Bayern 2-0 Eintracht Braunschweig

Bayern maintained their extraordinary winning run with a workmanlike 2–0 victory over promoted Eintracht Braunschweig in Saturday afternoon’s 14th Bundesliga fixture of the season. The result means Pep Guardiola’s side maintain their lead in the standings, and have now not lost in the league for 39 games in a row.

The 71,000 capacity crowd at the Allianz Arena saw Arjen Robben claim the man of the match honours. The Dutch ace struck a first-half brace for the treble winners, who remain a tidy four points clear of Bayer Leverkusen and seven ahead of Borussia Dortmund in the table. Guardiola’s men are next in action on Wednesday in the challenging DFB Cup trip to Bavarian rivals FC Augsburg.

Grand Gathering - Der Klassiker 23 Nov 2013

Taking nothing for granted

A few weeks prior to the mid-season break, the injury roster at Bayern is long. Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribéry, Xherdan Shaqiri, Claudio Pizarro and Holger Badstuber are all unavailable to boss Pep Guardiola as he ponders his selection for the home Bundesliga meeting with Eintracht Braunschweig on Saturday (Live in English from 3.30 pm on Twitter and FCB.tv Web Radio). Nevertheless, the treble winners are still looking to cement their grip on first place by taking all three points against the bottom club.

“I’m optimistic. Provided we stay hungry and keep playing attractive football we’ll be heading in the right direction,” said Mario Götze after the midweek Champions League victory over CSKA Moscow. However, despite the obvious gulf between the teams at the top and bottom of the standings, the league leaders have no intention of falling victim to complacency. “We have to be careful,” warned Arjen Robben, aware of the ever-present risk of underestimating the underdogs.

Records continue to tumble

No matter where FC Bayern play these days, a record seems to be broken and the Champions League is no exception. The 3-1 victory over CSKA Moscow marked Bayern’s tenth Champions League win in a row, setting a new benchmark. Barcelona had been top of the charts, winning nine matches in succession in 2002/03. On top of that, Bayern have set new club records by winning all five Champions League games so far, and extending their CL winning streak away from home to six straight. 

10 consecutive win

Bayern melakar rekod baru liga juara juara dengan 10 kemenangan berturut turut 

Bayern Munich is the first team to win 10 consecutive Champions League matches. 

Bayern 2-0 Juventus (QF 2012/13)

Juventus 0-2 Bayern (QF 2012/13)

Barcelona 0-3 Bayern (SF 2012/13)

Bayern 4-0 Barcelona (SF 2012/13)

Bayern 2-1 Dortmund (F 2012/13)

Bayern 3-0 CSKA (GRP 2013/14)

Manchester C 1-3 Bayern (GRP 2013/14)

Bayern 5-0 Plzen (GRP 2013/14)

Plzen 0-1 Bayern (GRP 2013/14)

CSKA 1-3 Bayern (GRP 2013/14)

Super Bayern ! Super Bayern !

Hey ! Hey !

Robben demands ‘focused performance'

The Reds go into the game having already qualified for the Round of 16. The priority now is to secure top position in the group. A win in Moscow alone cannot secure first place, as Manchester City would have to fail to beat Plzen, who are rooted to the bottom of the group without any points. The more likely scenario is that the match between Bayern and Manchester City in December will determine the winners of the group. However, victory against CSKA would put the Germans in an “amazing position,” as Uli Hoeneß said. Lahm added: ”We want to win, and we want to top the group.”

CSKA will do their best to stop Bayern. The Russians, who are fourth in their domestic league, have won their last four competitive matches and can secure the Europa League spot as third in the Champions League group with a win against Bayern. “Playing in Moscow in the Champions League is never easy,” Robben said. “We have to give a focused performance.”

