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Aubameyang: Dortmund less predictable without Lewandowski
By Mark Doyle
Aug 3, 2014 20:51:00
The Gabon international does not believe that Jurgen Klopp's side will miss the Pole as he feels that the club have signed two very good players in Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos
Pierre-Emerick Aubamayeng believes Borussia Dortmund have become "more flexible and less predictable" due to the departure of Robert Lewandowski.
The Poland international was the Bundesliga's top scorer last season and his decision to leave BVB following the expiration of his contract this summer to join rivals Bayern Munich on a free transfer is being widely viewed as a hammer blow for Jurgen Klopp's side.
However, Aubamayeng feels that the loss of Lewandowski could actually work in favour of Dortmund, who have added both Ciro Immobile and Adrian Ramos to their attacking arsenal.
"We have lost a great player," the Gabon international told Rurh Nachrichten. "But we have got Ciro and Adrian - two very good players.
"I believe that we have become more flexible and less predictable. It could well be an advantage."
Certainly, Aubamayeng believes that Klopp's willingness to play two up front this season will bring the best out of him.
"It is an advantage for me when we play 4-4-2 because I grew up with this system," the striker reasoned.
"I am, of course, willing to play anywhere and in any system. But I hope that I will score 20 goals. I have done it [at former club] Saint-Etienne. Perhaps I can score even more."
Aubamayeng admitted, though, that he will have to play with greater consistency than he did during their 2013-14 campaign.
"I'm not happy with the second half of the season, especially with the conclusion of the season," he confessed.
"I'll want to play at a high level with greater continuity. I want to play more of a part in our build-up.
"I have improved in front of goal but I must also continue to evolve if I'm to play as an out-and-out forward.
"I must still improve in situations where I have my back to goal.
"I hope that we win a title and that, for me, personally, I play a lot, contribute more goals and more assists."
Aubameyang struck 13 times in the Bundesliga last term and set up four goals.
Neuer always wanted to revolutionise goalkeeping, says former youth coach
Aug 4, 2014 09:00:00
Veteran Schalke coach Lothar Matuschak has explained how his old pupil always had his eye on altering the perception of how a goalkeeper should play
EXCLUSIVE
By Hassan Talib Haji
Goal 50 star Manuel Neuer had plans to revolutionise the art of goalkeeping from a very young age, his former youth coach at Schalke has revealed.
Bayern Munich's Neuer finished 22nd in our annual list of the 50 greatest players of the past season and earned worldwide acclaim for his ground-breaking performances as Germany won the World Cup.
The shot stopper grabbed fans' attention by repeatedly coming off his line to act as sweeper-keeper and his old goalkeeping youth coach at Schalke, Lothar Matuschak, has explained that Neuer always wanted to be innovative - even before he had reached his teenage years.
"Even when he was very young Manuel cared about more than just saving shots," Matuschak told Goal.
"As a result, he has taken the style of play for a goalkeeper onto a new level. He is not only a keeper, but also also a player involved in his team's build-up play.
"He has extraordinary skills on his line and inside the penalty area. He is the whole package. I am very happy his performances are being appreciated.“
Matuschak is regarded as something of a Schalke legend, having joined the club in 1995 as goalkeeping coach. His focus since then has been primarily on developing young keepers, bringing through many other Bundesliga No.1s such as Christian Wetklo, Mohamed Amsif, Christofer Heimeroth and Ralf Fahrmann.
But Neuer is his most famous pupil, a goalkeeper who Schalke were very close to releasing as a 12-year-old before Matuschak convinced the club's management to retain him.
Guardiola: I'm not trying to turn Bayern Munich into Barcelona
By Mark Doyle
Aug 5, 2014 18:19:00
The Catalan coach has denied attempting to force his players at the Allianz Arena to adapt to his footballing philosophy, insisting that he is not married to a set system or style
Pep Guardiola has dismissed the suggestion that he is trying to transform Bayern Munich into a German version of his all-conquering Barcelona side.
The Catalan coach won three Liga titles, two Champions Leagues, two World Club Cups and two Copa del Reys during his four-year spell at Camp Nou between 2008 and 2012, utilising a brand of possessional football that revolutionised the game.
However, even though Guardiola won a domestic double in his first season at Bayern, he was heavily criticised after their Champions League semi-final elimination at the hands of Real Madrid for allegedly attempting to implement tiki-taka at the Allianz Arena - a charge he flatly denies.
