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Robert Lewandowski will sign Bayern Munich pre-contract in January
• Borussia Dortmund striker tells German TV of his plans
• 'Then I can officially sign a contract,' he says on Sport1
Press Association
The Guardian, Wednesday 25 September 2013 11.33 BST
Borussia Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski, left, scores against Hamburg on 14 September. He is to join Bayern Munich. Photograph: Martin Meissner/AP
The Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has confirmed he will sign a pre-contract agreement with Bayern Munich in January.
Lewandowski revealed his desire to join the German and European champions over the summer, but accepted he would have to remain at Dortmund until next year when his contract expires.
The 25-year-old has reportedly already agreed terms on next summer's switch to the Bavarian club and had no reservations in making his intentions clear.
When asked by Sport1 television channel whether he could announce his switch to Bayern, the Poland international responded: "Yes, because then I can officially sign a contract."
Lewandowski was a pivotal player for the Westphalian club as they finished runners-up to Bayern in both the domestic and European leagues last season. The forward scored 36 goals in all competitions, which included becoming the first player to score four times in a Champions League semi-final when he dismantled Real Madrid single-handed.
He was unable to fire Dortmund to victory in the final, though, as Bayern claimed a 2-1 win at Wembley thanks to a last-gasp Arjen Robben goal.
Bayern made a bid for the striker over the summer but Dortmund were steadfast in their refusal to sell Lewandowski, who was also linked with Real Madrid, Chelsea and Manchester City, to their fierce rivals.
Lewandowski was unhappy with that decision and made clear he would let the final year of his contract with Dortmund run out before joining Bayern.
He has scored four goals this season to help Dortmund to the top of Bundesliga after six games, level on 16 points with Bayern.
The France international is proud of the successes of last season but is determined to move on and repeat their efforts
Franck Ribery has admitted that Bayern Munich's treble win in 2013-14 has added pressure on them to win more silverware this term.
The Bavarians became the first German team in history to win the Bundesliga, Champions League and DFB-Pokal in the same season last season, but the 30-year-old has insisted that they must put their treble win aside and focus on the task at hand.
"The fact we won everything last season adds more pressure," Ribery was quoted as saying on the official Uefa website.
"It was historic for our club. We waited so long to win the trophy, so it did us a lot of good. This Champions League title will remain with us for life.
"In order to do it again you have to be able to forget what happened last season, put it aside. We must go back to work, be very focused and always have this will to win and to work hard but, most importantly, to enjoy playing together – that's crucial.
"It's now up to us to keep working hard and to play as a team. That's what we did last season. We must keep that unity and stick together, then we'll have no problems."
Bayern are currently preparing for Saturday's Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg. They sit joint first in the table with Borussia Dortmund with 16 points from six games.
The Poland international has gone back on his earlier comments that a move to Bayern will be made official in 2014
Borussia Dortmund striker Robert Lewandowski has backtracked on his revelation that he will sign a contract with Bayern Munich in January.
The Poland international, 25, stated earlier this week that he will officially sign a deal with the Bavarians at the start of 2014, but he has now insisted that he has yet to make a final decision about his future.
"I was a bit shocked after I saw the video of Tuesday's interview. I only wanted to make clear that I cannot sign a contract anywhere until January," Lewandowski told Sport Bild.
"My only intention was to answer the question about when I would clarify my future.
"Like I've already said before, I intend to leave BVB in the summer. I cannot say anything else about it until January."
Lewandowski's contract with Dortmund is due to expire in June 2014, allowing him to open talks with other clubs over a free transfer come January.
However, it is against Fifa regulations to hold talks with other clubs until six months before the expiry date of a contract.
Bundesliga Preview: Bayern, Dortmund looking to stay on terms
26 September 2013
Early leaders Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will hope to continue matching each other blow for blow in the Bundesliga over the weekend.
Dortmund occupy top spot by virtue of their superior 'goals for' tally, but the 2012-13 UEFA Champions League finalists remain level on 16 points having played six games this far this season.
Jurgen Klopp's men had boasted a two-point lead ahead of last weekend, but were held to a 1-1 draw away at Nuremberg last time out and will be keen to get back to winning ways when they host lowly Freiburg.
Bayern, meanwhile, face a Wolfsburg side who have alternated between winning and losing in their six games, and come into the game off the back of a 4-0 win over Schalke.
