
"He [Vestergaard] is strong in the centre, has a physical presence and is tactically very aware."
Bremen sit in the Bundesliga relegation play-off spot and return to action following the mid-season break at home to Hertha Berlin on Sunday.
Borussia Dortmund's Nuri Sahin cannot wait for the Bundesliga's resumption after playing just seven minutes in the first half of the season.
Midfielder Nuri Sahin claimed Borussia Dortmund have moved on from the first half of the Bundesliga season, while he claimed he is in "good shape" after having knee surgery in September.
Sahin played just seven minutes of Dortmund's 17 matches before the winter break in Germany's top division due to his knee injury but the Turkey international is confident he will play a much bigger role in the second half of the campaign.
Dortmund will resume away to third-placed Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday with Sahin and Co. sitting second-bottom in the Bundesliga standings.
"I played seven minutes in the first half of the Bundesliga season. It was quite a new feeling for me to be injured for such a long time," Sahin said on Tuesday.
"For me personally the [winter break's] preparation was very important, I had to get my body in a good shape again.
"Now I am really looking forward for the second half of the season. I'm not afraid, on the contrary, I'm really happy to again be able to train every day.
"With my injury it was quite awkward, I wasn't able to get up on my feet so every minute I run is a huge gift now. So I train every day, I was able to participate in all the friendly games except for the one against [Steaua] Bucharest when I had some minor problems but, all in all, my body responds well to the training."
The 2014-15 German league campaign has been an incredible turnaround for Jurgen Klopp's men, who finished second last term.
But Sahin refused to get bogged down in discussions of what has gone wrong at the Westfalenstadion.
"I finished the year 2014 and the whole club and the whole team finished the year 2014. We are just looking forward for what 2015 can give us or what we can give 2015 and our fans and our club," the midfielder said.
"It wouldn't be professional to think about things that happened in the past."
Pep Guardiola remained guarded on the prospect of extending his Bayern Munich contract this week, but Franz Beckenbauer hopes he will stay.
Honorary president Franz Beckenbauer is confident coach Pep Guardiola will sign a new contract at the Allianz Arena and stay beyond 2016.
The former Barcelona boss agreed a three-year deal with Bayern in 2013 but, with that due to expire at the end of the next season, there has been speculation his time with the club may soon come to an end.
Guardiola refused to directly answer questions about his future this week, instead claiming it was "a dream come true" to have coached the German powerhouse.
However, with Guardiola having enjoyed Bundesliga, DFB-Pokal, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup success last term, Beckenbauer remains confident the Spaniard will stay for years to come.
"I once said that I hope that Guardiola stays here for 10 years and I continue to hope that. He will hardly find better conditions than in Munich at another club," he told Bild.
"He is only 44 years old and has enough time later to take over another club.
"It is also clear Pep Guardiola basically needs no contract. A coach of his calibre will go anyway, if he wants to go."
Bayern can move another step closer to the Bundesliga title on Friday when they travel to nearest challengers Wolfsburg with the sides separated by 11 points.
"Even with 11 points, you can still lose a championship," Beckenbauer warned.
Nicolas Castillo has moved from Club Brugge to Mainz on loan, with the Bundesliga club having an option to buy the striker.
Mainz have agreed a deal to bring in Club Brugge striker Nicolas Castillo on loan for the remainder of the season, with a view to a permanent deal.
The one-cap Chile international has 11 goals in 27 appearances this term - after initially struggling to find the net following his move from Universidad Catolica in January 2014.
Castillo joins a club 12th in the Bundesliga and could feature in Saturday's clash with Paderborn at the Coface Arena.
"We were looking for a central striker as an additional option for our team and are pleased that we have found this in Nicolas Castillo," said club manager Christian Heidel in a statement.
"He is a goalscorer who can provide a lot of attacking threat with his unfussy, dynamic style of play and has already proved his scoring prowess."
Castillo added: "Mainz and the Bundesliga are the next step in my development.
"I am a player who always fights for his team, therefore I want to get to know my new team and my new club. I want to quickly gain a foothold in Mainz and find myself in the team."
Bundesliga Preview: Leaders Bayern and Wolfsburg kick off Ruckrunde
28 January 2015
A first-against-second clash marks the return of the Bundesliga on Friday as leaders Bayern Munich travel to Wolfsburg.
The second half of the Bundesliga season begins on Friday as Bayern Munich look to move closer to a third consecutive league title against second-placed Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena.
An impressive campaign from Dieter Hecking's side has seen them assume the mantle of Bayern's nearest challengers, but even a run of one defeat in 12 has only been enough to move to within 11 points of the champions.
If Bayern can record a ninth consecutive victory in all competitions against Friday's hosts they will take another big step towards defending their crown, and forward Thomas Muller sees no reason why his side cannot extend their lead.
"There's no reason to suggest that we won't have a good game on Friday," he told reporters this week.
"It's nice to be back under way. We immediately have the chance to extend our lead. We have a good cushion, but are not mathematically ensured the championship."
The visit of Borussia Dortmund to Bayer Leverkusen would normally be a top-of-the-table contest also, but, due to the former's struggles, Saturday's meeting will take on altogether different dynamic.
Jurgen Klopp's side sit second bottom and in need of points to salvage anything from their season, with the coach recently describing his mid-season break as like "going on holiday on a bed of nails" due to their dismal recent form.
"We have to win back some credit. Our position is clear, we are four points behind the area where we want to be at the end of the season," he added in an interview with Die Welt.
Leverkusen could slip out of the top four with defeat to Dortmund as fifth-placed Schalke host Hannover, while Augsburg meet Hoffenheim on Sunday.
The sides, in sixth and seventh, are separated by just a point and the hosts will be able to give a debut to Bayern Munich loanee Pierre Hojbjerg at the SGL Arena.
Strugglers Stuttgart travel to Borussia Monchengladbach, while goal-shy Hamburg welcome Cologne with work still to do to surpass Tasmania Berlin's all-time low of 15 Bundesliga goals in 1966.
Hamburg - who have nine top-flight goals to their name this term - will be without the injured Lewis Holtby (collarbone) while Nicolas Castillo could make his Mainz debut against Paderborn.
Freiburg go in search of their first win in the league since November against Eintracht Frankfurt, while Werder Bremen welcome a Hertha Berlin side who have taken just five points on the road this term.
