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★ Bundesliga Season 2015-16 ★

Guardiola

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Guardiola could leave Bayern Munich for Manchester City - Sagnol


9 November 2015

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Former Bayern Munich defender Willy Sagnol believes Pep Guardiola could leave the Bundesliga champions for Manchester City at the end of this season.

Guardiola's contract with the club is due to expire in June and the former Barcelona coach is yet to commit his future to the Allianz Stadium outfit.

Bayern, according to chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, will open talks with their head coach during German football's winter break.

Sagnol though would not be surprised if Guardiola walks away from the club at the end of what is his third campaign in charge.

"Guardiola should leave Bayern if he feels that he has done everything he could," Sagnol told Kicker.

"He should start a new project if that's the case. Coaches always think about projects.

"I reckon Manchester City would be a bigger challenge for him than Chelsea or Paris Saint-Germain. There is still plenty of work to do there. They have not won any major trophies yet."

Guardiola has guided Bayern to consecutive Bundesliga titles since his appointment in 2013, while also winning the DFB-Pokal, UEFA Super Cup and FIFA Club World Cup.


 

Ilkay

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Draxler handed two-game ban

9 November 2015

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Wolfsburg's Julian Draxler has been handed a two-match ban after being sent off in a 2-0 Bundesliga defeat away to Mainz on Saturday.

The Germany international was shown a straight red card after just 13 minutes of play at the Coface Arena following a reckless challenge on Gonzalo Jara and will be forced to sit out two games as a conseqence.

"The disciplinary committee of the German Football Association (DFB) has handed Wolfsburg player Julian Draxler a two-match suspension plus a €10,000 fine for unsporting behaviour," a statement on the DFB's official website reads.

"The player and club have opted against filing an appeal, making the verdict final."

Draxler will miss the matches at home to Werder Bremen on November 21 and away to Augsburg eight days later.

The 22-year-old has been a key figure for Wolfsburg since joining them from Schalke in August, being directly involved in five goals from eight Bundesliga appearances so far for his new club.


 

Sahin

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Podolski unlikely to make Hoffenheim move


9 November 2015

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Hoffenheim have dismissed reports suggesting they are interested in signing Lukas Podolski from Galatasaray.

Germany international Podolski was linked with a return to the Bundesliga by reports in Turkey, which suggested Hoffenheim were eager for the experienced striker to help them avoid relegation.

Reports suggested a price of €6million would be enough to secure Podolski's return to Germany but Omnisport understands that Hoffenheim have not entered talks over a move.

Hoffenheim recently appointed Huub Stevens as coach until the end of the season following the departure of Markus Gisdol.

The experienced Stevens - who twice steered Stuttgart away from relegation in separate seasons - has overseen goalless draws with Podolski's former club Cologne and Eintracht Frankfurt since taking charge.

Following his close-season move from Arsenal, Podolski has found form of late - scoring five times in his last nine outings for the Turkish champions.


 

Alaba

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Guardiola agent unsure over new Bayern contract


10 November 2015

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The agent of Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola, Josep Maria Orobitg, says he remains in the dark over his client's future with the Bundesliga champions.

Guardiola's contract expires at the end of the season with Bayern CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirming recently that discussions would be held after the culmination of the first half of the Bundesliga campaign.

But Orobitg acknowledged Guardiola's future could lie elsewhere, amid rumours of interest from the likes of Premier League sides Chelsea and Manchester City.

"Not even I know what Pep's intentions are," he told TZ.

"We've had some intensive talks in the past few days, but when it comes to things like this, he's very private.

"He will make up his mind entirely based on his own impressions.

"One thing is for sure, however, and that is everybody around him will accept his decision, no matter what it is."

Guardiola has continued Bayern's domestic dominance since arriving in 2013 while reaching the semi-finals of the Champions League in each season.

"Pep is very happy in Munich," Orobitg added.

"The city is beautiful, his family feels comfortable. At the end of the day, it is a decision he is going to take by himself."


 

Muller

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Fabregas expects Guardiola to coach in the Premier League

11 November 2015

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Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola is eager to manage in the Premier League, according to former Barcelona midfielder Cesc Fabregas.

The pair worked together during Guardiola's final season at Camp Nou, after Fabregas returned to the club from Arsenal.

Guardiola has since thrived in charge of Bayern Munich but, with his contract due to expire at the end of the season, he has been linked with the likes of Manchester City and Chelsea.

While talks over a new Bayern deal for Guardiola are due to be held next month, Fabregas told Spanish radio station Onda Cero: "I have absolutely no doubt that Pep will test himself in the Premier League.

