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Wolfsburg v Bayern Munich: Guardiola eyes ´big step´ to Bundesliga title
28 January 2015
Bayern Munich can take a big step towards completing their Bundesliga defence when they visit second-placed Wolfsburg on Friday.
Bayern Munich return to Bundesliga action on Friday with arguably the hardest remaining game of their league campaign as they visit nearest challengers Wolfsburg.
The champions are well on course for a third consecutive German title and enjoyed an 11-point gap from Wolfsburg in second during the mid-season break.
Pep Guardiola's side ended 2014 with eight successive league victories and could be boosted by the returns of Bastian Schweinsteiger (ankle), Mario Gotze (groin) and Mehdi Benatia (back).
Philipp Lahm (ankle) is less likely to feature, despite showing positive signs in his recovery during the club's training camp in Doha.
Whoever lines up as Bayern resume top-flight action, Guardiola is eager to see his side hit the ground running.
"I think we're well prepared for Wolfsburg," he told the club's official website.
"It's good to face the team in second immediately because it forces us to pick up the pace. Wolfsburg have played an outstanding season so far so that will be tough.
"However, we will try our best and it just depends on how well we play.
"We know how important the first two or three games will be and if we can win our first couple of games of 2015 then we will realise we can take a big step towards defending our Bundesliga title."
Dieter Hecking has seen his Wolfsburg side lose just once in their last 12 Bundesliga outings and bristled recently when quizzed about his side's tag in the media as 'Bayern Hunters'.
Wolfsburg are a much-improved side from their last meeting with Bayern at the Volkswagen Arena - a 6-1 defeat in March last year - and Hecking could be able to call on Ivan Perisic (groin) and Naldo (knee).
The pair are back in training after injuries along with Josuha Guilavogui, although the Frenchman is not as far forward in his recovery from a groin operation.
Naldo in particular has been key to Wolfsburg's strong season - starting every Bundesliga game and scoring five times - with the Brazilian defender set to feature again on Friday after hurting himself in training.
"I'm not overly concerned about Friday," explained sporting director Klaus Allofs.
"[The injury] is nothing to worry about. The break will have done him good and he should be available for selection."
Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia Dortmund: Visitors aim for fresh start
29 January 2015
It ended miserably, but Borussia Dortmund are out to put 2014 firmly behind them - starting at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
Borussia Dortmund will be out to put a horror end to 2014 behind them when they resume their Bundesliga campaign at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
In a scenario that few could have envisaged just six months ago, Dortmund - who have finished in the top two for the last four seasons, including championship-winning campaigns in 2010-11 and 2011-12 - start the year trapped in the relegation zone.
Jurgen Klopp's men have won just four of 17 league fixtures and a wretched record away from home, which has seen them collect four from a possible 27 points, has left them fighting to avoid the drop.
Dortmund's miserable league form becomes an even greater mystery when taking their excellent performances in the UEFFA Champions League into consideration, but defender Mats Hummels said the squad has looked good in a mid-season training camp in La Manga.
"Apart from the injuries some players suffered, we've all worked very well," Hummels told Dortmund's official website.
"We all seem to be in good shape which is vital to be successful in the Bundesliga and the other competitions.
"I'm in a much better shape than in the first half of the season. In the 90 minutes against Utrecht [friendly] I felt, despite the tough training sessions before, in top shape. I felt better than in any of the games in the first half of the season and that's an important step.
"Competitive matches are a whole different ball game. You just never know for sure."
Sebastian Kehl (shoulder) was injured during training, while Sven Bender (knee) seems set to continue on the sidelines, but Kevin Grosskreutz should recover from a knock.
Australian goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak is still absent on international duty and, while Japan have been knocked out of the Asian Cup, it remains to be seen whether Shinji Kagawa will be drafted straight into Klopp's squad.
Gabon striker Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's participation is also doubtful, despite their elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations earlier this week.
But the fact that the Asian Cup is still to be complete may be a blessing for Dortmund, as it robs Leverkusen of two of their main attacking threats.
Australia's Robbie Kruse and South Korea's Son Heung-min are both set to play in Saturday's final in Sydney.
New Dortmund signing Kevin Kampl, who joined from Red Bull Salzburg, may get the chance to feature against the club where he began his career.
