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Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola will rotate his squad against Augsburg to ensure his side are ready for Manchester United next week.
Bayern return to league action on Saturday with a trip to their local rivals, as they aim to end a two-match winless run.
A 3-3 Bundesliga draw against Hoffenheim was followed by a 1-1 stalemate at Old Trafford in the first leg of their UEFA Champions League quarter-final on Tuesday.
Bayern have already won the Bundesliga title and with that in mind, Guardiola will rest some players ahead of the second leg against the Premier League champions.
"Augsburg is a very, very important game, but the match on Wednesday against Manchester is even more important," he said at a press conference on Friday.
"I'm going to rotate the team and the squad a little bit, we can try out a few things ahead of the United match.
"(But) it has to be a fair competition and we must show respect to our opponents, so we'll try and win the game."
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has warned his team not to underestimate Wolfsburg ahead of Saturday's Bundesliga clash.
Klopp played down Dortmund's chances of finishing second this season, despite the fact the club already sit in that position, with just five games remaining.
The North Rhine-Westphalia-based club sit a point clear of arch-rivals Schalke and received a boost when fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen lost 2-1 to struggling Hamburg on Friday.
But with matches against leaders Bayern Munich and Leverkusen remaining, Klopp is far from convinced his team will finish second, while he is also wary of fifth-placed Wolfsburg, who have won seven of their past 10 matches in all competitions.
"It is a top game in the Bundesliga, Wolfsburg is in good shape and in good form at the moment," Dortmund's boss said.
"Regardless they have a strong team, which can threaten.
"It would be a huge step towards second to keep them at bay and behind us in points."
Dortmund will also host Wolfsburg in a DFB Pokal semi-final on April 15 but Klopp was not interested in talking about that match, while he also emphasised how tough his team's run home will be in the league.
"We still have to play against Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munchen," the 46-year-old said.
"Regardless if they are close to us or far away, each and every point is important when going for second spot. If you have the chance to beat a straight competitor, that would be helpful."
Dortmund (55 points) lead Schalke (54), with the latter set to travel to 12th-placed Werder Bremen on Saturday, while Leverkusen (48) could be leapfrogged by Wolfsburg (47) after their loss to Hamburg.
"With Leverkusen slipping up, Wolfsburg has the chance straight away to jump into fourth spot by beating us," Klopp said.
"That is a lot of pressure on us for the final stage of a season. But we don't have to worry, I know my team well and I know they are aware of all these issues."
Johan Cruyff has criticised the way Hamburg are utilising Rafael van der Vaart as they battle against relegation from the Bundesliga.
The Netherlands legend believes that his compatriot's talents are going to waste and that Hamburg could pay the ultimate price by losing their top-flight status.
Van der Vaart returned to Hamburg in August 2012 after a spell in the Premier League with Tottenham but things have not gone to plan for them this season.
With six games to go Hamburg sit second bottom, two points from safety, and are in real danger of being relegated for the first time.
Mirko Slomka is their fourth coach of the season and Cruyff insists the German is failing to get the best out of Van der Vaart.
"Hamburg is a problem for Rafael van der Vaart," Cruyff told the Hamburger Morgenpost.
"It's just not good that he plays in a weak team. Van der Vaart needs to do a lot of running in Hamburg, and that's not one of his strengths.
"Van der Vaart is a very good footballer; his strength is to play football."
The Netherlands international has made 23 league appearances for Hamburg this season, and is expected to be part of Louis van Gaal's national squad for the FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
4 things to know as relegation battles take centre stage in Bundesliga
Ciaran Fahey / The Associated Press
April 3, 2014 04:04 AM
Bayern's Thomas Mueller, Philipp Lahm and Mario Mandzukic, from left, leave the pitch after the Champions League quarterfinal first leg soccer match between Manchester United and Bayern Munich at Old Trafford Stadium, Manchester, England, Tuesday, April 1, 2014.(AP Photo/Jon Super)
BERLIN - The relegation battle takes centre stage in the Bundesliga as the season enters its final phase. Eintracht Braunschweig, Hamburger SV, Stuttgart, Nuremberg, Freiburg and Hannover are all in danger of the drop, with just seven points between the sides with six games still to play. Bayern Munich, which has already wrapped up the title in record time, aims to maintain its unbeaten run and will use Saturday's Bavarian derby against Augsburg to prepare for Wednesday's Champions League quarterfinal return leg against Manchester United. Here are five things to know about the Bundesliga's 29th round of games:
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DORTMUND DEPRESSED
On the verge of exiting the Champions League after Wednesday's 3-0 quarterfinal first-leg defeat at Real Madrid, Borussia Dortmund is struggling to stay positive after an underwhelming season to date. Only the German Cup remains a realistic target for Juergen Klopp's side. Second place in the Bundesliga is a minimum requirement but scant consolation for finishing so far behind Bayern for the second season in a row. The gap was 25 points last season. It's 23 now with six games to play.