"I have spoken to him in the past and I know that he likes it a lot."

Chelsea midfielder Fabregas has endured a difficult season at club level - the champions are languishing in 16th place after seven Premier League defeats in 12 matches so far this term.

"Things are not going well in the league," he said.

"Last season we lost four games in the entire season and this season I have practically lost count.

"Clearly we are doing something very wrong. This year the physical level of the Premier League is brutal and if you are not right for a game the opposition can steamroll you.

"It is happening to us at the moment. You face a team that last season you practically knew that you would beat and this year it is more difficult."



 

Robben

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Podolski shocked to see Niersbach resign


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By Joe Wright

Nov 10, 2015 20:01:13

The head of German football stepped down in the middle of an investigation into bribery concerning hosting rights of the 2006 World Cup, surprising observers

Lukas Podolski admits the resignation of DFB president Wolfgang Niersbach has come as a huge shock to the Germany squad.

The head of the German Football Association stepped down from his post on Monday following the scandal surrounding allegations of bribery in the bidding process for the 2006 World Cup.

Niersbach, who only took the role in 2007, has always denied any personal wrongdoing and stated that his decision to resign was in order to help protect the integrity of the DFB.

Podolski says the reigning world champions have always enjoyed a strong working relationship with the 64-year-old and was saddened by his decision.

"I don't know if the case is a big issue in the team," he said. "But I think that some players talk to each other about it.

"I can say that it is really surprising to me that Wolfgang Niersbach decided to step down. In my opinion, Mr. Niersbach was a great president. He was close to the team and he had a great relationship with me and the other players in the squad and we had fun with him. We won the World Cup under his presidency and so it's really surprising to me.

"I can't tell you anything about the whole process. The only thing I can say is that he was a great president and I had never negative experiences with him. So I regret his decision."

Podolski is now back to fitness and form with Galatasaray and the former Arsenal forward says he is feeling increasingly happy with life in Turkey.

He added: "I feel very comfortable. Istanbul is a nice city and I play for a great club with great fans and nice stadium. My performances were good and I hope that it continues in that way in the next few weeks and months.

"I'm fit because I play regularly so I've got my power back during the last few weeks and I can show that on the pitch. That's the reason why things are good. I want to continue playing in a good and successful way. That is my goal."

Germany face France and Netherlands in friendly matches over the next week and Podolski is looking forward to two stern tests for his side.

"There will be two great games against two great opponents. I have good memories about our last game against France although I didn't play in that game: it was our win at the World Cup.

"We always have great memories about our games against Holland. My first game against Holland was 2004 during the European Championships: it was my first big tournament with Germany.

"I hope that the games will be more attractive than our last games. I hope that our opponents have the intention to play with us instead of just playing in a very defensive way.

"Hopefully the games will be great, also for the fans. So we want to perform in a very good way and we want to win both games."



 

Stuttgart

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Thiago ruled out for 'just a few weeks'

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By Tom Maston
Nov 15, 2015 15:21:00

The Bayern Munich midfielder limped out of Spain's friendly with England on Friday but eased fears he would be out for an extended period

Thiago Alcantara has revealed he will be out for just "a few weeks" after suffering a knee injury while on international duty.

The Bayern Munich midfielder limped off in first half of Spain's friendly clash with England and was replaced by Arsenal's Santi Cazorla.

There were fears that Thiago could be sidelined for a long period as the 24-year-old has a history of suffering major injuries since joining the Bundesliga club when Pep Guardiola took over in 2013.

But the former Barcelona man has allayed fears he will be out for an extended period by taking to Twitter to explain his injury.

"Fortunately I will be out just for a few weeks. Thanks for your support messages," he wrote.

Despite avoiding a serious problem, Thiago could still miss Bundesliga clashes against Schalke and Borussia Monchengladbach as well as their Champions League meeting with Olympiacos.



 

Stuttgart

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Wolfsburg cannot compete with Bayern Munich yet - Allofs

18 November 2015 11:22

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Wolfsburg sporting director Klaus Allofs has stressed Wolfsburg are not yet at a level where they can challenge Bayern Munich for the Bundesliga title.

Many saw Wolfsburg as Bayern's biggest rival in the race for the title ahead of the 2015-16 campaign, having finished second last term, but Dieter Hecking's men have been unable to keep up with the reigning champions so far.

They sit third in the table after 12 games, trailing Pep Guardiola's men by 13 points, with Borussia Dortmund also eight points ahead of them.

