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The Bayern Munich defender is set to make his first international appearance in three years, while the Borussia Dortmund ace has not featured since 2013
Holger Badstuber and Ilkay Gundogan have returned to the Germany squad for their upcoming matches with Australia and Georgia, much to the delight of Joachim Low.
The pair have both been sidelined with long-term injuries, but have shown promising signs since making their respective comebacks this season.
Badstuber is one of seven defenders in Low's 23-man squad and could make his first international appearance since October 2012 after four knee operations.
Meanwhile, Gundogan has not featured for Germany since August 2013, but has found form again for Borussia Dortmund following a persistent back injury.
"They have had long periods of suffering behind them, fortunately that is now over and I have been impressed with how fast they have returned to high level," said Low.
"It is amazing how they have dealt with their situation. They have worked hard for months and despite some setbacks never lost its optimism.
"It is nice to be able to welcome them again into our circle and we now look to the future with them."
World champions Germany face 2015 AFC Asian Cup winners Australia in a friendly on Wednesday before their Euro 2016 qualifier in Tbilisi four days later.
Germany squad:
Goalkeepers: Manuel Neuer (Bayern Munich), Roman Weidenfeller (Borussia Dortmund), Ron-Robert Zieler (Hannover)
Hamburg 0 Hertha Berlin 1: Langkamp header sends visitors clear of drop zone
20 March 2015 22:58
Hertha Berlin snatched a vital victory in the battle to avoid the drop in the Bundesliga with a 1-0 victory at fellow strugglers Hamburg on Friday.
Sebastian Langkamp's towering header six minutes from time was enough for Pal Dardai's side to come away from the Imtech Arena with all three points, despite the fact they were on the back foot for much of the game.
Langkamp's intervention came just three minutes after Hamburg defender Cleber Reis saw red for a second bookable offence.
Hamburg dominated proceedings almost from first whistle to last, with captain Rafael van der Vaart twice going close to opening the scoring in the first half.
But Hertha hung in and got their rewards when an unmarked Langkamp directed Marvin Plattenhardt's superb free-kick beyond the helpless Rene Adler.
Victory moves Hertha up to 13th and six points clear of the relegation play-off place, while Hamburg could find themselves as low as second bottom by the end of the weekend, should Paderborn and Freiburg both win on Saturday.
Hannover 2 Borussia Dortmund 3: Aubameyang at the double as Klopp´s men get back on track
21 March 2015 17:25
Borussia Dortmund made the most of Leonardo Bittencourt's second-half dismissal to see off Hannover 3-2 at the HDI Arena with the help of Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang's brace.
Goalless draws with Hamburg and Cologne, followed by Wednesday's UEFA Champions League exit at the hands of Juventus, had hampered Dortmund's 2015 revival.
However, Aubameyang's double and a Shinji Kagawa tap-in punished Bittencourt's red card, with the Gabonese striker shaking off any early Dortmund rustiness when he latched onto Marco Reus' pass 19 minutes in to open the scoring.
It was Dortmund's first league goal since February's derby win over Schalke but Hannover were level just after the half-hour through Lars Stindl.
Stindl made the most of strong running from Bittencourt before the former Dortmund man was dismissed early in the second half for two mistimed tackles in quick succession.
Hannover were made to pay when Kagawa tapped home following good work from Jakub Blaszczykowski, with Aubameyang heading home the Japan playmaker's cross to secure the points – Stindl's late stunner doing little to ease pressure on under-fire Hannover coach Tayfun Korkut.
The hosts almost capitalised on a breakdown in communication between Neven Subotic and Roman Weidenfeller eight minutes in as Dortmund started slowly following Wednesday’s European exploits.
However, the game's first moment of quality brought about the opening goal as Blaszczykowski - making his first Bundesliga start since January 2014 - found Reus infield with the help of Sebastian Kehl's dummy.
Reus' clever pass played in Aubameyang, who calmly tucked away his first 11th Bundesliga goal of the season.
Having ended their three-game goalless spell, Dortmund initially looked to grow in confidence but were pegged back when Hannover broke after Blaszczykowski was dispossessed, and Bittencourt cut back for Stindl, who slotted the equaliser past Weidenfeller.
Hannover put Jurgen Klopp's men on the back foot late in the half and Bittencourt should have put them ahead when through on goal, but instead blazed wide.