Dortmund can stop Bayern's bid to become the first side to complete a Bundesliga season unbeaten by winning in Munich next week but "schadenfreude" would seem petty in an inconsistent season. Terrible luck with injuries has played its part, to be fair to Klopp's side, but the knowledge that top striker Robert Lewandowski is joining Bayern next season is unlikely to improve the mood.
Lewandowski scored four goals in one game against Madrid last season. All would be forgiven if he did it again in Tuesday's second leg.
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WOLFSBURG BULLISH
Wolfsburg harbours dreams of being among "the best of the rest" behind Bayern and has spent more than 200 million euros ($275 million) on new players over the past five seasons to qualify for Europe. The Volkswagen-backed club is currently fifth, just one point off Bayer Leverkusen in the last Champions League qualification place.
"We want to take the chance and finish fourth," said Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking, whose side visits Dortmund on Saturday.
Wolfsburg, the 2009 Bundesliga champion, has the opportunity to return to the Champions League due to Leverkusen's poor form. Leverkusen was second but an alarming slump — just five points from eight league games — has given Wolfsburg the encouragement it needs.
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FIGHTING THE DROP
Stuttgart hosts Freiburg on Saturday for a derby both sides are desperate to win. Stuttgart occupies the relegation playoff place by virtue of a better goal difference to Hamburg, while Freiburg is five points clear but by no means safe after claiming 10 points from its last four games.
"We have to keep getting points," Freiburg striker Admir Mehmedi said. "We can only relax when it's mathematically safe."
Nuremberg is just two points above Stuttgart and will have to cope without suspended defensive players Emanuel Pogatetz and Niklas Stark against Borussia Moenchengladbach, also Saturday.
Hannover, which has been dragged back into the relegation scrap after three defeats in a row, visits bottom side Braunschweig for a high-stake Lower Saxony derby on Sunday.
"We know how special the game is for the region," Braunschweig midfielder Mirko Boland said. "But the only thing that matters for us, particularly because of the league table, is a victory. We have to win the derby."
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BAVARIAN DERBY
Bayern remains unbeaten in 53 Bundesliga games but last week's 3-3 with Hoffenheim ended the side's 19-game winning streak in the league and — more importantly — was followed by Tuesday's 1-1 draw at Manchester in the Champions League. With one eye on Wednesday's quarterfinal return leg, Pep Guardiola will almost certainly rotate his side again for Saturday's game at Augsburg.
The title was already secured with seven games to spare and Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer warned, "A bad thing mustn't come from a good. We shouldn't get it into our heads to lose our rhythm."
Augsburg has been enjoying an excellent season, though appears to be running out of steam with just one point from four games. Markus Weinzierl has to do without his two top scorers against Bayern. Andre Hahn is suspended and Tobias Werner is out with a fractured eye socket. Defender Ragnar Klavan is also doubtful with thigh problems.
Hannover staff called police to their training ground after a dead animal and a threatening sign, most probably left by Eintracht Braunschweig fans, were discovered on Friday
Hannover's players arrived at training on Friday morning to discover a dead sheep hanging from the fence, most probably left by fans of arch rivals Eintracht Braunschweig.
The two teams face one another on Sunday at the Eintracht Stadion, with some 3,300 policemen estimated to be in attendance to quell any hint of fan trouble.
And H96's stars have been delivered a chilling warning, finding the sheep next to a sign reading: "Your time will come on Sunday, you filthy animals".