Roger Schmidt's side went to the United States for their training camp and more recently beat Mainz 4-1 in a friendly with Stefan Kiessling, Gonzalo Castro, Josip Drmic and Emir Spahic on the scoresheet.
Leverkusen, who sit third in the table but are already 17 points behind leaders Bayern Munich, had defender Tin Jedvaj sign a permanent deal this week, keeping him at the club until 2020.
Jedvaj is expected to miss this clash through injury, though, as Leverkusen look to end a poor home record against Dortmund.
Dortmund have not lost in their last seven trips to the BayArena and that is sure to give Klopp's side confidence.
But goals from Karim Bellarabi and Kiessling gave Leverkusen a 2-0 win at Signal-Iduna Park earlier this season.
The Frenchman has stressed that he would never play for another European club and also revealed that Pep Guardiola is the greatest coach he has every played under
Franck Ribery has made it clear that he wants to end his top level career at Bayern Munich, but could be open to a move to Dubai or MLS before hanging up his boots for good.
The 31-year-old - who had a contract with the German champions until June 2017 - has developed into a key player at the Allianz Arena since arriving from Olympique de Marseille in 2007, making close to 300 official appearances in all competitions for the Bavarians.
"There will not be another club after Bayern," Ribery was quoted as saying by TZ. "I don't want to go to another club in the future.
"Perhaps I might go for a completely different experience and play in the USA or Dubai for one season.
"But I will never play for another club than Bayern again in Europe. I have too much respect for the club and for everything they have done for me."
Ribery then went on to lavish praise on Bayern boss Pep Guardiola, whose future is the subject of much debate, with the Catalan being linked with a return to Barcelona when his contract expires next year.
"He is without a doubt the best coach I have ever had," the French attacker added. "I have never met a trainer who knows so much about the game. The level of detail he can go into ...
"I have a great relationship with him. It's great that he joined Bayern. He already won a lot at Barcelona and took his qualities with him to Bayern. We learned a lot in his first season here.
"Things are going even better now we fully understand him. He is a great coach who tries new things all the time.
"I think he will stay at Bayern until after 2016, but the final decision is up to him."
Ribery is expected to miss Bayern's restart of the Bundesliga against Wolfsburg on Friday due to injury.
The attacker faces a spell on the sidelines after picking up a knock, while Rafinha will also miss the Bundesliga leaders' next three games
Pep Guardiola has received some disappointing news from the treatment table in the build-up to Bayern Munich's Bundesliga match against Wolfsburg on Friday evening as he will have to make do without the services of Franck Ribery due to injury.
The former France international picked up a knock in training on Wednesday and will consequently be out of action for an estimated two weeks.
"Ribery tore a muscle in the back of his right thigh and will definitely miss three matches: Friday’s clash with the team lying second in the table, the home meeting with Schalke the following Tuesday and the trip to Stuttgart four days later," a statement on the club's official website reads.
"The 31-year-old Frenchman will be unable to train for the next few days but should be fit enough to go jogging from next Wednesday.
"If all goes according to plan, Ribery should be able to resume the squad programme at the start of the week after next."
Meanwhile, Brazilian defender Rafinha has also been ruled out of Friday's encounter with Wolfsburg after he sprained the lateral collateral ligament in his left ankle, which will also sideline him for around a fortnight.
Bayern currently sit atop of the Bundesliga table, holding an 11-point lead over second-placed Wolfsburg.
The former Germany goalkeeper insists that the coach is not the revolutionary many make him out to be, although he still has plenty of admiration for the Catalan
Bayern Munich legend Oliver Kahn has downplayed Pep Guardiola's role in the club's Bundesliga dominance.
The former Barcelona coach, who led the Bavarians to a league-and-cup double in his first season at the Allianz Arena, is widely regarded as one of the best trainers in the game, particularly in respect to his successful stint at Camp Nou, and has often been praised for his tactical innovation.
However, Kahn feels that even though Guardiola definitely has some distinctive qualities, the Catalan is not the revolutionary many consider him to be.
"Guardiola has definitely not reinvented football," Kahn was quoted as saying by Kicker.
"But he clearly has two major qualities. For starters, he can analyse a game incredibly well. Plus he is capable of making changes during a game that can be decisive.