Mats Hummels was required to clear Joselu's header off the line shortly after the interval before Bittencourt received his marching orders to turn the tide.
Two late challenges on Blaszczykowski and Kehl in the space of six second-half minutes gave Felix Brych no choice but to brandish a red with Dortmund quickly making the numerical advantage count.
Just two minutes later, Kagawa restored the visitors' advantage following good work from Blaszczykowski, before the Japan international turned provider for Aubameyang's diving header on the hour.
After Reus hit the post, Stindl scored his second - a dipping long-range strike nine minutes from time – and while it threatened a comeback, Klopp's side held firm to see out the win and move within five points of the Bundesliga's European spots.
Borussia Dortmund's three-game winless streak has left former defender Ned Zelic doubting whether the club can win the race to qualify for next season's UEFA Europa League.
UEFA Champions League qualification is out of the question for Dortmund, having flirted with relegation during the early stages of the 2014-15 Bundesliga season, but participation in Europe's second-tier club competition remains a slim possibility.
Dortmund find themselves eight points adrift of sixth-placed Augsburg, who occupy the final Europa League spot with nine matches remaining.
However, the momentum generated following four successive league wins has come to a complete halt in recent weeks.
After playing out back-to-back goalless draws against Hamburg and Cologne, Dortmund crashed out of the Champions League at the hands of Juventus 5-1 on aggregate during the week - a competition that offered Jurgen Klopp's men some joy amid their Bundesliga woes.
Zelic, who won the 1994-95 Bundesliga title during his three-year spell with Dortmund, fears Wednesday's 3-0 drubbing at home to Juve could derail their European fading hopes.
"There is a lot of individual quality in the team where you can go on a run and win five or six in a row. But the result against Juventus is demoralising," the 43-year-old Australian told Perform.
"I thought they would go on a run that would get them at least a UEFA Europa League spot because they were doing so well.
"Obviously after the winter break they drew with Leverkusen then they had that disaster against Augsburg at home but they had gone on a really good run, which was killed with these results against Cologne and Hamburg, where they should have got points.
"I was kind of thinking if it would be great if they could at least scrape Europa League but these last couple of results have taken the wind out of it all.
"I hope [the Juventus] result does not kill them mentally because they were so poor."
Borussia Dortmund have endured a disappointing campaign but former defender Ned Zelic has backed coach Jurgen Klopp to remain at Signal Iduna Park beyond the 2014-15 season.
Dortmund have flirted with relegation and face an uphill battle to qualify for Europe next season, while the German side crashed out of the UEFA Champions League last-16 to Juventus during the week, raising doubts over Klopp's future at the club.
Some pundits and fans think it may be time for Klopp - who guided Dortmund to consecutive Bundesliga titles in 2011 and 2012, as well as the 2013 UEFA Champions League final - to take up a fresh challenge elsewhere, with the Premier League looming as a likely destination.
Klopp has been linked with moves to Arsenal, Liverpool and more recently West Ham as Premier League clubs attempt to prise the charismatic 47-year-old away from Germany.
However, Australian Zelic - a Bundesliga winner and UEFA Cup runner-up during his three seasons with Dortmund between 1992 and 1995 - told Perform: "I think he should stay another season. They have had a good run and won a few titles and got to the Champions League final.
"They just got themselves in a situation where they had a few injuries going into the season. Coming off the World Cup as well and then all of a sudden you lose a few games and then you are in a relegation battle.
"There are not many [Dortmund] players with much experience in relegation battles, so you kind of have to adapt to it. It takes a lot of character to get out of it and they have done well.
"When you go through that sort of run, where first you're fighting to get out of those relegation spots and the danger of being relegated, it is mentally exhausting so that is probably a reason why they have struggled the past couple of weeks."
Jurgen Klopp praised Borussia Dortmund for making their numerical advantage pay to beat Hannover 3-2.
With the match level at 1-1 early in the second half, Hannover's former Dortmund midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt was shown a second yellow card, handing the visitors the initiative.
Shinji Kagawa and Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang then netted two quick goals to seal victory for Dortmund - who faced a tense final eight minutes after Lars Stindl pulled a goal back.
"[At half-time] I told my team that it would be cool if we could start to play football, but Hanover were still there on fire," said the head coach.
"But then came the red card, and then we made it great. The second and third goals were great, it would have been nice to get a fourth goal but we did not do it.