Police have confirmed the incident, releasing a statement reading: "Today, at 07:00, a H96-employee saw a lamb on the fence of the H96 training complex and called the police.
"A vet has picked up the animal and checked the cause of death. The sign is being examined for traces. We're investigating for violations of the Animal Welfare Act."
Hannover sporting director Dirk Dufner was perplexed by the incident, telling Bild: "This is a twisted act of some individuals. This is incomprehensible and perverse."
The first derby between the two sides this season was marred by violence, with four people being arrested and 14 police officers sustaining injuries.
Monchengladbach: Ter Stegen will leave this summer
Apr 4, 2014 10:17:00 PM
The Bundesliga club's director of sport, Max Eberl, says that the Germany international will not stay - even if a proposed move to Camp Nou collapses
Borussia Monchengbladbach have confirmed that Marc-Andre ter Stegen will leave the club this summer - even if the goalkeeper is blocked from joining Barcelona.
The Germany international has agreed to move to Camp Nou at the end of the season but the deal has been thrown into jeopardy by Fifa's decision to ban the Blaugrana from signing any players for the next two transfer windows in relation to alleged irregularities in the movement of players under the age of 18.
That shock development has thrown up the possibility of Ter Stegen remaining at Gladbach for the final year of his contract with the club but director of sport Max Eberl says the 21-year-old will still depart, pointing out that they have already signed a replacement in the form of Basel's Yann Sommer.
"I think you can see from how relaxed we are sitting here that our situation has not changed," Eberl told reporters on Friday.
"Marc will leave us in the summer and we will then have Sommer as our new goalkeeper.
"I cannot envisage any scenario that could arise that would mean he would be staying with us."
Ter Stegen, for his part, has also stated that he fully intends to leave Monchengladbach this summer no matter what.
The Bavarians' 53-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga was ended by Augsburg but their coach is keen to move on quickly
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has insisted that his side cannot expect to win every match after their 53-game unbeaten Bundesliga run came to an end at the hands of Augsburg.
A first-half Sacha Molders goal at the SGL Arena consigned the German champions to their first league defeat since they lost 2-1 at home to Bayer Leverkusen back in October 2012.
However, Guardiola has insisted that his team were beaten by strong opponents and is looking forward to putting things right against Manchester United in the Champions League in midweek.
"No complaints. We lost because the opponent was a bit better than us," he told reporters.
"We have already seen how good a team Augsburg are in the DFB Pokal. We fought and tried a lot. This is football. You can't always win. Sooner or later, a defeat happens.
"We accept that and now we need to prepare for the Manchester United game as soon as possible. On Wednesday it's a final. It's about life or death."
Forward Thomas Muller admitted that his team-mates were disappointed that their long run without a defeat had come to an end.
"It hurts a bit because we wanted to keep our run going. The fact is that it's not easy in Augsburg. That was clear before the game, but the plan was not to go home in defeat."
The Dortmund boss is delighted with how his star striker has performed in recent months but is confident his side can cope when he leaves
Jurgen Klopp has hailed Robert Lewandowski but is confident that Borussia Dortmund can cope when he leaves for Bayern Munich.
The Polish striker put in a man-of-the-match performance for the Bundesliga side during the 2-1 win over Wolfsburg on Saturday to ease BVB towards a Champions League place.
His long-awaited free transfer to the Allianz Arena was confirmed back in January but Klopp is confident that other players can step into the void he leaves.
"Robert has developed so much, but other players can and will do that at this club," he told reporters.
"It was a big win today. We showed a really good mentality to win it after a Champions League match. On Tuesday, we need to play like we did in the second-half twice.
Kevin Grosskreutz has played in a variety of different positions this term and Klopp is thankful for how the Germany international has coped.
"We ask a lot of Kevin, playing in so many positions. He got much better as the game went on."
Meanwhile, Marco Reus believes his side could come unstuck if they play against Real Madrid in midweek as they did in the first half, as they look to overturn a 3-0 deficit from the first-leg.
"The game in Madrid took a lot out of us and we didn't play well in the first half. But it was really great to win.
"If we play against Real Madrid as we did in the first half today, it will be tough, but anything is possible."