Third and fourth also face each other the Bundesliga in week seven, with Bayer Leverkusen hosting Hannover at the BayArena.
Sami Hyypia's men have suffered just two defeats in their last 23 home league fixtures - at the hands of Bayern and Dortmund last term - and will be confident of continuing their fine start.
Schalke and Hamburg are accustomed to finding themselves at the business end of the table, but have both endured poor starts and are stuck near the bottom.
Hamburg's poor run of form cost manager Thorsten Fink his job, and the Imtech Arena outfit will be under the stewardship of former Netherlands boss Bert van Marwijk for the first time against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Schalke had won two games on the bounce prior to their defeat to Bayern, and will look to get back on track as they travel to face Hoffenheim.
Things could be worse, though, as bottom-of-the-table Eintracht Braunschweig have proved by picking up just one point in six games ahead of hosting Stuttgart on Sunday.
Nuremberg also play on Sunday and, after holding Dortmund to a draw last time out, will now look to get something from a tough-looking trip to face Werder Bremen.
Elsewhere in the Bundesliga, Hertha Berlin could leapfrog seventh-placed Mainz should they win the sides' encounter, though they lost to second-tier Kaiserslautern in the DFB-Pokal in midweek.
Meanwhile, Augsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach go into their meeting at the SGL Arena on Friday level on nine points.
Bundesliga: Augsburg 2 Borussia Monchengladbach 2
28 September 2013
A late goal from susbstitute Arkadiusz Milik earned a Augsburg a 2-2 draw with Borussia Monchengladbach in an entertaining encounter.
The two sides headed into the game with identical records, having taken three wins from their first six games, and there was nothing to separate them in Friday's meeting at the SGL Arena.
Augsburg had taken the lead through winger Andre Hahn, but Gladbach looked to be on their way to victory after Max Kruse and Branimir Hrgota had turned things around, only for Polish striker Milik to deny them the points with a close-range strike.
The hosts started the game the better of the two sides, and they went close early on as Halil Altintop fired wide with a low volley.
Winger Juan Arango crashed a shot against the crossbar as Gladbach grew into the game, but it was Augsburg who seized the initiative after 27 minutes, Hahn firing past Marc-Andre ter Stegen at the near post after being played through by Tobias Werner.
It took the visitors just six minutes to level, though, attacking midfielder Kruse converting from Christoph Kramer's pull back after good work from Raffael.
The scores remained level until the break, but midway through the second half, Swedish attacker Hrgota met Kruse's left-wing cross with a wonderful driven effort that flew past Alex Manninger and into the bottom corner.
Augsburg began to dictate the game as they pushed for the equaliser and two minutes from time they get their reward, Milik collecting Hahn's far-post delivery to tap in and ensure a share of the spoils.
Bundesliga Preview: Borussia Dortmund v Freiburg
26 September 2013
Table-topping Borussia Dortmund will hope to put a turbulent week behind them when they entertain Freiburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Despite overcoming 1860 Munich in the DFB-Pokal in midweek, Dortmund have had to deal with unwanted off-the-field issues involving coach Jurgen Klopp and star striker Robert Lewandowski.
Klopp was given a one-match touchline ban by UEFA on Tuesday following his outburst during the 2-1 Champions League defeat to Napoli on September 18, and will now be forced to sit in the stands for his side's clash against Marseille on October 1.
Lewandowski has also made headlines, with speculation over a potential move to Bayern Munich resurfacing following comments he made in the aftermath of the Pokal win, which was only settled in extra time thanks to goals from Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang and Henrikh Mkhitaryan.
The striker initially appeared to suggest that he would sign a pre-contract agreement with the Bundesliga champions in January as his current deal runs down, although he has since moved to play down suggestions that Bayern is his confirmed destination.
The issue has provided another distraction for a Dortmund side determined to extend their flying start to the new campaign, but Klopp also has injury concerns to contend with ahead of the Freiburg clash.
"We are very far away from an injury-free selection," he said. "We had injuries before we played in Munich, and that has not improved. Marcel (Schmelzer) has returned to training. Whether it is enough for Saturday, we shall see.
"It's not ideal that Sebastian (Kehl) and Ilkay (Gundogan) are out injured at the same time. We need to be patient with Gundogan, he won't be back until next weekend either.
"Before the Nuremberg game (a 1-1 draw) we played 50 minutes with 10 men (following the red card for Roman Weidenfeller against Napoli in the Champions League). That's why I had the feeling that I must change things.