"I have to adapt to my players, I can't play like I want," the former Spain international told reporters on his club's pre-season tour of America.
"Of course, I have an idea, but I have to know when we talk about the tactics first of all we have to talk about the skills of our players.
"We can't talk about the tactics without the skills of my players; that is the most important thing: to analyse their talent, their mentality and after to make an agreement together so in that way it is the best for the team and for these players.
"I have to persuade them how is the best to play our football, but I have to adapt because I'm not here to change their mentality.
"I'm not here to change the culture of Bayern Munich or the German mentality and I have to learn to adapt to each other and in the same way to look forward."
Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's repeated comments over the winger's contract details have not gone down well with their arch-rivals
Borussia Dortmund CEO Hans-Joachim Watzke has vented his fury at Bayern Munich for discussing the future of Marco Reus in public.
Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has commented on the winger's contract in particular in recent weeks and hinted that Bayern are taking their time about making a move for the Germany international earlier this month.
Subsequently, Rummenigge claimed that Reus will have a €25 million release clause should the club make a move in 2015, compared to the €35m clause he has this summer.
Dortmund have understandably reacted with annoyance that their star player is being repeatedly touted by the Bundesliga champions.
Bayern have poached Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski off them in the past two summers, and Watzke criticised the Bavarians for their transfer talk.
"Borussia Dortmund must note with a certain annoyance that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is currently bad-mouthing BVB's internal affairs through the media in the three-day rhythm," the BVB chief said in a statement on the club's website.
"We are sure that, for every football fan, it is obvious what the intention is behind such statements.
"We assume that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge accepts that he is further damaging the already tense relationship between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
"We will continue as we always have, of course, by never giving out our views on contract details of our players publicly."
The midfielder admits it was personally very tough to watch Germany triumph from the sidelines and says he will discuss a new Dortmund contract when he returns to action
Ilkay Gundogan admits he found it tough to watch Germany's World Cup triumph this summer while continuing his recovery from injury.
The 23-year-old has not managed a minute of competitive football since suffering a back injury in Germany's friendly match with Paraguay in August of last year.
The Borussia Dortmund star watched from the sidelines as Joachim Low's side lifted the world title in July following their win over Argentina, and he concedes it was painful to have missed out on the tournament.
"On one hand, it was incredible for those guys. On the other, it was personally bad situation. You know what you could possibly have been doing, possibly been called a world champion," he told Bild.
"In such stupid ways are dreams shattered. Dreams you had as a child are broken - at least, for now."
Gundogan said in the spring his target was to return to action in the early part of the new Bundesliga season, but he claims it would be unwise to set a date for his recovery as he continues light fitness work during pre-season.
"It would be irresponsible to mention a date. Of course I am eager to get back into training. After the operation, we said I hoped to be back playing again in the autumn," he continued.
"I haven't thought about a break in my career. Of course, I wondered if I would ever get back to the form I was in."
The midfielder, who scored in the Champions League final in 2013, also plans to discuss a possible new deal with Dortmund after signing an extension back in April.
"The [previous] contract was only for a year and a half. BVB wanted certainty, so as soon as I'm fit and well, we will sit down and talk about another extension and the future," he added.
Newly-signed Bayer Leverkusen defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos felt he had no choice but to leave Schalke after falling out of favour with their coach Jens Keller.
Thursday 7th August 2014
The Greek defender joined Leverkusen on a season-long loan deal earlier this week and says his motivation to leave Gelsenkirchen was to play more regularly.
Injury had sidelined the 22-year-old for a year, but he saw no chance of breaking into the Royal Blues' team this season, even now he is fit again.
"I didn't have any problem with (Keller), but he just didn't have any faith in me," Papadopoulos told Kicker magazine.
"That's why I'm here now. I don't know why I was never given another chance at Schalke."
Papadopoulos now hopes to revive his career in Leverkusen, starting by helping them into the Champions League group stage via the play-offs.
He also wants to demonstrate how his move was a step up and not down.
"Of course we can finish higher than Schalke," he said.
Borussia Dortmund's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke has criticised Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge for repeatedly interfering with his own club's affairs.
Bayern Munich's CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge
Wednesday 6th August 2014
Rummenigge on Wednesday told Sport Bild magazine that Marco Reus is a "very good player" who "everybody knows will be available for 25 million euros" next summer.