According to club president Hoeneß, Guardiola's team cannot take the game “lightly,” but he also trusts the Bayern stars: ”The team has shown they perform well under pressure and when they’re favourites.” Guardiola reckons the game against Moscow will be a “question of our mental strength,” after the exhausting match against Dortmund, especially as CSKA are always “hard to play” in November. The Bayern coach is without Mario Mandzukic, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribéry, Xherdan Shaqiri, Claudio Pizarro and Diego Contento, all due to injuries.

Guardiola knows his team will have to perform “super, super well” if they are to wake up on Thursday morning knowing the three points are safely in the bag. The omens are hardly the best after a turbulent journey, but this is no excuse. “We have a lot of confidence!” Robben declared.

Bayern’s memories of Moscow

Clashes between Bayern and Russian teams normally end well for the Germans. In 15 matches the treble winners have only lost twice, winning seven times (including the first leg against CSKA). Six games ended without a winner. On Russian soil the Reds have only lost once, in the UEFA Cup semi-final against Zenit St. Petersburg in 2008 (4-0). However, Bayern’s memories of Moscow are happy ones. On their way to winning the UEFA Cup in 1996 (5-0 against Lokomotive Moscow) and the Champions League in 2001 (3-0 against Spartak Moscow), Bayern showed that the Russian winter need by no bar to success. Claudio Pizarro was in the squad in 2001, but will be missing the latest battle due to injury. 

Pep Guardiola about the game against Dortmund

We are happy because we beat the best team at counterattacks in the world. We knew we had to control the first touches of Robert Lewandowski and Henrikh Mkhitaryan. If you let them run, they’re unstoppable. Our first 15 minutes were good, the next 30 not so much. In the second half with Thiago Alcantara, Götze, Philipp Lahm and Toni Kroos, we played very well.

- Pep Guardiola about the game against Dortmund

Der Klassiker

Most Memorable Der Klassiker Matches

Bayern have played Dortmund 88 times so far in the Bundesliga’s 50-year history. FCB clearly lead the head-to-head comparison on 38 wins to BVB’s 22, with 28 drawn games. The men from Munich have scored a total of 164 goals and conceded 111 in the series, with many of the clashes deservedly earning a place in the annals of the league’s most memorable games. fcbayern.de has delved into the archives and selected the most memorable meetings between Bayern and Dortmund.

Bayern v Dortmund – action and incident guaranteed

9 September 1967: Libuda’s big day
The 40,000 crowd at Dortmund’s Rote Erde Stadium were entertained royally. Gustav Jung handed Bayern the lead on his Bundesliga debut, but Lothar Emmerich struck twice to turn the game on its head. However, Jung scored again and Dieter Brenninger hit another to make it 3-2 to the Reds at half-time. It was a different story in the second half as Dortmund winger Stan Libuda moved to centre stage. Libuda set up a total of four goals with Rudi Assauer, Emmerich and Reinhold Wosab netting three times in the space of five minutes. Libuda personally made the final score 6-3 in the last minute.

27 November 1971: Biggest winning margin
The match at Grünwalder Stadium produced no fewer than 12 goals, and 11 of them were for FC Bayern! Gerd Müller hit four, Uli Hoeneß and Bulle Roth each claimed a brace, and Franz Beckenbauer, Paul Breitner and Willi Hoffmann all added their names to the scoresheet. In the midst of the rain of goals, Dieter Weinkauff netted Dortmund’s consolation. The 11-1 triumph remains Bayern biggest-ever Bundesliga victory. FCB scored 101 goals that season and won the title, but Dortmund were relegated.

21 May 1983: Frenzied goal action
After succeeding Pal Csernai four days earlier, former assistant coach Reinhard Saftig took charge of FCB for the first time. It was Matchday 32 and there was little at stake, with Bayern set to finish fourth and Dortmund seventh, but the interim coach’s debut was a thriller. Dieter Hoeneß, Udo Horsmann and Klaus Augenthaler handed Munich the lead three times at the Westfalenstadion, but BVB levelled it up three times through Marcel Raducanu (2) and Manfred Burgsmüller. Then Erdal Keser scored to edge Dortmund into the lead, but not for long: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored in the same minute of play to restore the deadlock. The last three goals fell in just three minutes and it finished 4-4.