"We are now eight points clear [of the relegation zone] and are no longer in the mire."
But Aubameyang - who netted twice - has not given up hope of a top-six finish, and a place in Europe next season.
"There are only a few points now between us and sixth place and qualifying for the Europa League," he said. "We have to keep looking up the table and remain positive.
"Now, it's about taking as many points as possible."
Bundesliga Review: Leverkusen, Dortmund bounce back from Champions League heartbreak
21 March 2015 22:10
Bayer Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund produced immediate responses to their UEFA Champions League exits, claiming Bundesliga victories over Schalke and Hannover respectively on Saturday.
Roger Schmidt's men went to the Veltins Arena on the back of Tuesday's agonising penalties defeat to Atletico Madrid in Europe's elite club competition, but that result seemingly had little effect on their state of mind as thoughts switched back to domestic matters.
Schalke were lively during the early exchanges, with Max Meyer and Leroy Sane looking particularly creative, but the hosts were ultimately made to rue not being clinical enough in front of goal.
Karim Bellarabi fired Leverkusen into the lead with an emphatic finish from a tight angle 10 minutes before the break and, although Jefferson Farfan made his return after almost a year out towards the end, Schalke never found a way past Bernd Leno.
The 1-0 defeat leaves Schalke five points behind fourth-placed Borussia Monchengladbach, who Leverkusen leapt above as a result of their victory.
Dortmund were comprehensively beaten 3-0 at home by Juventus in the Champions League on Wednesday, but got back to winning ways at Hannover, coming away with a 3-2 victory.
Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang put Dortmund ahead in the 19th minute before Hannover were level just after the half-hour through Lars Stindl.
A red card for former Dortmund midfielder Leonardo Bittencourt gave the visitors the upper hand soon after the break and Shinji Kagawa swiftly retook the lead for Jurgen Klopp's men.
Aubameyang then headed home Kagawa's cross to effectively secure the points – Stindl's late stunner doing little to ease pressure on under-fire Hannover coach Tayfun Korkut.
In the race for European places, Augsburg suffered their second successive league defeat and were left six points behind Gladbach, this time losing 2-0 at Freiburg, who moved out of the relegation zone as a result.
Rock-bottom Stuttgart gave their survival hopes a boost with a 3-1 win over Eintracht Frankfurt and fellow strugglers Paderborn drew 0-0 with visitors Hoffenheim.
The day's only other contest saw Werder Bremen leave Cologne with a 1-1 draw in their mid-table clash.
Stuttgart's squad were thrilled to show their "qualities" as they claimed their first win in 10 Bundesliga matches, to move within two points of safety.
The Bundesliga's bottom club came from behind on Saturday to defeat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-1 in Stuttgart, with Daniel Ginczek scoring a second-half brace and Alexandru Maxim completing the turnaround with 10 minutes remaining.
The win was Stuttgart's first in the Bundesliga since they triumphed 1-0 in Hamburg on December 16, and captain Christian Gentner argued his team finally "showed what we're capable of".
"We took our chances, showed our morale and gave it everything. It took one moment to break the dam, then we showed what we're capable of," the midfielder told Stuttgart's website.
"You can see how hard such a losing streak can be mentally, which is why the win was all the more important. The victory puts a bit of pressure on the teams around us, but we're still in a really tough position."
Despite the win, Stuttgart remained last in the Bundesliga standings but rose to 23 points, one behind second-last Paderborn, while Hamburg sit just ahead in 16th on 25.
Freiburg, who occupy 15th position - the lowest spot in the standings to guarantee Bundesliga football for next season - have 25 points as well but are ahead of Hamburg on goal difference.
Eintracht opened the scoring in the 51st minute through Haris Seferovic but Ginczek turned the game around with goals in the 63rd and 66th minutes.
"We had a poor first half, nothing went for us," the 23-year-old striker said.
"From the 60th minute though, you could see what qualities we have going forward."
But Spanish midfielder Oriol Romeu underlined the importance of building on the breakthrough win.
"The main thing is that we won but there's still plenty to do and we haven't achieved anything yet," he said.
Mainz 1 Wolfsburg 1: Hecking´s side suffer continental hangover
22 March 2015 17:42
Wolfsburg suffered something of a continental hangover after they slumped to a 1-1 draw at Mainz in the Bundesliga on Sunday.