Nevertheless, Hecking is not worried by Wolfsburg's results until now, even though he has admitted they have room for improvement.

"You always hope to be able to compete with the league leaders, but I think this is not a realistic aim. We already acknowledged that before the season started," Allofs told Omnisport.

"After our second place last season and our victory in the Super Cup at the beginning of this campaign, some people said Wolfsburg are a real competitor for Bayern Munich, but we already said before we are not ready for this. Our predictions have been confirmed so far and we are not worried about that.

"On the other hand, the gap between Borussia Dortmund and us is too big. The way we are playing at the moment is not what we had been hoping for, but we had a lot of changes within our team. We are not worried, but we know we have to improve."

Wolfsburg have developed into a force to be reckoned with in recent years after a number of difficult campaigns and Allofs is determined to maintain the club's status as one of the Bundesliga's leading outfits.

"Almost three years ago, we were playing against relegation," he added. "Step by step we were able to improve the team. Almost every single player improved himself and as a result we bridged the gap to the teams above us in the table.

"We achieved a lot last season with our second-placed finish, Champions League qualification and DFB-Pokal win. We must now repeat that maybe three or four times to establish ourselves as a big team and I think we have a team that can do just that.

"We lost big players such as Kevin De Bruyne, Ivan Perisic and Aaron Hunt, but also signed quality players. It takes time for them to gel. That is why things have not been going great yet."



 

Muller

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Hamburg v Borussia Dortmund: Bundesliga sides set for emotionally charged fixture


18 November 2015 19:55

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Hamburg and Borussia Dortmund will meet at the Volksparkstadion on Friday in an emotionally charged Bundesliga clash.

The German national team were forced to spend the night at the Stade de France on Friday as Paris suffered a series of apparently coordinated terrorist attacks during their friendly against Didier Deschamps' side.

Joachim Low's men then had their match against Netherlands cancelled on Tuesday due to security concerns at the HDI-Arena in Hannover.

Despite promising an increased focus on security, Hamburg hope fans can demonstrate a united front through football on Friday.

"HSV will do all it can in to ensure the safety of its fans and viewers," a club statement read. "We are in an ongoing dialogue with the state authorities, the Hamburg police, our security service and our next opponent, Borussia Dortmund.

"Every match brings together thousands of people who share their enthusiasm, joy and passion for football.

"That's our contribution for a peaceful world, which starts with Friday night's home match against Borussia Dortmund."

Hamburg, who sit 11th in the table, have won just one home match this season and are currently on a run of four games without a win on their own turf.

However, they have suffered just one defeat in their last nine home fixtures against Dortmund – a 5-1 reverse during the 2011-12 season.

Dortmund failed to score a goal against Hamburg last season as they initially struggled before charging to a seventh-place finish, but Bruno Labbadia is not surprised to see this week's opponents challenging at the top of the table once again.

"It is no surprise that BVB have recovered from the previous season," said the Hamburg boss. "At that time they had a lot of national players who played a World Cup for the first time, plus a lot of injured players."

Dortmund have won each of their last four matches and can temporarily close the gap to Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich, who face Schalke on Saturday, to just two points with a victory.

The Signal Iduna Park outfit will be able to call on Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang – scorer of 14 Bundesliga goals so far this season – despite a knee injury that kept him out of the first leg of Gabon's World Cup 2018 qualifier against Mozambique.

They could also be boosted by the return of Marco Reus (hamstring), who resumed training after missing the Revierderby victory over Schalke through injury.

Nuri Sahin (knee) has taken a step forward in his recovery but is not likely to appear for the first team until 2016.

Key Opta stats:

- Hamburg have lost just one of their last six Bundesliga meetings with Dortmund (W4, D1) – a 6-2 loss away from home in September 2013.

- Second-placed Dortmund (29 points) have an eight-point cushion over third (Wolfsburg, 21 points) after 12 matchdays – this is the biggest gap at this stage since the introduction of the three-points-per-win system in 1995-96.

- Dortmund are unbeaten in 19 Friday fixtures (W17, D2), winning each of their last 10. Their last defeat dates back to February 2010, when they were beaten 2-1 by Schalke.

- After Bayern Munich (37 goals), Dortmund boast the second-best attack in the league (35) and only notched up more goals in the opening 12 games in the 1963-64 season (39).

- On the other hand, only Ingolstadt (seven) have netted fewer goals than Hamburg (11) so far this campaign.