"However, coaches should also praise their players every now and then. You cannot be critical of your players all the time after a successful game. At some stage, the players will not take it seriously any more."
Kahn then went on to discuss Guardiola's future at Bayern and made it clear that a departure at the end of his contract in 2016 cannot be ruled out.
"You never know with Guardiola whether he will renew. A workaholic like him will never commit himself for too long a period. His working method costs so much energy."
Guardiola's Bayern are currently 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga, and still in contention to win both the DFB-Pokal and the Champions League.
Jakub Blaszczykowski will sit out Borussia Dortmund's clash with Bayer Leverkusen, while Ilkay Gundogan is a concern due to a thigh problem.
Borussia Dortmund will be without Jakub Blaszczykowski for their first Bundesliga game of the year against Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, while fellow midfielder Ilkay Gundogan could also miss out.
Poland international Blaszczykowski has been laid low by a virus and will play no part for Jurgen Klopp's struggling side at the BayArena this weekend.
Gundogan suffered a thigh injury in a 1-1 friendly draw against Fortuna Dusseldorf last Saturday and Dortmund coach Klopp will take no risks with the 24-year-old Germany international.
He said on Thursday: "We don't want to create any pressure. He [Gundogan] will only be considered if he returns to training by tomorrow.
"He's a doubt against Leverkusen, but certain to return against Augsburg [next Wednesday]."
Klopp has not decided whether Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang will feature this weekend after returning from the Africa Cup of Nations on Wednesday following Gabon's exit from the tournament.
"We'll take a look and see if it makes any sense," he said.
Japan midfielder Shinji Kagawa is set to be included in the squad after returning from Asian Cup duty.
Kramer sure of sustained Champions League challenge
30 January 2015
A gruelling mid-season training regime will provide rewards for Borussia Monchengladbach, according to Christoph Kramer and Max Kruse.
Christoph Kramer believes Borussia Monchengladbach are well prepared to sustain their challenge for UEFA Champions League football in the second half of the Bundesliga season.
Gladbach impressed in the first half of the campaign and entered the mid-season break in fourth place - which would be enough to enter the Champions League qualifiers - with 27 points from 17 matches.
However, just five points separate Bayer Leverkusen in third from Eintracht Frankfurt in ninth in what is shaping up to be a close-fought race to qualify for Europe's premier competition.
"The start of the second half of the season is super-critical," Kramer told Bild. "It's all so close up there.
"If you mess up, you can quickly be gone. But we are well prepared."
Gladbach are also challenging in the DFB-Pokal and UEFA Europa League and striker Max Kruse feels their hard work during the break will ultimately bear fruit by the end of the season.
"Our preparation has been awesome," he said. "We have worked like never before. The suffering will be worth it. We have more than many other clubs."
Boateng urges Bayern to learn from Wolfsburg thrashing
31 January 2015
Jerome Boateng and Bastian Schweinsteiger lament Bayern's defending in their 4-1 thrashing at Wolfsburg as Pep Guardiola lauds the hosts.
Bayern Munich defender Jerome Boateng hopes the Bundesliga champions' shock 4-1 loss at Wolfsburg can act as a wake-up call.
Heading into their first match following the mid-season break, Pep Guardiola's defending champions were unbeaten in the league and had only conceded four goals.
The tally was ultimately doubled on a remarkable evening at the Volkswagen Arena as Bas Dost and Kevin de Bruyne scored two goals apiece and second-placed Wolfsburg closed the gap at the summit to eight points.
Juan Bernat netted when Bayern were 3-0 down but his strike could not prompt a comeback as Boateng and his defensive colleagues continued to struggle under a relentless attacking display from Dieter Hecking’s team.
"It's simple – we played really badly," Boateng told reporters, as quoted on his club's official website.
"It might be good that it's happened to us today because it's a wake-up call. We can't afford another performance like that.
"We weren't aggressive and gave away possession far too easily. We have to take a good, long look at ourselves.
"We all know we'll need a vast improvement against Schalke if we're to make amends for this."
Dost opened the scoring on the counter-attack after four minutes and both De Bruyne's goals came as direct passes from Maximilian Arnold easily unpicked Bayern's backline.