"Now we have played extra minutes (against 1860 Munich). Let's see what we do."
Despite losing their 100 per cent Bundesliga record with that draw at Nuremberg last weekend, Dortmund will be confident of consolidating their lead at the top of the table, with Lewandowski and Aubameyang aiming to add to their five and six goals respectively so far this term.
Freiburg will travel to Dortmund having finally achieved their first victory of the season on Wednesday, after beating Stuttgart 2-1 in the Pokal.
Matthias Ginter and Mike Hanke got the goals for Christian Streich’s men, and they will now look to carry that form into the league to improve their current position of 17th.
Despite getting a point last time out in a 1-1 draw with Hertha Berlin, Freiburg currently sit second bottom of the table with just three points from six games.
Recent history will be against the away side, who have not beaten Dortmund since May 2010 and have lost the last six meetings between the two sides, including a 5-1 hammering at Signal Iduna Park last season.
Freiburg's Germany Under-21 goalkeeper Oliver Baumann, who recently made his 100th league appearance for the club and signed a new long-term contract on Wednesday, is determined to help his side to a first league win as soon as possible.
"We’re on the right track. Uncertainty is to be expected when so many new players come into the fold, but I think we're well organised," he told bundesliga.com
"We've got to keep fighting and do everything we can to make sure we pick up three points soon."
Bundesliga Preview: Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg
27 September 2013
Bayern Munich attacker Mario Gotze could make his return from an ankle injury when the Bundesliga champions host Wolfsburg on Saturday.
The 21-year-old has missed almost a month of action for the Bavarians after sustaining the knock against Chelsea in the UEFA Super Cup, but he returned to full training this week.
Gotze did not feature in Wednesday's crushing 4-1 DFB-Pokal win over Hannover, but may return to the substitutes' bench at least for the visit of Dieter Hecking's side.
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola will be boosted by Gotze's potential comeback with midfield duo Thiago Alcantara (knee) and Javi Martinez (groin) still a long way off returning.
Holger Badstuber is Bayern's only other concern with a long-term knee injury.
Captain Philipp Lahm, usually a full-back, has been forced to feature as an emergency midfielder on several occasions so far this season, but the 29-year-old is satisfied with his side's progress after Bayern moved level on points with Borussia Dortmund at the top of the table.
"I think we can be very pleased with our recent performances," Lahm said after Wednesday's Pokal win.
"We're definitely heading in the right direction."
Bayern will be confident of further success against Wolfsburg, having won nine of the last 10 meetings between the sides and drawing the other, but Wolfsburg's last win over the champions was an emphatic 5-1 thrashing in April 2009, going a long way to securing a first Bundesliga title for the Lower Saxony outfit that season.
That triumph was just one of three Wolfsburg have enjoyed over Bayern in their history, but Hecking is not giving up on springing a surprise at the Allianz Arena.
"We'll do everything to keep the game open as long as possible," he said. "That it will be very difficult is clear.
"But you can always do it in any game, we have this hope."
Luiz Gustavo returned from suspension for Wolfsburg in their midweek DFB-Pokal win over second-tier Aalen and is likely to play against the club he left ahead of the new season.
The Brazilian midfielder will be charged with tracking Bayern's stellar attacking talents, but he will be keen to avoid another red card, having been dismissed in two of his three Bundesliga appearances for his new employers this term.
Gustavo's inclusion will go some way to off-setting the absence of Vieirinha, after the Portugal winger was ruled out for a lengthy period with a knee ligament injury, joining striker Bas Dost (ankle) on the sidelines.
Wolfsburg, who finished 11th in the Bundesliga last season, have won three and lost three of their six league fixtures so far this term.
Bundesliga Wrap: Dortmund, Bayern, Leverkusen post wins
29 September 2013
Borussia Dortmund, Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen all continued their superb starts to the Bundesliga season with wins on Saturday.
Dortmund retained their place at the top of the table with a 5-0 thumping against 10-man Freiburg at Signal-Iduna Park.
Marco Reus was the instigator for the victory, scoring twice in the 10 minutes before half-time for Jurgen Klopp's men.
Reus opened the scoring with a 35th-minute tap in, and Dortmund – who dominated the first half – went to the break with a two-goal lead following Reus' penalty, which was given after Fallou Diagne was handed a straight red card for fouling Robert Lewandowski.