- As a manager, Bruno Labbadia has won just one of his nine previous fixtures against Dortmund (D5, L3): He guided Hamburg to a 4-1 home victory over Jurgen Klopp’s Dortmund on matchday two of the 2009-10 season.




 

Guardiola

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Sane is a huge talent, but there's more to Schalke than just him - Guardiola


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By Stefan Coerts
Nov 20, 2015 13:40:47

The Bayern Munich coach has praised the Schalke youngster ahead of Saturday's trip to the Veltins Arena in the Bundesliga

Pep Guardiola has warned Bayern Munich cannot afford to focus solely on Leroy Sane when the Bundesliga champions take on Schalke on Saturday.

The 19-year-old has been in sublime form for the Gelsenkirchen side in 2015-16, scoring four goals in 12 league appearances and setting up three more.

Nevertheless, Guardiola has stressed the young winger is not Schalke's only attacking threat.

"Sane is a huge talent and I can only congratulate Germany to have a talent like him. But there is more to Schalke than Sane," said the Bayern head coach.

"They have a lot of interesting and dangerous players up front. There's Max Meyer, Franco Di Santo and Eric-Maxim Choupo-Moting. It will be a difficult game for us. They have a lot of quality.

"Schalke's recent results have not been good [six games winless in all competitions], but that only makes them even more dangerous. They have a lot of quality, irrespective of their position in the league table.

"We were unable to beat them last season. Schalke are always a dangerous opponent."

Schalke held leaders Bayern to a 1-1 draw both at home and away in 2014-15.




 
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Guardiola

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Selfish Robben? Guardiola leaps to his player's defence


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By Stefan Coerts
Nov 20, 2015 13:28:47

The Bayern Munich coach has insisted he does not want the Dutchman to change his style of play following criticism that he is too selfish

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has defended Arjen Robben following recent criticism and has stressed he has no intention of trying to change the Dutchman's style of play.

The winger attracted some negative comments in the wake of Bayern's 4-0 Bundesliga win over Stuttgart before the international break as he went for goal himself a number of times rather than setting up a team-mate in a dangerous position.

Robert Lewandowski in particular felt aggrieved as he was ignored by Robben on more than one occasion, but Guardiola is keen for the Netherlands international to stay true to his own style.

"Robben too selfish? Arjen Robben is Arjen Robben. I do not want to change him or his style of play," the Bayern coach said at a news conference.

"I can understand Lewandowski's frustration, but things like that happen.

"I want Robben to keep playing like he did when I first joined Bayern."

Guardiola went on to reveal Franck Ribery is edging closer to his comeback after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury.

The former France international has been out of action since picking up an ankle injury in Bayern's Champions League win over Shakhtar Donetsk back in March, but the 32-year-old could re-join the rest of the squad in the next few weeks.

"Franck has made a big step forward," Guardiola added.

"He could resume squad training within the next one or two weeks.

"I don't know whether he will play again before the winter break. I don't want to put a date on his return."



 

Stuttgart

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Bundesliga Review: Lucky Hertha see off Hoffenheim, Ingolstadt beat Darmstadt


22 November 2015 19:47

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Hertha Berlin failed to register a single shot on target, but still beat Hoffenheim 1-0 in Sunday's Bundesliga clash at a snowy Olympic Stadium.

Pal Dardai's men were second-best for most of the encounter, but Eugen Polanski's unfortunate own goal on the half-hour mark gifted them the three points.

Hertha therefore move back up to fourth in the table, while an unfortunate Hoffenheim side remain bottom after Augsburg's impressive 4-0 win at Stuttgart on Saturday.

In Sunday's other Bundesliga fixture, Ingolstadt came from a goal down to beat Darmstadt 3-1 at Audi-Sportpark.

Aytac Sulu opened the scoring early on for Darmstadt after being set up by Konstantin Rausch, but the hosts took charge after the interval.

Robert Bauer levelled the scoring after 58 minutes, before Moritz Hartmann converted a spot kick just two minutes later.

Hartmann then sealed the points with his second of the game late on.



 

Guardiola

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Gotze targets January comeback


22 November 2015 16:11

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Bayern Munich attacker Mario Gotze is hopeful of joining his team-mates for the restart of the Bundesliga in January after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to injury.

The 23-year-old sustained a groin injury in Germany's 1-0 Euro 2016 qualifying defeat at the hands of Ireland in October and has been out of action since then.

"Right now I am feeling fine, everything is going as planned," Gotze told reporters.

"The rehab is now starting and the muscle has healed. So I hope I will be back for the second half of the season and start with the team like the other players in January."