"It wasn’t our day," said captain Bastian Schweinsteiger. "We often lost our shape when we attacked and they picked us apart relatively easily on the break.
"That shouldn't be happening. We need to work out what went wrong and do better in our next match."
Guardiola offered praise to Wolfsburg's display on an emotional evening when the club and their fans paid tribute to 20-year-old midfielder Junior Malanda, who tragically died in a car crash earlier this month.
"Wolfsburg were better and scored their goals at just the right time - congratulations," Guardiola said. "We need to analyse what's happened and focus on the next game."
With Schalke's number one Ralf Fahrmann sidelined with a knee injury, Christian Fuchs has offered his backing understudy Fabian Giefer.
Schalke full-back Christian Fuchs insists the whole squad have confidence in understudy Fabian Giefer to deputise for regular number one Ralf Fahrmann.
Goalkeeper Fahrmann strained the posterior cruciate ligament in his right knee during a training session earlier this month.
That means Giefer, who moved to the Veltins Arena from Fortuna Dusseldorf in the close-season, is set to make his Bundesliga bow for Schalke when they restart their campaign at home to Hannover on Saturday following the mid-season break.
"Fabian is a great goalkeeper and a good replacement for Ralf," Fuchs told Schalke's official website.
"Both are not only extremely strong goalkeepers, but also good footballers."
Schalke reached fifth position before the break and Fuchs claims their training has left them in good stead ahead of the second half of the season.
"The whole team is looking forward to playing Hannover," he added. "We have worked very well in preparation.
"The 10-day training camp in Qatar was very intense, then we have continued our programme in Gelsenkirchen. We are definitely ready for the start."
Hamburg have completed the signing of Ivica Olic on an 18-month deal - six years after the Croatia striker left the club.
Veteran striker Ivica Olic has left Bundeslisa high-fliyers Wolfsburg and joined his former club Hamburg after passing a medical on Friday.
The 35-year-old Croatia international has signed an 18-month deal with Josef Zinnbauer's side on the eve of their first game since the mid-season break against Cologne.
Olic left Hamburg to join Bayern Munich in 2009 after two-and-a-half years at the Imtech Arena following his move CSKA Moscow.
Wolfsburg director of sport Klaus Allofs is disappointed that Olic has opted to leave the club, but wished him well.
He told the club's official website: "When Ivica came to us, we made it very clear to him that we consider him a very important member of our squad, whom we would be relying on in the latter half of the season.
"The player's wish to make the move was so great though, that we decided not to get in his way.
"For over two and a half years, he has been a vitally important element in the development made at VfL Wolfsburg and he had a significant part to play in our success."
Olic, who has scored five goals in 14 appearances in the Bundesliga this season, leaves a Wolfsburg side who are second in the table to join a side placed 14th in the table.
Borussia Dortmund failed to reignite their campaign after the Bundesliga's break and sit bottom after a 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen.
Borussia Dortmund's woes continued on their return from the mid-season Bundesliga break as they were left bottom of the league following a turgid 0-0 draw at Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
A tight game saw both sides struggle to create chances, with Mats Hummels denying Gonzalo Castro an opener on the goal line towards the end of the first half, before Ciro Immobile was denied by Bernd Leno just after the interval.
Leno was perhaps lucky to stay on the pitch having handled outside the area early in the contest, in one of the game's few talking points.
It was a reasonably quiet introduction for Dortmund debutant Kevin Kampl, with the visitors unable to break down a resolute home defence.
The result does little for either side, with Dortmund's league campaign lurching to another low point, while a rare blank drawn by Leverkusen at home sees them slip from a UEFA Champions League spot after Schalke and Borussia Monchengladbach victories in Saturday's earlier action.
Speculation linking star players Marco Reus and Mats Hummels with moves away will only add to the pressure on boss Jurgen Klopp, who was recently backed by the club's CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke.
Leverkusen took a Bundesliga record-breaking nine seconds to score when the sides met in August's reverse fixture, and they soon went about setting the pace once again, with visiting goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller forced into a smart save by Roberto Hilbert's speculative 25-yard drive within the opening minute.
Klopp came into this game having never overseen a Dortmund defeat at the BayArena, but his side remained cagey during a tightly contested start.