Dieter Hecking's men beat Inter 2-1 away from home on Thursday to claim a 5-2 aggregate triumph and reach the last eight of the UEFA Europa League, but they were far from their best as attentions turned back to domestic action.
Second-placed Wolfsburg found themselves with an uphill struggle after just seven minutes, as Niko Bungert rose above Timm Klose to nod Johannes Geis' fine corner delivery beyond Diego Benaglio in the visitors' goal.
The hosts' positive start almost saw their lead doubled a few moments later, though on this occasion Wolfsburg escaped unscathed, as Stefan Bell headed another Geis corner just over.
Geis remained a considerable threat and he struck the crossbar with a powerful drive just before the half-hour mark, as Mainz continued to dictate proceedings.
In response to his side's poor first-half showing, Hecking introduced Vieirinha and Ivan Perisic for Josuha Guilavogui - handed a call-up to the France squad on Sunday - and Sebastian Jung at the break, with those changes making a significant difference.
Mainz were given a warning after an hour, as Luiz Gustavo robbed Julian Baumgartlinger before firing against the post.
But he was not to be denied a minute later, stabbing home from close range after Naldo flicked on a Kevin De Bruyne corner.
There was to be no later winner, though, with Wolfsburg's slim title hopes suffering a blow.
Bayern Munich have revealed Arjen Robben will miss "several weeks" after tearing an abdominal muscle.
Robben caught the eye against Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday, before a collision with Gladbach right-back Tony Jantschke resulted in him hobbling off just 24 minutes in to his comeback from a minor back problem.
It proved to be just the start of Bayern's worries as a Raffael double put them to the sword in a 2-0 defeat at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern still look good for the Bundesliga title, sitting 10 points clear of second-placed Wolfsburg.
But with a two-legged UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Porto to come next month, Pep Guardiola will be desperate for Robben to make a speedy recovery, given his astonishing form this term.
In 20 Bundesliga appearances, the Dutchman has plundered 17 goals, with a further two strikes coming from his seven European outings.
Peter Knabel will take charge of first-team affairs at the Bundesliga strugglers
Joe Zinnbauer has been sacked by Hamburg, just six months after taking charge of the struggling Bundesliga giants.
Director of football Peter Knabel will take charge of the first team until the end of the season.
Zinnbauer, 44, was named boss last September following the departure of Mirko Slomka, earning an impressive 0-0 draw against Bayern Munich in his first game in charge.
But a chastening 8-0 defeat against the reigning champions and league leaders last month began a winless run of six matches that leaves Hamburg third bottom of the Bundesliga with eight games remaining this season.
"Joe Zinnbauer worked from his first day with great passion and maximum commitment," Hamburg chief executive Dietmar Beiersdorfer said in a statement.
"He gave everything for HSV. For this, we thank him.
"However, with our recent results and considering the overall sporting situation we found ourselves in, we are forced to make a change.
"We are convinced that it is the best option for us in this situation. Peter knows the team and the circumstances best, and is able to act immediately."
Zinnbauer’s assistant Patrick Rahmen has also been relieved of his duties.
Guardiola defends Neuer, points finger at attackers
22 March 2015 21:57
Pep Guardiola has absolved Manuel Neuer from blame after his error in Bayern Munich's 2-0 defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach, pointing the finger at his attackers instead.
Neuer inexplicably allowed a Raffael effort squirm over the goalline 30 minutes into the clash at the Allianz Arena on Sunday, a setback from which Bayern never recovered.
That error came just six minutes after the forced withdrawal of the injured Arjen Robben and the Bundesliga's runaway leaders lacked fluency in the final third without their Dutch star.
Raffael doubled his tally 13 minutes from time, handing Bayern their first Bundesliga home defeat since April 2014, but it was the champions' attackers who drew the ire of Guardiola, not Neuer.
He told reporters: "We didn't lose due to Manu, but because we had problems in attack.
"It's the Bundesliga and people think it's always easy, but I know how difficult it is.
"We'll analyse the game and after the international break we'll get back to winning ways."
Neuer himself was also quick to lament Bayern's ineffectiveness in attack, acknowledging that the hosts did not deserve anything due to the simple fact that they failed to craft any clear-cut opportunities.
"Gladbach were very good and defended excellently," the goalkeeper added. "We didn't create any genuine chances. That wasn't good enough.