9 August 1986: An infamous miss
The opening match in 1986/87 would normally not have gone down in Bundesliga history. It finished 2-2 at the Olympiastadion with Roland Wohlfarth and Lothar Matthäus on target for FC Bayern and Daniel Simmens and Michael Zorc scoring equalisers. However, with the score 1-1, the game produced one of the most infamous moments in league history: Frank Mill, playing his first league match for Dortmund, rounded Bayern keeper Jean-Marie Pfaff and made to slot home, only to hit the post from three yards out! Mill laid on his side’s second equaliser, but it was scant consolation.

3 April 1999: Kung-fu Kahn
Ottmar Hitzfeld coached Bayern away to his former club for the first time. FCB comfortably led the league, but it was a typically turbulent game at the Westfalenstadion. Heiko Herrlich struck a brace in the first half hour to put BVB 2-0 up, and Bayern’s Sammy Kuffour was later sent off. But Dortmund’s Stefan Reuter was also given his marching orders early in the second half, and Alexander Zickler and Carsten Jancker struck to make it 2-2. However, Oliver Kahn was the centre of attention afterwards - not only because he saved a Lars Ricken penalty near the end, but due to two bizarre pieces of behaviour late on: first he nibbled at Herrlich’s jaw, and later indulged in a spot of kung fu against Stephane Chapuisat.

4 November 2000: Goals galore
The 62,000 crowd at the Olympiastadion saw one of the highest-scoring games between Bayern and Dortmund. Heiko Herrlich handed the visitors, coached by Matthias Sammer, a second-minute lead but Bayern struck back with venom: Hasan Salihamidzic and Mehmet Scholl both scored twice, with Giovane Elber and Paulo Sergio also on target in a 6-2 victory. Otto Addo netted Dortmund’s second, but BVB defender Jörg Heinrich was sent off.

7 April 2001: Card confetti
The reverse fixture that season produced far fewer goals, and in any case the strikes traded by Roque Santa Cruz and Fredi Bobic proved just a sideshow, because the top of the table clash between leaders Bayern and second-placed Dortmund goes down in history for a different reason: no game before or since has featured as many yellow and red cards! Referee Hartmut Strampe showed a total of 11 yellow cards, and also sent off Bixente Lizarazu, Stefan Effenberg and Evanilson.

9 November 2002: Koller at both ends
Champions Dortmund visited leaders Bayern, and it was another high-octane encounter with three yellow cards and two sendings off, for BVB’s Thorsten Frings and Jens Lehmann. Not unexpectedly it was a dour, hard-fought clash, with Jan Koller handing the visitors a first-half lead. Roque Santa Cruz and Claudio Pizarro turned it around in the second half, and it could have been a bigger win but for Koller. The striker went in goal after Lehmann was sent off in the 67th minute, because the visitors had already used all their substitutes. FCB could not find a way past Koller, who even won a place in kicker magazine’s team of the day - as a goalkeeper.

13 April 2008: In-form FCB
Three days after the famous Miracle of Getafe Bayern showed no signs of a hangover from the dramatic 120-minute UEFA cup quarter-final return. The 69,000 at the Allianz Arena saw a gala display from the Bundesliga leaders as goals from Luca Toni (2), Lukas Podolski, Zé Roberto and Andreas Ottl made the final score 5-0. In an ironic twist, the teams met again a week later in the DFB cup final, although it was a much closer affair in Berlin. FCB won it 2-1 after extra time thanks to another Toni brace.