The hosts were perhaps lucky not to go down to 10 men inside 13 minutes, when goalkeeper Leno appeared to handle outside the box as he rushed out to deny Immobile, but referee Knut Kircher remained unmoved.
Dortmund grew into the game, but largely struggled to call Leno into action, Nuri Sahin cutting inside to bend an effort wide from the edge of the area just before the half hour.
They were nearly made to pay for their profligacy seven minutes before half-time when a sweeping counter-attack allowed Karim Bellarabi to get behind the defence on the right flank.
The winger squared to Castro inside the area, only for his shot to be cleared off the line by Hummels' diving header.
Dortmund responded, and nearly broke the deadlock five minutes after the break, when a charged down clearance allowed Immobile to race into the area, but his angled shot was palmed away.
Stefan Kiessling fired wide for the hosts four minutes later, following some good work from Josip Drmic and Castro, with the latter chipping over the bar when one-on-one 13 minutes from time to sum up a frustrating outing for both sides.
Klopp encouraged by Leverkusen stalemate, as Dortmund hit bottom
31 January 2015
Jurgen Klopp claims that stability was the key positive to take out of an otherwise disappointing 0-0 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen.
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp insisted he was satisfied by his side's performance during a disappointing 0-0 draw away to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday, despite the result leaving them bottom of the Bundesliga.
A drab game saw both sides struggle to create chances, with Dortmund choosing to leave top scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang on the bench on the back of the striker's recent involvement in the Africa Cup of Nations.
Despite their lack of incisiveness in the final third, Klopp claimed that there were still plenty of positives to take from the game.
He told the club's official website: "It was not perfect, but we have taken what was needed and had a really good start to the second half.
"The stability was there and if we had played the odd ball clear, it would have been even better."
Klopp was not worried by the style of football played by his team, hinting that the increasingly real worry of relegation may be having an effect on their approach to games.
He said: "One cannot speak of a relegation battle and demand champagne football.
"The result here [in Leverkusen] was absolutely fine and a point here is always strong."
One of the game's few talking points involved Leverkusen goalkeeper Bernd Leno, who was arguably lucky to stay on the pitch after appearing to handle outside his area just before the quarter-hour mark.
However, Klopp refused to criticise the performance of referee Knut Kircher, choosing instead to focus on his side's showing at the BayArena
"A free-kick [for the Leno incident] would not have been so bad. For such an intense game, there were few contentious decisions overall.
"We wanted to play a pressing game. There were two occasions where we were running up alone on goal, when should have played in more detail.
"In confined spaces, the timing has to be perfect. We have not sought perfection today, but stability."
Bayer Leverkusen have confirmed Robbie Kruse suffered "serious ligament damage in his left ankle" during Saturday's Asian Cup final.
Australia international Robbie Kruse is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines after Bayer Leverkusen confirmed he suffered "serious ligament damage in his left ankle" during his country's Asian Cup final victory over South Korea.
Forward Kruse was withdrawn after 70 minutes of Saturday's final in Sydney, which Australia went on to win 2-1 after extra time.
And the 26-year-old could now miss the rest of the Bundesliga season, with an initial diagnosis suggesting he has sustained a major injury.
"In Saturday’s Asian Cup Final against South Korea, won 2-1 by the Socceroos, the 26-year-old suffered serious ligament damage in his left ankle," read a statement from Leverkusen regarding Kruse's condition.
"A full diagnosis of the injury is expected on Monday.
"The striker will undergo a thorough medical examination in Australia. That will decide what happens next and whether the Kruse returns to Leverkusen or is treated back home in Australia first."
Kruse started five of Australia's six games at the Asian Cup and scored in the group-stage victory over Oman.
However, he has made only four substitute appearances for his club this term.
Andre Schurrle has been hotly tipped to join Wolfsburg, but the Bundesliga club say a deal to sign the Chelsea forward is not done yet.
Wolfsburg have yet to agree a deal for Chelsea forward Andre Schurrle, with the club's sporting director stating that time is running out to complete the transfer.
Premier League leaders Chelsea are expected to confirm the signing of Fiorentina's Juan Cuadrado with Schurrle having been tipped to depart Stamford Bridge throughout the transfer window.