Bayern have put in a string of impressive performances in Gotze's absence and the former Borussia Dortmund man is optimistic about his side's chances of winning silverware.

"The team is playing pretty good. We are getting the points we need and are winning the important games," he added.

"It isn't easy to do that over a whole season but we are on the right path. We have very good chances in all competitions."

Gotze has netted four goals in 11 appearances in all competitions for Bayern so far this campaign.



 

Sahin

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Ribery: I'm almost ready to return


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By Jon Fisher
Nov 26, 2015 14:35:00

The winger has been out of action since March 11 with a persistent ankle problem but could be cleared to return to action on December 12

Bayern Munich ace Franck Ribery is targeting next month's Bundesliga clash with Ingolstadt for his long-awaited comeback.

The Frenchman has been out of action since March 11, when he suffered an ankle injury after netting in a 7-0 Champions League thrashing of Shakhtar Donetsk.

However, Ribery returned to training a fortnight ago and is now optimistic about his chances of making first-team return when Bayern face local rivals Ingolstadt at the Allianz Arena on December 12.

"I will try," the winger told reporters on Thursday. "I've done well in the last couple of weeks. I have worked on my conditioning and I hope I can join in with the team in training soon.

"At the moment, things are looking good."

Asked if 15 minutes against Ingolstadt was possible, he added: "I hope so. At the minute, yes. My ankle is feeling good right now.

"I worked hard Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday. I did every exercise and it feels good."

Table-topping Bayern have dropped just two points in 13 Bundesliga games this season and qualified for the knockout stage of the Champions League with a round to spare.

However, captain Philipp Lahm says that Ribery's return to full fitness would a great boost for Pep Guardiola's side.

"I believe he'll be back soon," the versatile defender added. "I see his progress and he is close to joining in with the team in training.

"It is nice to see him on the pitch with the ball at his feet. We haven't seen that in a while.

"We know he is an excellent player, who has always been very important to this club's success.

"You don't have to push him. It has always been his passion to play football. So you don't have to push him, but a nice word from time to time has helped him."



 

Muller

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Rummenigge: Bayern relaxed over Guardiola future

26 November 2015

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Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge insisted the German champions are not worried about Pep Guardiola's future as his contract nears its end.

Guardiola is out of contract at the end of the season and the two-time Champions League-winning coach has been linked with a move to Manchester City.

The 44-year-old has been tight-lipped on his future beyond 2015-16, while Rummenigge already said a decision on Guardiola's future could be made by Christmas.

And Rummenigge reiterated Bayern's plans heading into the winter break, with the club hopeful of a happy outcome.

"I don't think he [Guardiola] delays anything. The media has a wrong perception there," Rummenigge said on Wednesday.

"We will have talks in the winter-break, which is in a couple of weeks. I kind of like it. The entire club handles this discussion very relaxed and respectable. The coach handles this respectably. We handle it respectably.

"I like that we have a little tension at all times. The media likes it too, because you have something to write about. Consequently I don't see any problems there.

"We will have the talks, which will be after the Hannover-game on the 19th of December. The following days there will be talks and we will announce the decision."




 

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Bundesliga Review: Aubameyang at the double for Dortmund, Leverkusen draw with Schalke


29 November 2015 19:47

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Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang scored twice to help Borussia Dortmund to a 4-1 Bundesliga win over Stuttgart.

BVB made a brilliant start to the game and went 1-0 up after just three minutes through Gonzalo Castro.

The prolific Aubameyang doubled his side's lead in the 19th minute with a delicate chip after Castro set him up with a sublime backheel.

Daniel Didavi pulled one back for Stuttgart shortly before the interval, but an own goal from Georg Niedermeier in the 65th minute saw Dortmund go 3-1 up.

And Aubameyang took his Bundesliga tally to 17 for the season in the dying seconds of the game with yet another sublime finish.

Elsewhere on Sunday, Bayer Leverkusen were held to a 1-1 home draw by Schalke.

The Gelsenkirchen side grabbed the lead shortly after the break, with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting making the most of an intelligent through ball from Leon Goretzka.

But a late own goal from Sacha Riether saw Leverkusen pick up a point.

Augsburg frustrated Wolfsburg as they held last season's runners-up to a scoreless draw at the WWK Arena.

Both teams had a number of chances, but goalkeepers Marwin Hitz and Diego Benaglio proved to be too much of an obstacle.

Wolfsburg ended the match with 10 players after Dante received his second booking five minutes before the final whistle.