12 September 2009: Müller explodes onto the scene
Bayern’s biggest-ever win away to Dortmund was an ultimately one-sided affair. BVB matched their opponents for 20 minutes or so and Mats Hummels even opened the scoring, but Mario Gomez equalised before half-time. In the second half Bastian Schweinsteiger, Franck Ribéry and substitute Thomas Müller with his first two Bundesliga goals made the final score 5-1. Müller has been a Bayern regular ever since.

26 February 2011: End of an era
Dortmund travelled to the Allianz Arena with a comfortable lead in the league, and won in Munich for the first time in 19 years. In a pulsating encounter, Luiz Gustavo cancelled out Dortmund’s lead through Lucas Barrios, but Nuri Sahin and Mats Hummels sealed BVB’s 3-1 victory.

Der Klassiker 1982/83

One of the Classic Match "Der Klassiker" between Bayern Munchen and Dortmund.
Season of 1982/83 

21 May 1983: Frenzied goal action
After succeeding Pal Csernai four days earlier, former assistant coach Reinhard Saftig took charge of FCB for the first time. It was Matchday 32 and there was little at stake, with Bayern set to finish fourth and Dortmund seventh, but the interim coach’s debut was a thriller. Dieter Hoeneß, Udo Horsmann and Klaus Augenthaler handed Munich the lead three times at the Westfalenstadion, but BVB levelled it up three times through Marcel Raducanu (2) and Manfred Burgsmüller. Then Erdal Keser scored to edge Dortmund into the lead, but not for long: Karl-Heinz Rummenigge scored in the same minute of play to restore the deadlock. The last three goals fell in just three minutes and it finished 4-4.

Lahm and Neuer resume training in Säbener Strasse

Winter is slowly but surely drawing in at the Säbener Strasse facility. Manuel Neuer and Philipp Lahm, who returned from Germany international duty on Sunday and completed individual workouts yesterday, were no exception in their choice of kit when they rejoined their club colleagues.

When the Germans face England in a prestige friendly on Tuesday night, Neuer and Lahm will be watching on TV. “It was all arranged with the national coach,” said Lahm. “Obviously it’s always good to play at Wembley because we have great memories of the stadium.” Nevertheless, the versatile defender said he was “glad to have a couple of days at home.” And, added Lahm, the regeneration training of the last couple of days has done “a great deal of good.”

Munich Trip 2012

By M. Irwan Jamaluddin on Friday, April 27, 2012 at 5:03pm

Date
16-May - 22-May 2012 

Budget
1) Flight = RM3000-RM3500
2) Land transportation = RM300 - RM400
3) Lodging = RM500 - RM600
4) Food = RM300 - RM400
5) Misc / Emergency = RM300
6) Others (gift/merchandise etc) = on your own
-------------------------------------------------
Total = RM4400 -  5200

Activity
Day 1 (16-May): Depart from KL
Day 2 (17-May): Arrive in Munich
day 3 (18-May): Free & leisure
Day 4 (19-May): Match day
Day 5 (20-May): Free & leisure
Day 6 (21-May): Go back to KL
Day 7 (22-May): Arrive in KL 

Things To Bring From Malaysia
1) Jalur Gemilang (Malaysia flag)
2) Some snacks (If you're on tight budget, bring as much as possible)
3) Wet tissue, normal tissue
4) International traveling adapter/charger set
5) A pair of sneaker & sandal
6) Suitable clothes (including Bayern trikot)
7) Hardcopy (I suggest make it 2 copies) of flight/lodging itenary, maps etc
8) Panadol, vitamin etc
9) Pen/Pencil & notepad (sounds unimportant until u really need it)
10) More to come

Things To Be Activated/Checked
1) Malaysia passport - make sure it's valid <6 months before expiration
2) Oversea travel clearance (check at http://sspi2.imi.gov.my/)
3) Phone roaming
4) Credit card (allow transaction in oversea + extend credit limit if needed)
5) Oversea travel insurance 

Disclaimer
 This is just a guideline/framework, it's not mandatory.

Der Klassiker

Get ready guy for this coming Saturday for Der Klassiker game.