Bundesliga side Wolfsburg are reportedly in pole position for the Germany international's signature, but the club's sporting director Klaus Allofs has warned there is still plenty of work to do.
"There is no agreement at the moment," he told Wolfsburger Nachrichten.
"The clock is running out. Our options are getting less hour by hour. It depends on money. We still would like to sign him."
Schurrle moved to Chelsea from Bayer Leverkusen ahead of the 2013-14 season.
However, he has been restricted to just five Premier League starts this term after falling down manager Jose Mourinho's pecking order.
Bayern Munich v Schalke: Bayern aim to get back on track
1 February 2015
Bayern Munich were thrashed by Wolfsburg in their first Bundesliga game after the mid-season break, Schalke provide their next test.
Manuel Neuer insists Tuesday's match against Schalke is just what Bayern Munich need following Friday's Bundesliga defeat to Wolfsburg.
The German champions' 17-game unbeaten start to the league season was halted in spectacular style on Friday as they fell to a 4-1 defeat.
The results meant second-placed Wolfsburg cut Bayern's lead at the top to eight points, as Neuer conceded four times - as many goals as Pep Guardiola's men conceded in the entire first half of the season.
But Bayern can get back on track on Tuesday when they host Neuer's former club Schalke.
The Germany goalkeeper believes a quick turnaround is just what his side need to recover from their disappointing first game back after the Bundesliga break.
"Obviously it’s not a good restart for us," Neuer told the club's official website.
"It's not a catastrophe, but we know we still have a lot to do.
"A midweek game is just what we need right now. It would be bad if we were having to wait eight days for the next match. We have to turn it around from here on in."
Guardiola is likely to be without French winger Franck Ribery and Brazillian defender Rafinha once again, as they are struggling with thigh and ankle injuries respectively.
Fourth-placed Schalke meanwhile head into this meeting off-the-back of a 1-0 win against Hannover and they could welcome back top scorer Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, following Cameroon's elimination from the Africa Cup of Nations.
Felipe Santana will not be available, however, after joining Olympiacos on loan until the end of the season.
Roberto Di Matteo may have to wait on the fitness of Marco Hoger, who suffered a thigh injury.
Schalke have conceded 11 goals across their last three league trips to the Allianz Arena although the midfielder hopes to be ready and available as the Gelsenkirchen club look to end their poor run against the champions.
"We've not done well in Munich recently," Hoger told the club's official website.
"We want to change that on Tuesday.
"It is possible for Bayern to lose two games in a row. We're not thinking too much about how their game against Wolfsburg panned out."
Bundesliga Review: Augsburg win battle of European hopefuls
1 February 2015
Markus Weinzierl continues to work wonders at Augsburg after a 3-1 victory over Hoffenheim keeps them firmly in European contention.
Augsburg picked up where they left off in the first part of the Bundesliga with a 3-1 victory over fellow European hopefuls Hoffenheim on Sunday.
Three goals in the final six minutes of the first half went a long way to settling the contest as Halil Altintop scored the first for the hosts in the 39th minute, quickly followed by team-mate Tobias Werner three minutes later.
Roberto Firmino responded with a goal for Hoffenheim in the final minute of the first half.
However, after an even second half, Raul Bobadilla struck in stoppage time to put the result beyond doubt and send Augsburg fifth - level on points with Borussia Monchengladbach and Schalke above them.
Hertha Berlin's poor away form continued as they slipped closer to the Bundesliga drop zone following a 2-0 defeat at Werder Bremen.
The capital club now sit 15th, just two points above Borussia Dortmund at the foot of the table, having taken a mere five points on their travels all season.
This latest defeat came courtesy of strikes either side of half-time from former Chelsea striker Franco Di Santo, who moved on to eight goals for the campaign.
Jannik Vestergaard also made his debut for Viktor Skripnik's side, who climb to 12th after their first match since the winter break.
Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will miss Schalke's next six matches after being banned by the German Football Association.
Schalke have confirmed striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will miss the next six Bundesliga matches after being sent off against Hannover on Saturday.
The Netherlands international was sent off with five minutes remaining of their 1-0 victory following a rash challenge on Manuel Schmiedebach.
A straight red card would normally only incur a three-game ban, however Huntelaar's suspension has been extended after confronting referee Sascha Stegemann having been dismissed.