Reus' opportunistic winner came after Wolfsburg keeper Max Grun spilled the ball, much to the youngster's dismay, but the former Gladbach man insists he committed no infringement.
"Sometimes the keeper and defender get in each other's way," he added.
Bayern Munich goalkeeper Tom Starke will undergo surgery on an elbow injury sustained in training, the club have announced.
The 33-year-old, understudy to Bayern's regular number one Manuel Neuer, has made just two Bundesliga appearances this season.
With the title already assured, Starke was named in Bayern's starting XI against his former club Hoffenheim last week, which ended in a 3-3 draw.
However, Starke is now set for a spell on the sidelines, though the German and European champions have not put a timescale on his return.
"Goalkeeper Starke has suffered an injury in training - elbow surgery today. Hopeful he'll return soon," read a post on Bayern's official Twitter account.
Starke made the switch to the Allianz Arena ahead of the 2012-13 season, but has been limited to just five Bundesliga appearances for Bayern.
Teenager Leopold Zingerle will replace him in the squad for Bayern's encounter with Augsburg later on Saturday.
Guardiola untroubled by end of Bayern´s unbeaten run
5 April 2014
Pep Guardiola shrugged off the end of Bayern Munich's sensational unbeaten Bundesliga run as an inevitability he was always prepared for.
The Spaniard presided over Bayern's first loss in 54 league matches as they were stunned by fellow Bavarians Augsburg at the SGL-Arena on Saturday.
Bayern's defeat changes little in Germany's top flight, they have already secured the earliest league title in the history of the Bundesliga by defending their crown with seven games to spare, breaking several records in the process.
Having walked their way to the title as they go about defending last season's treble, Bayern's previously unblemished record was spoilt by an Augsburg side picking up their first win in five outings.
Sascha Molders settled the encounter in the 31st minute, firing home after latching onto Daniel Baier's throughball as Bayern made several changes, with youngsters such as Mitchell Weiser and Pierre Hojbjerg handed rare starts.
Guardiola insisted the raft of changes were not the reason for the defeat, however, and urged his charges to quickly switch focus to Wednesday's UEFA Champions League second-leg tie with Manchester United at the Allianz Arena - poised at 1-1.
"There are no complaints," he told the club's official website. "We lost because the opponent was a bit better than us.
"We have already seen in the cup what a good team Augsburg is. We have fought and tried a lot. This is football, which is sport.
"You cannot always win. Sooner or later, a defeat would happen. We accept that and now need as soon as possible to prepare for the Manchester game.
"We did not lose because of the young players. Hojbjerg and Weiser were the best players on the pitch. They have trained a lot with us, they know our game and know what I want."
Neuer shrugs off Augsburg defeat: Manchester United all that matters
By Mark Doyle
Apr 6, 2014 10:48:00 AM
The goalkeeper insists that Pep Guardiola's men took their game at the SGL Arena "seriously" but concedes that avoiding injuries was of greater concern
Manuel Neuer has shrugged off Bayern Munich's shock defeat at Augsburg, claiming that Wednesday's meeting with Manchester United is all that matters to the Bavarians.
Saturday's 1-0 loss at the SGL Arena was the first suffered by Pep Guardiola's men in the Bundesliga this season and also means that the German champions have now gone three games without a win in all competitions.
However, while Neuer insisted that the alread-crowned German champions had not given the game their all, he admitted that their primary concern at the moment is Wednesday's Champions League quarter-final second leg against United.
“We took Augsburg seriously," the goalkeeper is quoted as saying by his club's official website.
"But the main thing for us was that nobody got injured. That’s the crucial point.
"It’s all about Wednesday and the match against Manchester United. Nothing else matters.”
Bayern host United at the Allianz Arena having claimed a 1-1 draw at Old Trafford last week.
Bayern Munich have suffered another dent to their depleted midfield reserves with the news that Xherdan Shaqiri has torn a thigh muscle.
Shaqiri was substituted at half-time as Bayern suffered a 1-0 defeat at Augsburg on Saturday, a result which ended a 53-game unbeaten run in the Bundesliga for Pep Guardiola's men.
The Bavarian club have now confirmed that Shaqiri will be unavailable for Wednesday's UEFA Champions League quarter-final second leg with Manchester United after tearing a muscle in his right thigh.