Lokasi gathering di Restoran AMS Smart, Bandar Sri Damansara

Keep Calm

Good Prospects For Schweinsteiger Recovery

The icing on the cake of a very satisfactory annual general meeting two days ago was the news of Bastian Schweinsteiger’s successful ankle surgery. “Bastian has just texted Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. The operation’s gone very well,” FCB president Uli Hoeneß announced shortly before the end of the event. “It’s all looking a lot better than we feared.”

Surgeons Prof Ulrich Stöckle and Prof Hans Zwipp have now issued a firm prognosis for the player’s recovery. The medics are confident Schweinsteiger will be fully fit again by the time of the winter training camp in early January at the latest.

Schweinsteiger underwent corrective surgery on Wednesday to fix long-term and persistent problems with his right ankle. During the operation, surgeons removed extra-articular (located away from the ankle joint itself) ossification caused by a previous round of surgery.

Lahm and Neuer Return to Munich

Philipp Lahm and Manuel Neuer have returned early from international duty. On Saturday, the day after Germany’s 1–1 draw with Italy in Milan, the Bayern pair returned to Munich while the rest of the German squad travelled on to England prior to Tuesday’s friendly at Wembley. “The game against England is our last opportunity to try out a few tactical and line-up variations before the World Cup,” commented national coach Joachim Löw, explaining why he was declining to field his captain and first-choice goalkeeper in London. “The important thing at the moment is for me to try out other players in key positions and give them a decent chance against a great team like England.“

new record turnover of €432.8 million

Away from the field of play, the club announced new record turnover of €432.8 million, and the third-highest profit in club history at €14 million. “FC Bayern is in robust good health, squared,”  jested Rummenigge, reflecting on a “flood of records” at the current time. “We’re continuing to play first-class, successful and sometimes spectacular football.” Perhaps, when the club gathers again at the Audi Dome a year from now, the stage might even be a little more crowded.

Greatest-Ever Year

Trophies at the front of the hall are always an important component of Bayern’s closely observed Annual General Meeting. Last year there were none – but the 2013 gathering was blessed with no fewer than four major trophies. Karl-Heinz Rummenigge feels there is room for another: “Pep, we have an assignment for you,” declared the chairman, looking forward to the Club World Cup in December. “I hope you can fulfil it. We could make space up here on the stage.” The 3,573 members in the Audi Dome laughed, Guardiola grinned - and returned his gaze to the glittering array of prizes.

“We’ve all been through an unbelievable year,” continued Rummenigge, “it’s probably the most extraordinary and wonderful time ever in the 113-year history of FC Bayern. It can never have been better to be a fan of this football club.“ Even the great team of the 70s never won the treble, Rummenigge noted.

“You won’t believe how proud I am of this club,” added Hoeneß. The club’s image and reputation has soared around the world, so it is no accident that FCB are preparing to open a New York office, possibly followed by a branch in Shanghai. The meeting repeatedly responded enthusiastically to mentions of the previous season, with personal acclaim for Hoeneß and last season’s treble-winning coach Jupp Heynckes.

Bayern Star

Arjen Robben (Netherlands)versus Japan on Saturday (in Genk)
versus Colombia on Tuesday (in Amsterdam)

Dante (Brazil)versus Honduras on Saturday (in Miami)
versus Chile on Tuesday (in Toronto)

Javi Martínez (Spain)versus Equatorial Guinea on Saturday (in Malabo)
versus South Africa on Tuesday (in Johannesburg)

David Alaba (Austria)versus USA on Tuesday (in Vienna)

Daniel van Buyten ( Belgium)versus Colombia on Thursday (in Brussels)
versus Japan on Tuesday (in Brussels)


Training in Munich: Tom Starke, Thiago, Rafinha, Jan Kirchhoff, Mitchell Weiser, Diego Contento