"Obviously we wanted to do much better and we've missed a chance because Wolfsburg dropped points [in a 1-1 draw at Mainz] today.
"But it won't darken our mood. We know what we're aiming for this season. We'll look to the future and we're optimistic."
The Germany international failed to hide his frustration with his side's surprise defeat and acknowledged he was partially to blame
Manuel Neuer feels Bayern Munich were simply not good enough in their 2-0 Bundesliga defeat to Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday.
Goals from Raffael either side of half-time saw Pep Guardiola's men leave the Allianz Arena empty handed and Neuer was quick to acknowledge Bayern did not deserve a good result.
"We didn’t create any genuine chances. That wasn’t good enough," Neuer told the official Bayern website.
"Gladbach were very good and defended excellently.
"Obviously we wanted to do much better and we’ve missed a chance because Wolfsburg dropped points.
"But it won’t darken our mood. We know what we’re aiming for this season. We’ll look to the future and we’re optimistic."
Neuer was at fault for Gladbach's opening goal and the Germany international admitted he should have done better on Raffael's strike.
"It was the first shot on target from Gladbach. I wanted to catch it and hold on to it. I just should have played it safe and palmed it away."
Neuer has kept 16 clean sheets in 25 Bundesliga appearances so far this term.
The German Football Association (DFB) has hit Wolfsburg with a €6,000 fine for the actions of certain supporters in their match at Hannover on December 6.
Flares and smoke bombs were let off in the away end at the HDI Arena before kick-off in the Bundesliga encounter.
The DFB has taken a dim view of the incident and opted to sanction the club.
Wolfsburg, who won the contest 3-1, sit second in the Bundesliga 10 points adrift of leaders Bayern Munich.
Zidane part of seven-man coaching party spending time at Bayern
23 March 2015 21:58
Zinedine Zidane is one of a group of seven French coaches spending time at Bayern Munich this week getting a unique behind-the-scenes insight at the Bundesliga champions.
Zidane is currently in charge of the Real Madrid Castilla side and has been mooted as a possible long-term replacement for Carlo Ancelotti at Santiago Bernabeu.
The Real legend has been joined by former Bayern defender Willy Sagnol, Bernard Diomede, Claude Makelele, Claude Le Roy, Franck Thivillier and Guy Lacombe on a three-day visit to Bavaria.
The party will watch training sessions planned for Tuesday and Wednesday at Bayern, who are 10 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga and facing a UEFA Champions League quarter-final against Porto.
Kevin De Bruyne's form for Wolfsburg this season has seen him linked with the likes of Manchester City and Manchester United, but team-mate Marcel Schafer hopes he remains in the Bundesliga.
De Bruyne has racked up 14 goals and 21 assists in all competitions this term, with Wolfsburg sitting second in Germany's top flight and in the quarter-finals of the UEFA Europa League.
Such figures have led to speculation that a number of leading European clubs are considering a move for the Belgian, with City and United both reportedly keen to take the former Chelsea man back to England.
But Schafer thinks the 23-year-old is happy at Wolfsburg.
"I think that our chances [of keeping De Bruyne] are really good," he said.
"He has already experienced not getting so much time on the field at Chelsea, which is top club in Europe.
"And that is why I think the best thing for him would be to stay for minimum one more year at Wolfsburg.
"Next year he could play Champions League here and win titles with us.
"If you want to win titles you need extraordinary players. And you really have to say that Kevin De Bruyne is at the moment the best player in the Bundesliga not only because of his stats.
"You can see that in every single game. And we're really, really happy to have him and to keep him till the next season or maybe a little bit longer."
The centre-back was pleased with his side's 3-2 win over Hannover on Saturday and is determined to make up ground on the teams above them in the table
Neven Subotic is hopeful that Borussia Dortmund can catch the sides battling for Europe after their 3-2 win against Hannover on Saturday.
Jurgen Klopp's men have turned their season around following a dreadful start to the Bundesliga campaign and now sit 10th in the table - five points behind the European qualifying spots.
A win against Hannover on Saturday helped Dortmund continue their recent revival, with Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang bagging a double at the Niedersachsenstadion, while Shinji Kagawa also scored.
Despite conceding twice to a side for whom Leonardo Bittencourt was sent off for two bookings in the second half, Subotic admitted Dortmund were happy to use the momentum from the win to chase sixth-place Augsburg.