The Poland international got in on the act after half-time, beating two men before dinking over Freiburg goalkeeper Oliver Baumann in the 58th minute.
And there was still time for Lewandowski to score another before Jakub Blaszczykowski sealed the points with 11 minutes to play.
Bayern were made to work harder for their scrappy 1-0 home win over Wolfsburg as they extended their winning record at the Allianz Arena to 12 Bundesliga matches.
Wolfsburg sat back and soaked up Bayern pressure in the first half, with Arjen Robben guilty of wasting a terrific chance from six yards just before the break.
The visitors spurned a glorious opportunity to take a shock lead around the half-hour mark as Marcel Schafer headed Christian Trasch's cross over the bar.
And Bayern made them pay in the 63rd minute as Thomas Muller met Franck Ribery's excellent ball at the far post and produced a smart finish from the angle.
Both Dortmund and Bayern have accrued 19 points from their seven league matches, with six wins and one draw, while Leverkusen are only one point behind them following their latest triumph.
Sami Hyypia's side beat Hannover 2-0 at the BayArena thanks to first-half goals from Sebastian Rolfes and Sidney Sam.
Roberto Firmino and David Abraham scored in the second half for Hoffenheim as they came from two goals down to draw 3-3 with Schalke, while Sami Allagui netted twice as Hertha Berlin beat Mainz 3-1 and Marcell Jansen's late equaliser saw Hamburg claim a 2-2 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Leverkusen pulled plug on £4.6m Ozil deal, reveals Holzhauser
By Stefan Coerts0
Sep 28, 2013 5:09:00 PM
The Germany international was set to sign for the Werkself five years ago but the move was never completed as he was considered too expensive at the time
Bayer Leverkusen chief Wolfgang Holzhauser has revealed that the Bundesliga club were close to signing Mesut Ozil in 2008 - but decided he was not worth the €5.5 (£4.6m) million fee demanded by Schalke at the time.
The attacking midfielder was keen to leave Gelsenkirchen due to a dispute with the club's management and seemed set on securing a switch to the BayerArena.
However, Holzhauser eventually pulled the plug on the transfer as he felt signing Ozil was too much of a gamble, allowing the current Arsenal star to join Werder Bremen.
"I said back then: 'Guys, €5.5 million for an 18-year-old who's already having a fight with his coach and demands millions? Let's wait for a bit'," Holzhauser admitted to Bild.
Meanwhile, sporting director Rudi Voller has insisted that he does not have any regrets that Leverkusen missed out on Ozil, despite the Germany international's rise to prominence in Europe over recent seasons with Real Madrid.
"I sat in on negotiations but I don't have any regrets and don't feel annoyed about the way things went," Voller explained.
"We simply cannot sign all the players who interest us. Ozil was too expensive from my point of view."
Ozil, now 24, joined Arsenal from Madrid for a club-record fee this summer.
Bundesliga Wrap: Stuttgart cruise, Bremen held at home
30 September 2013
Stuttgart moved into the top six of the Bundesliga thanks to a 4-0 away win over bottom-placed Eintracht Braunschweig on Sunday.
It took Thomas Schneider’s side 40 minutes to take the lead at the Eintracht Stadion, but there was no stopping them once they had broken the deadlock.
Vedad Ibisevic headed in his sixth goal of the season after an excellent free-kick delivery from Alexandru Maxim, with the Romanian attacking midfielder picking up his fourth assist of the campaign.
Maxim then got on the scoresheet himself five minutes after the break. Ibrahima Traore saw his effort from outside the area palmed away by goalkeeper Marjan Petkovic, but the 23-year-old was on hand to knock in the rebound.
Traore got in on the act in the 76th minute, however. The Guinean attacker played a one-two with Christian Gentner before bursting into the area and slotting past Petkovic.
And Stuttgart completed their scoring four minutes from the end as Martin Harnik tapped in Traore's cross, thus extending Schneider’s unbeaten record since taking charge to four games and leaving newly promoted Braunschweig with just one point this term.
Sunday’s only other match saw even more goals as Werder Bremen were held to a thrilling 3-3 draw at home to Nuremburg.
The hosts were two up by the 34th minute as Berkay Dabanli put Santiago Garcia’s cross past his own goalkeeper, before Eljero Elia connected with Aaron Hunt’s pass to notch his first goal of the season.