Injury roster: Bastian Schweinsteiger, Xherdan Shaqiri, Claudio Pizarro, Holger Badstuber

Hermann Gerland’s birthday congratulations

Dear Philipp,

I still remember very well seeing you play for the first time as a 17-year-old. It was the U-19 championship final in summer 2001 in Leverkusen – and not two months later you played for me for the first time with the reserves in Burghausen. You always trained really well and played really well. I think in the two years you played for me I only once had to say this: “Philipp! If you make a slide tackle you have to get the ball!“ Otherwise you never played a team-mate into trouble with a bad pass. You always read the game brilliantly. You were always a clean tackler. You were even very good in the air! I remember this: in a game against Stuttgarter Kickers they actually had to man-mark you! Our opponents ordered their left-back to mark our right-back - unbelievable!

I enjoyed coaching you and watching you play. But it was clear to me it would have been a personal catastrophe for you if you’d been forced to play another season in the third division - even though I knew training sessions wouldn’t be as good without you. In the second to last Bundesliga fixture of 2002/03, Stuttgart visited Munich and I spoke to Felix Magath. “I’ve got a lad for you,” I said, “he looks as though he’s 15, but he plays like a 30-year-old.“ Everyone knows how your fantastic career unfolded after that.

It would have been a big surprise to me if you hadn’t gone on to have a great career. You’ve been blessed with lots of talent by the good Lord, combined with outstanding willingness to perform. Even in the early days there were no criticisms. Great work rate! An outstanding footballer! Versatile! Error-free! And you’ve never been a bad lad away from the field. You don’t get silly ideas. Nowadays I enjoy the fact that your coaches - all of them including Louis van Gaal, Jupp Heynckes and now Pep Guardiola - think the same of you as I thought back then.

I’m still amazed at how you’re able to play at the very highest level in 50 matches out of 55. And you’ve always been pretty decent in the other five. You’ve been doing that for a decade, which is phenomenal!

The treble triumph a couple of months ago pleased me most for players like you, who’ve been outstanding for FC Bayern for ten years now. Winning the league with a total of more than 90 points, winning the Cup and the Champions League, beating the best team in the world at that point 7–0 in the course of two games, beating Juventus 4-0 – an outstanding achievement with an outstanding captain!

You’ve won almost everything there is to win with your club. It would be nice if you could go on and win a couple of trophies with the national team. That’s what I’m wishing you on your 30th birthday! And that you stay with Bayern for another five or six years! Even though you’re 30, you’ve still got a long way to go until you’re 40. Dear Philipp, every good wish and all the very best to you and your family!

Hermann

Reaction from Ribery

Franck Ribéry: “The goal was good for the team and for me. We did well, we were aggressive and played better than we have done recently. The game in Dortmund is a very important one. It's a massive chance. We have to keep it up now. We need to keep working and winning, and extending the record.”

Bayern smashed league record in style

Yet another record fell to super Bayern on Saturday as the champions’ 3-0 victory over Bavarian rivals FC Augsburg means Pep Guardiola’s side are now unbeaten in an unprecedented 37 Bundesliga matches. Even better, Dortmund’s defeat away to Wolfsburg means the treble winners stretch their lead at the top of the standings to four points with a third of the season gone.

The ecstatic 71,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw the treble winners set off at a whirlwind pace and take an early lead through Jerome Boateng. On-fire Franck Ribery doubled the advantage with a superb free-kick on 42 minutes, after which the dominant men in red did what was necessary to bank three more points and a tenth win of the season, sealed with the last kick of the match from the penalty spot by sub Thomas Müller.

Quite apart from smashing Hamburg’s 30-year-old record for the longest unbeaten streak, the assured victory sees Bayern move onto 32 points from 12 matches and extend their lead over Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen at the top of the standings to four points. Following the last international break of the calendar year, the Bavarians are back in action on Saturday 23 November in the mouth-watering clash away to closest rivals BVB.