Although Rummenigge also said he did not want to "strain" his club's relationship with Dortmund, Watzke has taken a dim view of his comments.
"Borussia Dortmund are rather annoyed that Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is currently saying something about Dortmund issues at a rate of every three days," Watzke said on his club's website.
"We are sure that it is quite clear to anybody interested in football what his intentions are with such remarks.
"Karl-Heinz Rummenigge knows full well that his behaviour is only going to further damage the already tense relationship between Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.
"We, as employers, are naturally going to continue to stick to our principles in future and not reveal any details of our employees' contracts in public."
Bayern have previously upset Dortmund by activating a release clause in the contract of Mario Gotze a year ago and signing Robert Lewandowski from the Westphalians on a free transfer this summer.
The goalkeeper will sign his contract on Friday to seal his transfer from Liverpool after completing health checks on Thursday
Pepe Reina is set to complete his move to Bayern Munich on Friday after passing a medical on Thursday.
The Bundesliga champions agreed a fee with Liverpool for the Spain goalkeeper earlier this week and he has come through the necessary medical checks.
Reina is now poised to move to the Allianz Arena to link up with head coach Pep Guardiola, with whom he played during his time at Barcelona, after Bayern confirmed via Twitter that he will sign his contract tomorrow.
Reina joined Liverpool in July 2005 and won the FA and League Cup during his time at Anfield.
However, he spent last term on loan at Serie A outfit Napoli and, with Simon Mignolet established as first choice at the Merseyside club, his chances of regular football under Brendan Rodgers appeared bleak.
Reina is expected to be the understudy to Bayern's regular No.1 Manuel Neuer at the Allianz Arena.
The Spain international, who spent the 2013-14 campaign on loan to Napoli, will battle with Manuel Neuer for a place in the Bavarians' starting XI
Bayern Munich have completed the signing of goalkeeper Pepe Reina on a three-year deal from Liverpool.
The 31-year-old passed a medical with the Bundesliga champions on Thursday and has now finalised his switch to the Allianz Arena.
Reina will likely become the back-up to Germany international Manuel Neuer as Pep Guardiola's men aim to retain the German top-flight crown and regain the Champions League following defeat to Real Madrid in the semi-finals last season.
The transfer ends Reina's nine-year association with Liverpool, with whom he won the FA Cup, League Cup and Uefa Super Cup.
Reina made 394 appearances for the Merseyside club, but was loaned out to Napoli last season after Liverpool signed Belgium international Simon Mignolet from Sunderland.
That move saw Reina reunited with the coach who signed him for Liverpool in Rafael Benitez and the pair again enjoyed success together as Napoli won the Coppa Italia and finished third in Serie A.
He will now link up with another old colleague in Guardiola, who he played with during his spell at Barcelona.
Reina becomes Bayern's fourth acquisition of the close-season, following Robert Lewandowski, Sebastian Rode and Juan Bernat to the club.
Bayern start the new campaign against Borussia Dortmund in the DFL Supercup on August 13, before beginning their title defence by welcoming Wolfsburg to Bavaria in two weeks' time.
The Bundesliga champions are not too concerned by the midfielder's ankle problem and expect him to be back shortly
Bayern Munich have made it clear that Bastian Schweinsteiger's ankle injury is nothing to be concerned about.
The German champions went down 2-1 to an MLS All-Stars outfit on Wednesday, despite taking the lead through a stunning strike from new signing Robert Lewandowski.
Bayern coach Pep Guardiola was unimpressed with the over-zealous nature of some of the All-Stars' challenges, and the Spaniard refused to shake the hand of opposite number Caleb Porter immediately after the final whistle.
Schweinsteiger, only introduced as a substitute for Juan Bernat with 10 minutes to go, picked up an ankle problem but a message on the club's official Twitter account calmed any fears of any serious injury.
"Update on @BSchweinsteiger: He has a bruised ankle but nothing serious," it read. "Get well soon, Basti!"
Bayern return to competitive action next week when they take on Borussia Dortmund in the German Super Cup at the home of their opponents.
Official: Guilavogui joins Wolfsburg on loan from Atletico
Aug 8, 2014 19:50:00
The 23-year-old has struggled for first-team football under Diego Simeone and is now set to spend two seasons with the Bundesliga outfit
Wolfsburg have bolstered their midfield options with the signing of Josuha Guilavogui on a two-year loan from Atletico Madrid.