But Japanese playmaker Hiroshi Kiyotake pulled one back for the visitors one minute before half-time with an excellent half volley inside the area, before Josip Drmic brought the visitors level eight minutes after the break as he squeezed Tomas Pekhart’s cross past Sebastian Mielitz.
Elia then struck again with a brilliant half volley of his own to put Bremen back in front, but Nuremberg were not to be denied a draw.
Adam Hlousek raced on to Kiyotake’s throughball and fired beyond Mielitz 20 minutes from time to earn a point that moves his side out of the bottom three.
Monday 30th, September 2013 / 22:09 Written by Oman Observer in Sports
BERLIN — Out-of-favour Germany forward Stefan Kiessling could earn a surprise recall to the national team for the first time since 2010 with starter Miroslav Klose and second choice Mario Gomez both nursing injuries ahead of World Cup qualifiers next month.
Last season’s Bundesliga top scorer Kiessling, who has already bagged five goals in seven league games for Bayer Leverkusen this campaign, recently ruled out playing for Germany under coach Joachim Loew after being regularly overlooked.
However, Loew appeared to offer an olive branch to the player on Sunday, saying that he would have a talk with the forward. “Stefan Kiessling is a striker who has shown very good performances in the Bundesliga,” he told ARD broadcaster on Sunday evening. “I will have a chat with him to discuss some things internally.”
The 29-year-old won the last of six caps in Germany’s 3-2 win over Uruguay in the 2010 World Cup third place play-off. “It is for every player a great event to play for their country and I don’t think Kiess thinks any differently,” Leverkusen coach Sami Hyypia said last week.
Loew will announce his squad on Friday for the October 11 qualifier against Ireland in Cologne and their trip to Sweden four days later. “I do not know what kind of impact his absence will have on my selections for the games against Ireland and Sweden. I will name the squad at the end of next week,” Loew said last week.
YOUNGER FORWARDS
With Kiessling out of the picture, Loew has given chances to younger forwards, such as Borussia Moenchengladbach’s Max Kruse, who was picked in the two qualifiers earlier this month. Germany are top of Group ‘C’ and need two points from their remaining two games to guarantee qualification for next year’s finals in Brazil.
Just a month ago, a frustrated Kiessling ruled out a return to the national set-up under Loew. “I once said that this case was closed. Now I say again that there will be no international role for Kiessling under Loew,” the tall forward, who has scored 116 league goals in 285 matches, said at the time.
He did, however, add he would always be willing to help his country if needed and that opportunity could arise after Lazio’s Klose underwent foot surgery on Thursday and Fiorentina’s Gomez sustaining a knee ligament injury two weeks ago.
“Stefan has the qualities to be part of the World Cup team,” Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller said. “It will be difficult not to select him if has another season like the last.” — Reuters
The Germany international has only sparingly featured for Bayern Munich since his summer move and is keen to get playing time again having shaken off his injury problems
Bayern Munich forward Mario Gotze has admitted that he is getting increasingly frustrated with his spell on the sidelines and is desperate to make his comeback.
The Germany international, 21, has made only three official appearances for Bayern since joining the club from Borussia Dortmund for €37 million in the summer and has been out of action ever since picking up an ankle injury in the European Supercup win over Chelsea back in August.
"It has not been easy to remain patient," Gotze was quoted as saying by Bild.
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"I obviously want to play games. Every player wants to play games. I want to be on the pitch for each second of every game.
"But I have been injured for four weeks. Let's not forget that."
The attacking midfielder made the bench for Bayern's 1-0 Bundesliga win over Wolfsburg at the weekend and could make his comeback in the Champions League game against Manchester City on Wednesday.
The teenager shone again with his latest goalscoring performance in Europe and admits his coach may have have a headache in dealing with bids from interested parties
Julian Draxler says he is happy to give Schalke coach Jens Keller more transfer headaches on the back of his match-winning display in the 1-0 win over Basel on Tuesday.
The 19-year-old midfielder was linked with a move to Borussia Dortmund over the summer but ended speculation regarding his future by signing a contract until 2018.
However, after scoring a stunning goal in Schalke's Champions League victory this week, the Gelsenkirchen club may have to contend with another wave of interest from across the continent in the January transfer window.
"The Champions League is a highlight for everyone and I'm happy that I've been able to perform well in the competition so far," Draxler told Bild.
"I try to give everything for Schalke...with everything else (transfer rumours) the manager must be having trouble."