"We were able to pull away a bit today from the teams below. Now we want to go for the place above us," he said after the 3-2 victory.
"We really wanted to take advantage after they went down to ten men and so made it 3-1. We also threatened a fourth, which would have been important for us, but again, we let an opponent come back into the game.
"Although they did well, we gifted them too many chances. We had a different idea of how to play against ten men, but we couldn't quite put it into practice on the field.
"Either way, the win is deserved. We had the better chances."
Schalke fans overwhelm Farfan after injury lay-off
25 March 2015
Schalke winger Jefferson Farfan claimed he was overwhelmed by the reception he received from fans when he ended what was effectively a year-long injury hiatus at the weekend.
Apart from five minutes off the bench against Eintracht Frankfurt on April 11, 2014, Farfan was out of action for almost 13 months with a knee injury until he was subbed on in Schalke's 1-0 loss to Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
Farfan made his first appearance this term when he replaced Max Meyer at the Veltins Arena, and the Peru international conceded it was an intense moment for him mentally.
"I was a bit nervous, which is probably normal after being sidelined for so long," Farfan told Schalke's website.
"The reception I received when I came onto the pitch was overwhelming. I quickly relaxed as I got into the game.
"I'm really pleased to finally be back on the pitch."
The 30-year-old injured his knee against Basel in the UEFA Champions League in October 2013, and missed the next four Bundesliga matches.
After returning against Werder Bremen on November 9, 2013, he played 12 straight league games, but following Schalke's 5-1 loss at Bayern Munich on March 1, 2014, he played just five minutes before Saturday's fixture.
The veteran's cameo against Frankfurt last term included a goal in a 2-0 triumph, while he also sat on the bench in Schalke's final game of the 2013-14 season against Nuremberg but saw no action.
Farfan was full of praise for Schalke's fans, when asked what he missed the most during his time on the sidelines.
"I really missed the atmosphere in the stadium with our amazing fans and obviously not being able to train or play with the ball," he said.
Hannover captain Lars Stindl has agreed a deal to join Bundesliga rivals Borussia Monchengladbach at the end of the season.
Midfielder Stindl has agreed a five-year deal at Borussia Park, having impressed again for Hannover in what has been a difficult season, which sees the club sit 14th in the table.
The 26-year-old - who took his league tally for the season to six with a brace against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday - is to leave the HDI Arena in June.
"After five years in the jersey of Hannover, after the season I want to break new ground," Stindl wrote on Twitter.
"At Borussia I would like to take the next step in my development."
Stindl may well find himself playing UEFA Champions League football next term, with third-place Monchengladbach challenging for a European spot.
Following Sunday's win over champions Bayern Munich, Lucien Favre's side enjoy a two-point cushion from Bayer Leverkusen in fourth.
While Borussia Dortmund versus Bayern Munich does not constitute the title six-pointer it has done in recent years, Sven Bender is confident his side can provide a stern test for the Bundesliga leaders.
Jurgen Klopp's side have struggled this term, with a recent revival enough to take them 10th going into the international break.
Bayern, meanwhile, look on course for a third straight championship - leading Wolfsburg by 10 points after Pep Guardiola's side were beaten by Borussia Monchengladbach at the weekend.
Despite the pair not being title rivals this term, the presence of former Dortmund players Mario Gotze and Robert Lewandowski at Signal Iduna Park next weekend will likely add spice to the occasion.
"I have contact with Mario, we're texting sometimes. But ahead of such a game there's no more contact than usual," explained Bender.
"Of course, it's not the same situation like it was in last years where we were really close in the standings.
"I think we found our strength again. We have a good defence again and are playing successfully again. We always showed in the past that we could keep pace with them and even win.
"Everyone is looking forward to that special task. Maybe some may underestimate us and say we're not at their best level at the moment.
"It would be nice if we could show them that we're still a top team and can always surprise."
Bender returned from a long-term knee injury recently, with his comeback coinciding with an upturn in Dortmund's fortunes.
"I wasn't able to do anything only for two weeks. After that I could start with the rehab," the Germany international added.
"All in all, it was four weeks and after that I felt really good. Of course, after this the rhythm was missing a little bit but I felt good and I am feeling good right now.
"Since my return I made every training session and I'm in top condition. Although I need the international break to train and work every day to get the final tuning that is still missing."