France international Guilavogui becomes the Bundesliga outfit's fourth acquisition of the transfer window.
The 23-year-old follows midfielders Aaron Hunt and Mateusz Klich and right-back Sebastian Jung to the Volkswagen Arena as Wolfsburg aim to build on last season's finish of fifth with strong performances in the Bundesliga and Europa League.
Signed from Saint-Etienne in September last year, Guilavogui has been unable to break into the first team with Spanish champions Atleti.
Guilavogui made only seven appearances in all competitions before being loaned back to Saint-Etienne in January, helping Christophe Galtier's men to a top-four finish in Ligue 1.
But Wolfsburg are confident that Guilavogui, who has five France caps to his name and was linked with Arsenal prior to his move last summer, will be able to improve Dieter Hecking's side.
General manager Klaus Allofs told the club's official website: "We are very pleased to strengthen our squad with a young player with great potential.
"Josuha Guilavogui already has international experience and will play his part in helping the team move forward in their development."
Hecking added: "He is a midfielder who can be used in the defensive area. I'm sure that Josuha Guilavogui will fit in quickly and help the team."
Klopp: Rich rivals make Dortmund look like Punch-and-Judy
By Mark Doyle
Aug 9, 2014 18:21:00
The 47-year-old coach says that even though BVB always lose their top players to richer clubs every summer, they will continue to challenge for silverware
Jurgen Klopp says that while Borussia Dortmund are still being bullied by their rivals like a character from a Punch-and-Judy show, they remain football's great overachievers.
BVB have established themselves as one of the top teams in Europe over the past four years, winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles before reaching the Champions League final in 2013, they continue to lose their best players to supposedly bigger clubs every summer.
This year they have seen ace striker Robert Lewandowski depart for Bayern Munich, just 12 months after Mario Gotze swapped Signal Iduna Park for the Allianz Arena, but Klopp says that despite their lack of financial muscle, Dortmund will never shy away from taking on the game's heavyweights.
"We are not mere penny-pinchers, but compared to the big names, we are just a Punch-and-Judy show (puppet theatre)," the 47-year-old coach told BVB talk show 'Brinkhoffs Ballgefluster'.
"We are the only top team in the world which loses its best players regularly but still fights for numerous titles.
"But the next final we are going to play I want to win. And I'm not talking about the Supercup.
"If every player is ready, something big can happen. From the first day [of the new season] on we want to be an opponent against whom it will be bloody hard to play."
The Brazilian suffered has expressed his devastation at suffering ankle ligament damage in training at the Allianz Arena on Saturday
Bayern Munich have been rocked by the news that defender Rafinha is facing a lengthy spell on the sidelines.
The Brazilian suffered ligament damage to his left ankle in training on Saturday and is devastated that he will miss the start of the 2014-15 season.
"I'm very disappointed," Rafinha is quoted as saying by his club's official website.
"I had a really good preparation, and now this. I am very sad."
Rafinha was expected to be sold last summer but went on to establish himself as a first-team regular under new coach Pep Guardiola.
The 28-year-old's injury is therefore a major blow for the Bavarians, but the German champions do, at least, have the option of restoring Philipp Lahm to his more familiar role of right-back, with the World Cup winner having been often utilised as a defensive midfielder during the 2013-14 season.
The centre-back has been continually linked with Manchester United but Jurgen Klopp has issued a statement of intent by handing the defender the armband ahead of the new season
Mats Hummels has been named Borussia Dortmund captain as the club attempt to put an end to persistent rumours over a summer move to Manchester United.
The 25-year-old defender wasn't involved as BVB fell to a shock 4-0 friendly defeat to Liverpool at Anfield on Sunday, just three days before facing Bayern Munich in the German Supercup.
Dortmund attempted to lift some of the post-match gloom by announcing the news of Hummels' appointment via their official Twitter account after the match.
"Mats Hummels will be the new captain of Borussia Dortmund. Marco Reus and Roman Weidenfeller will be the alternatives."
Sebastian Kehl had previously been BVB's leader, but his advancing years and reduced playing time saw the midfielder step down from the role.
In a recent statement he said: "This important task has filled me with fun and pride. It makes sense now to pass the baton.
"For I have now the opportunity to be my successor with advice and practical help and support with the experience gained. I like to have completed this task, but now the time is right."