Schalke general manager Horst Heldt was quizzed on the future of the club's star man but insisted there would be no battle to retain his services over the winter months.
He said: "I am glad that we have a player with such class - in the winter there is no theatre!"
Bundesliga Preview: Borussia Monchengladbach v Borussia Dortmund
4 October 2013
Borussia Dortmund will look to continue their impressive recent form against Borussia Monchengladbach when the two meet on Saturday.
The Bundesliga leaders have not lost to Monchengladbach in their last four league games, with 5-0 and 2-0 victories in 2012 sandwiched by 1-1 draws.
Dortmund will come into the game as favourites, having dropped points only once in the league this season and being fresh from a 3-0 win over Marseille in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday.
Jurgen Klopp's men have scored 10 goals in their last three games and have also kept clean sheets in all of them, with their only defeat this term coming against Napoli in the Champions League.
Last season's Bundesliga runners-up have also been in fine scoring form, hitting 21 goals in their seven league matches, with Robert Lewandowski one of four players at the top of the scoring charts.
However, Dortmund's only dropped points in the league came on the road and on Saturday they face a Monchengladbach side with an impressive record at Borussia-Park.
Lucien Favre's men have won all three games at home in the league this season, scoring 11 goals in the process while conceding just twice.
Favre has also been boosted by the news that leading scorer Max Kruse is likely to be fit for the visit of Klopp's charges despite fears over a bruised shoulder.
Kruse has four goals in the German top flight this season and Monchengladbach's cause has also been helped by the form of Brazilian forward Raffael, who has four to his name.
And he is looking forward to facing a team of Dortmund's calibre.
"They're one of the best teams in the world and I think it's important to play teams like that," he said.
"Everyone wants to play against a team like Dortmund.
"As far as we're concerned, we're working hard to deliver a good season. We've got to put ourselves in a good position come the end of the season. Then we'll see what's possible."
Bundesliga Preview: Bayer Leverkusen v Bayern Munich
3 October 2013
Bayern Munich and Bayer Leverkusen will be brimming with confidence when they meet on Saturday after successful midweek European outings.
UEFA Champions League holders Bayern thrashed Manchester City 3-1 at the Etihad Stadium on Wednesday to continue their hugely positive start to life under Pep Guardiola.
On the same night, and on home soil, Leverkusen were also successful, but they were made to sweat by Real Sociedad, only securing a 2-1 win over the Liga side in the 92nd minute.
Domestically, Saturday's meeting at the BayArena represents third against second, with Leverkusen sitting just a point behind their visitors after a good start of their own.
Both sides are in the midst of fine runs in home league games, but each of their last defeats on home soil came against each other.
Sami Hyypia's men have won all of their home games, bar one, since a 2-1 reverse to the Bavarians in March. Philipp Wollscheid's own goal in the 87th minute did the damage on that day after Simon Rolfes had cancelled out Mario Gomez's opener.
The recent record between the sides is incredibly even. Bayern just shade the last 10 fixtures between them with four victories, but Leverkusen have three wins to their name and have only lost one of their last five home meetings with the champions.
Bayern are in ominous form ahead of the game, however. Guardiola has seen his side win each of their last six games, scoring 17 goals and conceding just twice.
While he may have had little to do in recent weeks, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer has urged focus from his side and demanded that they maintain their high standards as they look to keep pace with Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga table.
He told the club's official website: "It's important we don't now start thinking it'll all happen automatically. We have to keep it up."
Guardiola is without long-term absentees Thiago Alcantara and Holger Badstuber (both knee), but Javi Martinez could be back in the squad after groin surgery and Mario Gotze's comeback from an ankle knock is likely to continue after a substitute appearance against Manchester City.
Leverkusen's only potential doubt is Gonzalo Castro (hamstring).
Defensive midfielder Stefan Reinartz believes that the game provides the hosts with the perfect opportunity to test their title credentials.
"This game comes at a very, very good time for us," he said.
"Saturday provides us with a chance to see whether the tendency will be for us to look over our shoulders, or whether we can look forward to sustaining a three-horse race."
Bundesliga Preview: Leverkusen host champions Bayern
3 October 2013
Bayer Leverkusen can end Bayern Munich's unbeaten start to the Bundesliga for a second consecutive season when the sides meet on Saturday.
Leverkusen were the last side to beat Bayern in the league, recording a 2-1 victory in October 2012 to end their undefeated start to last term.