His ban will mean Roberto Di Matteo has to do without the services for crucial league matches with Bayern Munich, Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.
Huntelaar will be able to feature in their UEFA Champions League last-16 tie with Real Madrid, but will not play another league game until mid-March.
Schalke have since confirmed their plans to appeal the decision, with sporting director Horst Heldt explaining in a statement: "Contrary to the supervisory committee's beliefs, we believe this was not a matter of violent conduct.
"That's not something Klaas-Jan would do. The red card was certainly justified, but we consider a six-match ban too severe a punishment. This is why we are appealing."
The Netherlands international has seen his three-match suspension doubled after he confronted the referee over the decision to dismiss him from his side's clash with Hannover
Schalke striker Klaas-Jan Huntelaar will miss the next six Bundesliga matches after being sent off against Hannover on Saturday, but the club have confirmed they will appeal the decision.
The Netherlands international was sent off with five minutes remaining of their 1-0 victory following a rash challenge on Manuel Schmiedebach.
A straight red card would normally only incur a three-game ban, however Huntelaar's suspension has been extended after confronting referee Sascha Stegemann after being dismissed, but the Gelsenkirchen side have said they will look to get the ban reduced.
"Contrary to the Supervisory Committee’s assumptions, we believe this was not a matter of violent conduct," general manager Horst Heldt told the club's official website.
"That’s not something Klaas-Jan would do. Surely, the red card was justified, but we consider a six-match-ban too high a punishment. This is why we are appealing."
Roberto Di Matteo must now do without Huntelaar's services for crucial league matches with Bayern Munich, Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund.
If an appeal is unsuccessful, Huntelaar will be able to feature in their Champions League last-16 tie with Real Madrid, but will not play another league game until mid-March.
"After re-watching the incident, I have to admit the referee was right," Huntelaar told the club website.
"[But] it was definitely not my intention to be derogatory towards the referee. If people see it like that, then I am sorry and would like to apologise to him."
The World Cup winner, Jose Mourinho's first signing in his second spell with the Blues, follows Kevin de Bruyne in swapping Stamford Bridge for the Volkswagen Arena
Wolfsburg have completed the signing of Andre Schurrle from Chelsea, with the Germany international signing a four-and-a-half-year contract with the Bundesliga club.
The World Cup winner started and scored in the Blues' first Premier League match of the season, away to Burnley, but has since found first-team opportunities limited at Stamford Bridge.
Schurrle has made just five starts in the Premier League, scoring three times, most recently in the demolition of Swansea City, and was set to be shunted further down the pecking order by the imminent arrival of Juan Cuadrado from Fiorentina.
With one eye on Financial Fair Play, Chelsea have opted to cash in on the 24-year-old, who joined from Bayer Leverkusen for £18 million in 2013 and was the first signing of Jose Mourinho's second spell at the club.
Schurrle joins a Wolfsburg side who are chasing the title in the Bundesliga, having closed the gap to Bayern Munich to eight points after their 4-1 victory over the reigning champions on Friday evening.
He becomes the second player to leave the west Londoners for Die Wolfe, with Kevin de Bruyne - who struck twice against Bayern - having also been axed by Mourinho in last year's January window.
Granit Xhaka was proud to commit his future to Borussia Monchengladbach after signing a contract extension until 2019.
Borussia Mochengladbach midfielder Granit Xhaka has extended his association with the club by signing a new four-and-a-half-year contract.
The Switzerland international moved to the Bundesliga in 2012 after impressing with Basel, and has gone on to make 85 appearances in all competitions.
Xhaka became a regular in Lucien Favre's side last season, and after overcoming a knee ligament injury, has helped them to third place in the league table.
"I feel comfortable at Borussia and am in my third season here," he said. "Therefore, there was never any doubt that I would extend my contract.
"I'm proud and happy to be able to play for Borussia in the future."
The 22-year-old's new deal also contains an option for Monchengladbach to extend it by a further year should he continue to impress, meaning his stay could run until June 2020.
"Granit has developed hugely in his two-and-a-half-years with us and has become one of the most important players on the team," said sporting director Max Eberl.
"We're excited that we have been able to keep him here for the next few years."