Bayern 3-0 Augsburg

Get ready: Bayern vs Augsburg

Jangan lupa saksikan perlawanan ke 12 Bundesliga

FC Bayern Munchen menentang FC Augsburg di Alianz Arena.

Waktu Malaysia 

Hari Sabtu 09.112013 - 10:30 malam

Astro Channel 817

It's derby time at the Allianz Arena in Munich on Saturday when Bayern entertain FC Augsburg. The clubs are located only 70 or so kilometres apart on the Autobahn, but FCB are the team in the fast lane. The treble winners have not lost to a Bavarian rival for almost seven years since February 2007 – not to Augsburg, not to Nürnberg, not to Fürth, Regensburg, Ingolstadt, Burghausen, or 1860 München. All in all, the men from the state capital are unbeaten in the last 24 derbies in the Bundesliga and DFB Cup without defeat. The plan is to extend that streak on Saturday, which would also signify an extraordinary new Bundesliga record of 37 consecutive matches without defeat. But before any celebrations, Munich face 90 minutes of toil and effort.

“We have to play well. If we do, we have a very good chance of winning,” Pep Guardiola intoned on the eve of the match. The coach said he was optimistic about Saturday. “I’m sure we’ll play well tomorrow.”

Surgery for Bastian Schweinsteiger

Bayern Munich’s Germany international Bastian Schweinsteiger (29), who underwent ankle surgery at the end of last season, requires a further operation.

“In the course of medical check-ups in recent weeks we have diagnosed progressive post-operative ossification in the area around Bastian Schweinsteiger’s right ankle,“ commented FC Bayern Chief Medical Officer Dr. Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt. “This is causing tendonitis due to mechanical stress.“

Despite intensive conservative treatment it has been impossible to alleviate the condition satisfactorily. The player can no longer participate in training or matches. Surgery will be performed shortly.

“I’ve repeatedly felt severe pain over the last few weeks,” acknowledged Bastian Schweinsteiger. “I tried my best to keep going, but I’ve now come to a point where an operation can no longer be avoided. After the op, I hope I’ll be able to play again completely free of pain.“

Pro deals for Alessandro Schöpf and Julian Green,

Alessandro Schöpf and Julian Green, two of the most promising youth products at the club and currently starring for the FC Bayern II reserve team, have been offered professional terms with FCB.

Midfielder Alessandro Schöpf (19), a junior international for Austria, has signed pro forms dated through 30 June 2016.

Striker Julian Green (18), a Germany U-19 international and currently top scorer in the fourth-tier Bavarian Regional League, has inked a pro contract through to 30 June 2017.

“Alessandro and Julian are two huge talents who have what it takes to make it in the professional game,” commented board member for sport Matthias Sammer. “We’re delighted these junior internationals have committed to FC Bayern. In turn, the professional contracts are the reward for their ambition and excellent performances in our second team.”

I LOVE BAYERN

Neuer Reaction Against Viktoria Plzen

Manuel Neuer: “We didn’t start well. Against opponents like these, it’s important to get the ball out wide, let the ball do the work, camp out in their half, and then get behind the defence and put in our crosses. The goal came from a good cross, and it was a great finish by Mandzu. The record is great, but we were looking for a better performance.“

Sammer: Our will to win

“It astounds me every time when the team shows the desire to win games like this, even when it’s occasionally not going so well,” enthused board member for sport Matthias Sammer. “Our results are very, very good,” he continued, while acknowledging there were areas “where we still have some work to do. But as before, we’re in a process of development and need to keep growing together.“

The Reds are not short of match opportunities to further the process, as a string of important Bundesliga matches is now on the horizon. The first of them is the Bavarian derby with FC Augsburg at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, a match Guardiola warned will be “another difficult game.” However, on current form, Bayern are capable of coming up with effective solutions to even the toughest problems.