The 55-year-old has helped transform the club from the brink of insolvency in 2005 to one of Europe's strongest sides over the past two years
Borussia Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke has agreed a three-year contract extension with the Bundesliga giants.
Watzke's previous deal was due to expire in December 2016, but he has now penned fresh terms until 2019.
The 55-year-old originally worked together with Dortmund president Reinhard Rauball to help save the club from insolvency in 2005.
Since then, Dortmund have won the Bundesliga twice, the DFB-Pokal in 2012 and reached the final of the Champions League in 2013.
Watzke told the club's official website: "We maintain a trusting relationship at BVB.
"Borussia Dortmund has developed economically [and is] one of the healthiest representatives of European football at the top level.
"I am convinced that we are not yet at the end of our journey and I would like to contribute to this fantastic club in the future."
Rauball added: "Hans-Joachim Watzke has done outstanding work in the past few years. He was an architect of the recent past of BVB, is a builder of the present and will now operate sustainably the development of this great club."
Dante: I would accept Pep picking Badstuber over me
Stefan Coerts
Aug 11, 2014 09:44:40
The Brazilian is adamant that he will not sulk if he loses his starting berth to the Germany international following his team-mate's return form injury
Bayern Munich defender Dante has claimed he is not concerned about possibly losing his starting berth to Holger Badstuber, insisting that he will accept it if Pep Guardiola decides to drop him in favour of the fit-again centre-back.
Badstuber recently returned to action after a lengthy spell on the sidelines due to two serious knee injuries and Dante is happy that his team-mate has at last shaken off his injury problems at last rather than worried about his own starting berth.
"It's not about what Dante wants, believe me. I am happy so long as Bayern win, regardless of whether I'm playing. The team's success is all that matters," Dante told Kicker.
"I am really happy that Badstuber is back again, not just as a rival for the centre-back position, but also as a person. It's fantastic to make a comeback after such a long time out.
"I am here to help him and if the coach were to decide that he's the one who will start, then I will wish him all the best in the world."
The Brazil international then went on to discuss the upcoming German Supercup game against Borussia Dortmund and stressed that Bayern will do their utmost to win.
"Matches against Dortmund are always important. We should take a final like this seriously. The fans expect nothing else from us. Dortmund have a great team, so we will definitely not take this game lightly."
Bayern meet Dortmund at the Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday.
The Spaniard has dismissed reports in German media that his rehabilitation from a knee injury is taking longer than anticipated due to a botched operation
Bayern Munich midfielder Thiago Alcantara has publicly denied reports that he has suffered a setback in his recovery from injury.
The Spain international missed the World Cup after rupturing a knee ligament in May as he was building up his fitness following a previous and unrelated knee problem picked upin March.
Thiago, though, has rejected reports in the German media that a botched operation means he will not return until at least October and insisted that his rehabilitation is going as planned.
"There is no setback!" the former Barcelona man wrote on his Twitter in response to the rumours in the German press.
"I'll continue to work hard every day to get my knee back to being strong, and it will take as long as I expected it to."
Bayern kick off their 2014-15 campaign with a DFL-Supercup showdown with Borussia Dortmund at Signal Iduna Park on Wednesday, hoping to avenge their defeat in last season's meeting between the two great rivals.
The Spain midfielder suffered a suspected anterior cruciate knee ligament injury, which could rule him out for much of the season
Pep Guardiola fears Javi Martinez will be out for a considerable length of time after suffering a serious looking knee injury in Bayern Munich's 2-0 DFL Supercup defeat to Borussia Dortmund.
His attempt at an acrobatic volley during the first half saw his leg connect with Marcel Schmelzer in awkward fashion, resulting in him being stretchered from the field.
Guardiola, who claimed to only have a handful of fully fit players before the game, was pessimistic in his assessment of the problem.
"The bad news is the injury to Javi Martinez," he said. "He was in good shape.
"We'll know what he's got tomorrow [Thursday]. But I think that he will be out for a long time."
Guardiola selected a mixture of first-team stars and inexperienced youngsters, with many players still recovering from a gruelling World Cup campaign with Germany.
One of those was Philipp Lahm, who was introduced at half-time for Thomas Muller, and the 30-year-old conceded it had been a tough task with so many regulars either unavailable or not at 100 per cent.
"We were missing a lot of players and we're still finding our feet in pre-season," he said. "It was difficult."