However, the champions recovered to go on a 32-game unbeaten run, with their most recent victory yielding a 1-0 victory over Wolfsburg last weekend.
Both sides have been in excellent domestic form this season and will go into the clash at the BayArena off the back of wins in the UEFA Champions League on Wednesday.
Pep Guardiola's Bayern have conceded one goal away from the Allianz Arena in the Bundesliga this season while Leverkusen have struck 12 goals at home with a win for either side able to move them top of the table.
That is dependant on leaders Borussia Dortmund dropping points in their away fixture against Borussia Monchengladbach.
Jurgen Klopp's side picked up their first points of the current Champions League campaign with a 3-0 win over Marseille on Tuesday thanks to the in-form Marco Reus and Robert Lewandowski.
The pair scored twice each in Dortmund's 5-0 success against Freiburg on Saturday and were again on target in Europe, with the league's leading scorer Lewandowski scoring twice against Elie Baup's men.
Werder Bremen will hope to maintain their mini-revival against Stuttgart, having gone two games without defeat after three successive losses, while Bert van Marwijk can pick up his first Bundesliga points as Hamburg boss.
His charges face Nuremberg and the Dutchman has been pleased with what he has seen from his new side since taking over from Thorsten Fink in September.
"We are satisfied with the (draw against Eintracht Frankfurt) and the team put some of the things into practise that we had planned beforehand, like for instance everyone in the team defended," he told the club's official website.
"We will surely need a few weeks to swim clear of the lower regions of the table."
Winless Eintracht Braunschweig travel to Wolfsburg while Schalke will hope to build on their Champions League success against Basel on Tuesday when they host Augsburg.
Mainz will aim to avoid a fifth straight league defeat against Hoffenheim with Hertha Berlin able to leapfrog their opponents on Saturday, Hannover, with a draw at the HDI-Arena.
Both sides have registered just one victory in their last three games going into Friday's clash, with Hannover having won one of the sides' last five meetings.
The final game of the weekend sees winless Freiburg host Frankfurt on Sunday.
Bundesliga: Hannover 1 Hertha Berlin 1
5 October 2013
Ronny's stunning late free-kick helped Hertha Berlin claim a 1-1 Bundesliga draw with Hannover on Friday.
Defender Christian Schulz fired Hannover into an early lead but Ronny's effort with nine minutes to play earned the visitors a share of the spoils.
The Brazilian midfielder had only been introduced one minute earlier, but made his mark with a fierce 20-yard effort that swerved into the top corner.
Hannover, who had lost three of their last four matches but still sat fourth in the table, took the lead in the 23rd minute thanks to Schulz's smart strike.
Hertha failed to clear the ball on several occasions and they were made to pay as Hajime Hosogai's header fell straight to Schulz.
The 30-year-old took a touch before lashing an effort beyond Thomas Kraft to delight the home crowd.
Hertha were much better in the second half, though, and could have levelled proceedings in the 58th minute, only for Anis Ben-Hatira to hit the post from close range.
Marcelo put a cross behind at the other end but it was the visitors who were more threatening, with Gustavo Ramos missing a glorious chance following good build-up work from Per Skjelbred.
Hertha got their deserved equaliser in the 81st minute as Ronny's immediate impact left goalkeeper Rene Zieler with no chance.
Hannover almost salvaged all three points when Artur Sobiech directed his late header on goal, but Kraft was up to the task, turning the effort over the bar.
Bundesliga: Borussia Monchengladbach 2 Borussia Dortmund 0
5 October 2013
Ten-man Borussia Dortmund lost for the first time in the league this season on Saturday after going down 2-0 at Borussia Monchengladbach.
Mats Hummels was sent off 10 minutes from time for a professional foul on Havard Nordtveit inside the area to concede a penalty that changed the complexion of the game.
Max Kruse put the hosts ahead from the resulting spot-kick before Raffael added a second in the 86th minute to seal Monchengladbach's first Bundesliga win against Dortmund since April 2011.
Goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen had earlier denied Dortmund, who struck the crossbar in between goals from Kruse and Raffael, with a string of fine saves as Monchengladbach executed an excellent late smash and grab.
Monchengladbach coach Lucien Favre named just one change from last weekend's 2-2 drew at Augsburg, with Granit Xhaka replacing Christoph Kramer.