The Switzerland international's absence further weakens Bayern's midfield ahead of the crucial clash with United.
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez are both suspended for the tie, while Thiago Alcantara is out with a knee injury.
Bayern have the advantage of an away goal following a 1-1 draw in the first leg, but goalkeeper Manuel Neuer concedes that their injury problems are concerning.
"It's a bitter disappointment given the current situation," Neuer told the club's official website.
Bundesliga Wrap: Braunschweig boost survival hopes with derby win
6 April 2014
Eintracht Braunschweig moved two points adrift of safety in the Bundesliga with a 3-0 derby win over fellow strugglers Hannover on Sunday.
Torsten Lieberknecht's men have displayed promising form of late and picked up another crucial three points at the Eintracht Stadion with a comprehensive win over 10-man Hannover.
Having been quick out of the blocks, Dominick Kumbela and Havard Nielsen put the hosts two goals to the good after just 21 minutes in the fiercely-contested Niedersachsen Derby.
Things got worse for the visitors when Andre Hoffmann was sent off for kicking out at Omar Elabdellaoui before Jan Hochscheidt made sure of the points a minute from time.
While Braunschweig remain bottom, they are now just two points off 15th-placed Stuttgart with Hannover and Freiburg also in danger of being dragged into the relegation places, both on 29 points.
Goalscorer Nielsen told the club's official website: "Today, we have shown a lot of passion on the pitch.
"I am very happy with my second goal at the Eintracht Stadion. I knew how important the game is and also what a win means for everyone involved."
In Sunday's other game, the spoils were shared between Hertha Berlin and Hoffenheim in the capital as the hosts ended their four-match losing run in the Bundesliga with a 1-1 draw.
Sami Allagui opened the scoring for Hertha with a deft curling finish after just 11 minutes but it was not long before the free-scoring visitors hit back.
Hoffenheim are joint second highest goalscorers in the top flight - level on 64 with Borussia Dortmund - and they equalised thanks to Eugen Polanski's strike after half an hour.
Javier Pinola has backed Nuremberg to "keep fighting" in their battle against Bundesliga relegation.
The club sit a point adrift of safety in 17th following a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday, and have just one win from their last seven matches.
However, defender Pinola believes his side have what it takes to remain in the German top flight, and has issued his team-mates with a rallying call.
"We have to get up again and keep fighting," he is quoted as saying by Bild. "We still have five games in which we will give everything.
"We have quality. We need to be strong in the head and get up again.
"Together we can do it!"
Nuremberg travel to Wolfsburg on Saturday seeking a first away win since February 16.
Goalkeeper Daniel Davari will leave Eintracht Braunschweig when his contract expires at the end of June after rejecting a new deal.
The Iran international joined the Bundesliga strugglers from Mainz in 2009 and has established himself as the club's first-choice keeper.
Braunschweig offered the 26-year-old fresh terms to extend his stay at Braunschweig, but they have confirmed he has opted to move on.
"Daniel Davari has not accepted the offer submitted by Eintracht Braunschweig to extend the contract," a brief statement on the club's website said.
Davari has started 24 games in Braunschweig's first season back in the top flight and kept a clean sheet in Saturday's much-needed 3-0 win over Hannover, a victory which extended their unbeaten run to three games.
He will be hoping to sign off in style by helping Torsten Lieberknecht's side - who sit bottom but are just two points adrift of safety - avoid an immediate return to the second tier.
Wolfsburg striker Ivica Olic travelled to England last week amid reports of a move to the Premier League.
The Croatian has scored 11 league goals in 27 appearances for the Bundesliga outfit this season, but Stoke City have been linked with a close-season move for the 34-year-old, when he would be available on a free.
And Olic revealed that he made a trip to the UK last week, but remained tight-lipped on his future.
"Me and my wife were in England last week," Olic is quoted as saying by Bild. "We liked what we saw. Still, I have not made a decision on whether I will be staying or leaving Wolfsburg."
Meanwhile, Wolfsburg general manager Klaus Allofs insists the club have made their stance clear on the issue.
"We have made things clear to Ivica Olic," Allofs stated. "He knows what he is going to expect if he signs a new contract with Wolfsburg.