 

Alaba

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Ribery ordeal is over – Rummenigge


30 November 2015 13:01

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Bayern Munich chief executive officer Karl-Heinz Rummenigge says "the ordeal is over" for Franck Ribery as he prepares to rejoin first-team training.

Ribery has not played a competitive game since March 11 owing to a persistent ankle problem, but stepped up his recovery plans earlier this month.

The winger has set a target of December 12, when Bayern take on Ingolstadt, for his return to action and Rummenigge is confident the 32-year-old is on track.

"The ordeal is over. Franck will be back in team training next week. He will be back," he was quoted as saying by Bild at a Bayern fan club event.

Persistent injuries to Ribery, Arjen Robben and other Bayern stars last season prompted the departure of long-standing club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt, although several first-team players still visit the 73-year-old for treatment on occasion.

Rummenigge regrets the manner in which Muller-Wohlfahrt left the club, but is happy to see him continue to offer treatment to Bayern players.

"I regret that he resigned. But if, for example, Arjen Robben has muscle problems, he still goes to Muller-Wohlfarht. So he's not gone away, we've just established a wider medical department," he added.

"We have no problem with Muller-Wolfhart and he has no problem with Bayern Munich."

In Ribery's absence Bayern have marched to the Bundesliga summit with an unbeaten record.




 

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Hummels defends himself after media criticism


30 November 2015 14:17

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Under-fire Borussia Dortmund defender Mats Hummels feels his performances have been "wrongly analysed" by the German media.

Germany international Hummels has come in for criticism following a series of unconvincing displays for Thomas Tuchel's men, but believes the negative comments have gone over the top.

He told Kicker: "I definitely feel wrongly analysed and honestly see my performances better than some of the media.

"It gains its own momentum: Bad things sell better than if you report positively. If there is the chance for it to snowball, this chance is gladly taken in my case."

The situation led to Hummels imposing a ban on speaking to the media, but he now accepts that made the situation worse, adding: "When I consciously said nothing it became less objective. It [the criticism] seemed unfortunately even more extreme.”

Despite Hummels' shaky form, Dortmund have performed well in Tuchel's maiden season at the helm. They are second in the Bundesliga, albeit eight points behind runaway leaders Bayern Munich.

And Hummels believes strong communication between the coach and the players has played a part.

Of Tuchel, he said: "We have absolutely no problem. We can speak openly about things and we will keep on doing so.

"I have always talked openly about my mistakes and will carry on. I don't hide."


 

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Bayern will not sell Benatia - Sabatini

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By Stefan Coerts
Dec 2, 2015 15:21:15

The Italian club feel they have little to no chance of luring their former defender back from the Bundesliga in the January transfer window

Roma sporting director Walter Sabatini believes Bayern Munich have no intention of selling Medhi Benatia in January amid ongoing speculation the defender could be on his way back to Serie A.

The Morocco international left Roma for Bayern in August 2014, but has since been linked with a return to the Stadio Olimpico on more than one occasion.

However, Sabatini has ruled out a transfer in the upcoming window.

"Benatia is one of my idols and I really like him," Sabatini said at a fans' event.
GOAL READ MORE | Meet Philipp Lahm, Goal’s exclusive columnist

"It took most people at Roma about two to three months to realise how good he was. Some said he was too slow.

"Bayern Munich will not sell him, though. You can remove his name from any lists. Bayern will not let go of him now.

"He is already thinking about the transfer window at the end of the season.

"Benatia is thinking about July, because Bayern will not sell in January."

The 28-year-old, who has a contract with Bayern until June 2019, has made eight appearances in all competitions for the Bundesliga champions so far this campaign.



 

Muller

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Thiago edging closer to Bayern comeback


2 December 2015 19:09

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Thiago Alcantara is hopeful of making his Bayern Munich comeback before the mid-season break.

The midfielder picked up a knee injury while away on international duty with Spain back in November and Bayern initially feared he would be unavailable for at least the remainder of the calendar year.

A series of tests revealed Thiago would be out of action for an estimated four weeks, and the 24-year-old is now set to resume squad training.

"I am feeling very well," he told reporters.

"My recovery is going perfect. I hope to be able to resume squad training next week."

Thiago has missed the Bundesliga games against Schalke and Hertha Berlin due to his knee problem, as well as the Champions League victory over Olympiacos.

He will not be part of the squad for this weekend's match against Borussia Monchengladbach, but could make his comeback in either the Champions League trip to Dinamo Zagreb or the Bundesliga match at home against Ingolstadt on December 12.



 
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