Reaction to Viktoria Plzen v Bayern

Pep Guardiola: “We knew it wouldn’t be possible for the game to go as well as it did in Munich. All matches in the Champions League are dangerous. Plzen are a very, very good team. And if you lose 5-0 like Plzen did, you’re even more focused in the next match because you’re determined to do better. We spoke about all this beforehand. We played very well in the second half and created plenty of chances. I’m very, very happy we’ve equalled this record, and I hope we can extend it in Moscow. I’m grateful to Jupp. He’s made a bigger contribution to the record than I have.“

Philipp Lahm: “As quickly as possible, we have to make sure we don’t sleep through the early stages like we’ve been doing recently. We keep letting our opponents believe they can take something from the match. We beat Plzen 5-0 at the Allianz Arena, so it’s possible we were a bit more relaxed about tonight’s match, but we can’t be letting that happen! This is the Champions League! That aside, we can be pleased because we have a perfect record of 12 points from four matches.“

Remain Top and Equalled Record

We wanted to remain top of the standings, and we’ve succeeded. And we’ve equalled a record most people thought would stand for all time. We’ll see if we can extend it over the coming weeks.

- Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Plzen 0-1 Bayern

A much-improved second-half display saw Bayern overcome a determined Viktoria Plzen side on Tuesday night and equal Barcelona’s record of nine straight Champions League wins dating from 2002-3. Mario Mandzukic scored the decisive goal as Pep Guardiola’s side made it four wins from four in Europe so far and sealed their place in the last sixteen with two games to spare.

The record-equalling win sees Bayern safely through to the knockout stages with the maximum 12 points from four Group D matches, ensuring the holders can finish no lower than second in the section. FCB are almost certain to be joined in the Round of 16 by Manchester City, comfortable winners over CSKA Moscow in the parallel fixture. The men from Munich return to Bundesliga action on Saturday in the Bavarian derby at home to FC Augsburg.

Comparison Invincibles Record

Fighting spirit and tenacity

“Fortunately this team has the quality to come back from setbacks like this,” observed Rummenigge, as Pep Guardiola’s men equalised just five minutes later when Mario Mandzukic took his total for the season to eight. “We were able to put the score right immediately,” remarked club captain Philipp Lahm. After a spell of increasing FCB pressure in the second half, Thomas Müller put away the winning goal with 15 minutes remaining against what Lahm described as “good and dangerous opponents.”

“We came back well after falling behind, we showed plenty of morale, we were tenacious and we battled away,” reasoned Neuer. A second workmanlike victory within a week was also to Lahm’s liking: “We had to work very hard indeed after conceding the opening goal, and it’s good to see the team is capable of hard work. But we still dominated for long spells, we had the better of the chances, and we ultimately deserved the win.”

Coach Guardiola was less satisfied. “We had a little bit of luck today. It wasn’t our best performance, but we’ve won. Not everything was perfect, and we’ll need to correct the way we’re playing,” declared the Spaniard as he looked ahead to forthcoming meetings with Viktoria Plzen on Tuesday and Augsburg next Saturday. “But if we’re to finish as champions, we have to improve. And we will improve,” Guardiola concluded.

Bayern Primed for Champions League Clash in Plzen

Bayern have set off for Plzen and their appointment with Czech champions Viktoria on Tuesday night with the same squad that contested Saturday’s Bundesliga meeting with Hoffenheim. Head coach Pep Guardiola has named 18 players for the Champions League clash on Matchday 4 of the group stage in Europe’s elite club competition. As on Saturday, Arjen Robben has been omitted from the party and will remain in Munich to continue working on an individual training programme.

However, even in the absence of the Dutch winger, the German champions are aiming for victory: “The only thing that matters to us in Plzen are the three points,” declared club captain Philipp Lahm. A fourth win in four matches would see the Champions League holders definitely through to the knockout stages. “We’re top of the group with nine points after three matches, and we’ll try and qualify with two games to spare so we can continue to focus a little more closely on the Bundesliga,” stated Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.