"I do not want player in the squad that are unsure if Wolfsburg is the best club for them."
Hoffenheim goalkeeper Koen Casteels has undergone a successful operation on his broken leg.
The Belgian, who is set to miss the remainder of the season and the FIFA World Cup in Brazil, was forced off on a stretcher during his side's 1-1 Bundesliga draw with Hertha Berlin on Sunday after colliding with opposition striker Adrian Ramos.
The club confirmed the 21-year-old had suffered a broken tibia on their Twitter account on Sunday, and have now offered an update on his condition.
"According to the doctors, the almost two-hour long procedure went without complications," read a statement on the club's website on Monday. "It is expected on Wednesday Casteels will leave the Berlin clinic and can start after having first light rehab exercises in the TSG training centre in Zuzenhausen."
Former Genk player Casteels has been at Hoffenheim since 2011 and has represented Belgium at Under-21 level.
He is yet to make a senior appearance for the national side, but was expected to go to the World Cup as third-choice goalkeeper behind Simon Mignolet and Thibaut Courtois.
Casteels is the second Belgian international to have suffered a serious injury in quick succession, following Christian Benteke's ruptured Achilles tendon last week.
Borussia Dortmund have confirmed this signing of striker Adrian Ramos from Bundesliga rivals Hertha Berlin for an undisclosed fee.
The Colombia international has agreed a four-year deal and will move to Signal Iduna Park on July 1.
Ramos, has scored 16 goals for Hertha this season and will fill the void left by the Bayern Munich-bound Robert Lewandowski.
The 28-year-old is the joint third highest scorer in the German top flight this season and Dortmund sporting director Michael Zorc believes he will prove to be a shrewd acquisition.
He told the club's official website: "Adrian Ramos is an excellent footballer and one of the top scorers in Germany. It fits perfectly in Borussia Dortmund's requirements."
Ramos had one year left on his contract with the capital club and had welcomed speculation linking him with Dortmund.
The player's agent confirmed last month that there was a "big chance" he would join Jurgen Klopp's side and the transfer has now come to fruition.
Ramos, who joined Hertha from Colombian club America de Cali in 2009, is set to feature for his country in the upcoming FIFA World Cup in Brazil.
Guardiola struggles to entertain tough Bavarian crowd
By Brian Homewood
MUNICH Thu Apr 10, 2014 10:01am BST
Bayern Munich's coach Pep Guardiola gestures during their German first division Bundesliga soccer match in Augsburg April 5, 2014. REUTERS/Michael Dalder
(Reuters) - Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola displayed signs that he has yet to fully adapt to life at the German champions following Wednesday's win over Manchester United, complaining of a passive home crowd and the huge expectations placed upon his team.
The Bavarians remain on course for a second successive treble, having already sewn up the Bundesliga, and reached the semi-finals of the Champions League and German Cup in the Spaniard's maiden season at the club.
However, they are not playing with quite the same authority as last season, when they dispatched Juventus 4-0 on aggregate in the Champions League quarter-finals and demolished Barcelona 7-0 in the last four under retired coach Jupp Heynckes.
"When you don't win, people ask why, but this is football. You can't win all the time but we have won the championship, we are in the Champions League semi-final," Guardiola told reporters after the 3-1 second leg win at Allianz Arena.
"Everything is not enough in this club."
Guardiola added that the crowd only got behind his team in the last half an hour, when they came from behind for a win that secured a 4-2 aggregate triumph.
"Maybe we have to play better. After Patrice Evra's goal (for Manchester United), people stood up and began making a noise. I hope that in the semi-final they do that, we need the public to support us.
"We need everyone together," he added. "We cannot get to the final without our fans, we need them, we can't do this alone. We need our fans and I'm certain they will help us."
Guardiola is also struggling with the language, often mixing German and English in the same sentence and getting his word order wrong. During press conferences, he often has to ask Bayern's media officer to help with his vocabulary.
NEW FORMATION
Guardiola once again surprised observers with his lineup for Wednesday's match as he responded to the suspensions of Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, who both play in front of the defence.