Jurgen Klopp also made one alteration from the side that beat Marseille 3-0 in the UEFA Champions League on Tuesday, Roman Weidenfeller returning in goal in place of Mitchell Langerak.
Dortmund were the first to threaten in the fifth minute, Marco Reus curling his effort narrowly over the bar after latching on to a loose ball inside the area.
Ten minutes later the visitors were denied by a superb save from Ter Stegen, who thwarted Hummels from six yards after parrying Kevin Grosskreutz's long-range effort.
Klopp's men were making all the running in the opening stages and Ter Stegen was called into action once more in the 23rd minute, palming away Grosskreutz's stinging shot from 25 yards.
Dortmund went close again five minutes later, Reus sliding in Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang, but his left-footed effort from a tight angle flashed just wide of the post.
Reus then drove into the box in the 33rd minute, but the Germany international dragged his shot a yard wide of Ter Stegen's right-hand upright.
Five minutes before the break, Nuri Sahin's powerful drive was beaten away by the keeper as it remained scoreless at half-time.
The opening stages of the second half were much more even and the hosts should have taken the lead on the hour mark, but Oscar Wendt fired wide from 15 yards after good work by Kruse down the left.
Two minutes later, Ter Stegen was called into serious action for the first time since the break, tipping Reus' vicious dipping effort over the bar.
The visitors were suddenly looking dangerous once again, Hummels heading wide from Reus' right-wing corner midway through the half.
With 10 minutes to go, however, Kruse gave Monchengladbach the lead from the spot, sending Weidenfeller the wrong way after Hummels saw red for a professional foul on Nordtveit.
Dortmund almost responded immediately, Reus striking the bar with a free-kick, before Raffael put the game beyond doubt, stroking the ball past Weidenfeller after being played in on the right-hand side.
Bundesliga Wrap: Van Marwijk celebrates first win
7 October 2013
An eight-minute Pierre-Michel Lasogga hat-trick gave Bert van Marwijk his first win as Hamburg coach as his side beat Nuremberg 5-0.
Former Tottenham midfielder Rafael van der Vaart put the visitors in front in the 17th minute with a sumblime volley following a teasing ball from Heiko Westermann before Lasogga scored three goals in quick succession to guarantee the win.
The striker first raced clear to prod the ball home and then doubled his tally when he got on the end of Van der Vaart's corner.
His third came just five minutes later when his shot hit the post and found the back of the net.
With the game over, Tolgay Arslan took full advantage of Nuremberg's lack of concentration to lob Raphael Schafer in the 74th minute and add the fifth.
The win lifts Hamburg out of the bottom three as they ended a run of three games without a win.
Meanwhile, Freiburg lifted themselves off the bottom of the league on goal difference thanks to a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt.
Nicolas Hofler came to the home side's rescue with five minutes left as his late strike cancelled out Christian Gunter's 64th-minute own goal.
Hofler stepped off the bench to earn a point for the second time this season, after his goal had stunned Bayern Munich back in August.
The midfielder converted a close-range header on this occasion, although Freiburg's good work was almost undone when Frankfurt's Srdjan Lakic missed two good chances in the closing minutes.
The visitors ultimately had to hang on, though, as they ended the game with 10 men after substitute Johannes Flum was dismissed in the final minute for a second bookable offence following a fracas.
Klopp: We only have ourselves to blame
6 October 2013
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp lamented his side's wastefulness after going down 2-0 at Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday.
Dortmund dominated long periods of the game, but were dealt a double blow with 10 minutes remaining as Mats Hummels was dismissed for a professional foul on Havard Nordtveit inside the area, allowing Max Kruse to put the hosts in front from the resulting penalty.
Raffael then sealed the game for Gladbach six minutes later as Dortmund lost for the first time in the Bundesliga this season.
After the game, Klopp admitted that his side had not helped their own cause with some wayward finishing.
"We are self-critical and certainly believe that we have our share of this defeat," he said.
"We had possession, but not quite clear-cut chances. So we left the game open and left Monchengladbach alive.
"It was an unusual game. My team did exceptionally well for a long time, we put our opponents under pressure and counter pressed well but did not score."
Klopp insisted his side could take plenty from their performance and was wary of criticising the officials over Hummels' red card and the resulting penalty.
"The penalty, I have not seen on TV," he said.
"With 10 men, it was hard, then came the second goal, and we lost.
"We will also take the positive things in the assessment, so the defeat hurts a little less."