The Spaniard pulled a central midfield triangle out of his sleeve, consisting of Thomas Mueller, Toni Kroos and Mario Goetze, who are all attacking players, plus Franck Ribery and Arjen Robben on the flanks and Mario Mandzukic as centre forward.
Kroos often dropped back to join the central defenders when Bayern were playing their way out of defence, while right back Philipp Lahm kept popping up in central midfield.
David Alaba, the left back, rarely got forward in his usual style as he was pegged back by Manchester United winger Antonio Valencia.
In the event, it did not really work. Bayern enjoyed heaps of possession but struggled to create real openings in an uninspiring first hour, when they depended heavily on Robben's twisting runs.
The game changed significantly in the 65th minute when right-back Rafinha replaced Goetze and Lahm moved to the central midfield role he has played for most of this season and Bayern ended up comfortable winners.
"We knew it would be difficult," Guardiola said. "The Champions League is the Champions League and Manchester United had the goalkeeper and eight players in the penalty area.
"We were patient and a bit lucky at the end. My players have great heart. This is the best part of the season and we are in an outstanding situation."
Bayern Munich's players celebrate their victory against Manchester United during their Champions League quarter-final second leg soccer match in Munich, April 9, 2014. REUTERS/Kai Pfaffenbach
(Reuters) - Champions Bayern Munich meet second-placed Borussia Dortmund with Bundesliga bragging rights already awarded this season but a bitter row over an old loan between the clubs has fanned the rivalry for the league's top two teams.
The Bavarians have already trumped Dortmund by winning the league in record time and advancing to the Champions League semi-finals at the expense of Manchester United.
In contrast, Dortmund went down to Real Madrid 3-2 on aggregate despite winning the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final and are now hoping to preserve second spot in the Bundesliga with five games left.
Saturday's game in Munich follows an ongoing war of words throughout the season that has drawn in coaches and club bosses.
The latest instalment of their off-the-pitch rivalry came this week with Bayern president-in-waiting Karl Hopfner accusing Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke of making up stories regarding a loan the Bavarian's gave Dortmund in 2004.
At the time the Ruhr valley club was on the brink of bankruptcy with Watzke saying Bayern had demanded eight percent interest on the two million euros (1.65 million pounds) they had loaned out.
"I repeat Bayern did not contribute to saving Borussia Dortmund," Watzke said, arguing then Bayern boss Uli Hoeness was no "Mother Theresa".
Watzke took over at Dortmund about a year after the loan was given and he has been credited with turning around the club's finances, dragging them out of the red and into a successful and profit-making outfit.
He said he would never have done what his predecessor did, especially not in the form of a loan from Bayern.
MUENCHHAUSEN CLAIM
Hopfner, who is expected to be elected president in May, succeeding Hoeness after he was handed a 3-1/2 year jail sentence for tax evasion, said most of the loan had been interest free with the remaining 500,000 settled with the transfer of Torsten Frings to the Bavarians.
"What Mr Watzke is saying is the absolute untruth. An untruth is an untruth," he said on Tuesday.
"Baron von Muenchhausen is a different figure. (Comparing him with the Dortmund CEO) would be flattering to Watzke," he said, referring to the fictional literary character known for his exaggerated tales.
On the pitch the two sides, who could also meet in the German Cup final with both having reached the last four, are not expected to lack motivation with Dortmund having beaten Bayern at the start of the season in the German Super Cup.
Bayern, who beat Dortmund in the Champions League final last season, took revenge in the league earlier in the season and look in top form.
Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, both suspended against Manchester United, will be back with coach Pep Guardiola praising the way his side was playing.
"This is the best part of the season and we are in a great situation," said the Spaniard, chasing an unprecedented back-to-back treble for Bayern in his first season in charge.
For winger Arjen Robben consistency will be key as the season enters its final stretch.
"We have to keep our foot on the gas. On Saturday against Borussia Dortmund and then in the Cup final. We can add a bit more to our performance," said the winger.
Dortmund are struggling with injuries but their midweek 2-0 victory against Real Madrid boosted their confidence and a win over Bayern would further tighten their hold on second spot.
Third-placed Schalke 04 host Eintracht Frankfurt while relegation-threatened Hamburg SV travel to out-of-form Hanover 96.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann, editing by Pritha Sarkar)
