Matchday 31 : Eintracht Frankfurt 1 : 1 Bayern Munich

Bayern suffered a setback in their pursuit of a Champions League qualifying spot on Saturday, as Andries Jonker’s second game in charge ended in a 1-1 draw away to Eintracht Frankfurt, although it could have been worse in a hard-fought and generally enthralling match, as Mario Gomez’s equaliser came with just a minute of the regular 90 to go.

The 51,500 full house at the Commerzbank Arena saw the visitors dominate an incident-filled first-half without creating the clear-cut opportunities which would have provided a deserved half-time lead. Gomez so nearly opened the scoring with the first chance after the restart, but the first goal instead fell to Sebastian Rode as the strugglers took a shock lead.

Munich angrily penned the home side back into their final third after that, but FCB were denied a stonewall penalty after the match officials failed to spot Ricardo Clark’s handball in the box, although justice was ultimately done a minute from time when Gomez converted a spot-kick after a foul on Luiz Gustavo.

The disappointing draw means the champions slip back to fourth in the Bundesliga on 56 points from 31 matches, one behind stubborn rivals Hannover and eight off second-placed Leverkusen, both of whom won their weekend fixtures. The Bavarians resume their pursuit of a Champions League qualifying berth next Saturday afternoon when Schalke are the visitors to the Allianz Arena.

Jonker made one enforced change to the side which thumped Leverkusen 5-1 last weekend. Diego Contento, a first-half sub for Danijel Pranjic in the Bayer clash, replaced the injured Croat in Saturday’s starting line-up, but with Arjen Robben serving out a two-match ban, it was otherwise a case of as you were.

Jörg Butt kept goal, with Daniel van Buyten, Luiz Gustavo and skipper Philipp Lahm in defence, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and Bastian Schweinsteiger in twin holding roles, Thomas Müller and Franck Ribery out wide, and Miroslav Klose in behind centre-forward Gomez.

Once referee Dr Joachim Drees whistled play underway on another glorious afternoon in this year’s beautiful German spring, the sides set about each other with vigour, although the visitors posed much the greater threat in an entertaining first period.

Butt had trouble dealing with Martin Fenin’s early cross, only for former FCB reserve Patrick Ochs to waste the opening with a poor first touch. The play switched to the other end, where Klose wrestled control of a bouncing ball and set up Ribery, the Frenchman’s shot smacking off Eintracht keeper Ralf Fährmann and away to safety.

Müller came up inches short of connecting with a Ribery pass and Klose had a shot blocked, before Müller himself twisted and turned past makeshift right-back Benjamin Köhler, only for Marco Russ and Rode to smother the danger.

The lively Müller was thwarted again after a good run and Gomez fired over the bar, before Halil Altintop – his twin brother Hamit was missing for Bayern with injury – and Eintracht’s leading scorer Theofanis Gekas both aimed too high at the other end.

Butt showed great composure to collect a deflected cross from directly under his crossbar and then beat out a swerving Fenin drive, but Christoph Daum’s men were certainly the happier with the goalless scoreline at half-time.

The opener almost came with the first move after the restart, Fährmann spectacularly blocking from Gomez as the FCB man shaped to blast home, but the first goal of the game ultimately fell at the wrong end from a Bayern point of view, Rode arrowing a drive past Butt after the Munich defence failed to deal with Fenin’s 53rd-minute free-kick.

Fährmann saved Müller’s near-post effort, and the Germany international might have had a penalty after a clumsy challenge by USA international Clark, before Ochs, Contento and Schweinsteiger all saw yellow cards as tempers flared following a foul on the Eintracht man.

Toni Kroos replaced Tymoshchuk for the last 20 minutes or so, but Van Buyten powered a free-kick over the bar, and fortunately for the visitors, Gekas did the same at the other end with a free header at the back stick. Fährmann got down smartly to a long-range Ribery belter, and safely gathered a dangerous centre by the Frenchman, before Gomez broke free but saw his shot deflected into the side-netting.

There was a mighty let-off for FCB with nine minutes to go when Gekas utterly miskicked two yards from an empty net after fine work from Sebastian Jung, but Jonker’s men were then denied a clear penalty when Clark handled the ball in the box under pressure from Müller.

Munich kept up the pressure, but Fährmann pushed a Gomez drive over the bar, before Bayern were finally awarded the spot-kick they should have had earlier when Fenin crashed into Gustavo in the box two minutes from time. Gomez coolly converted to level the scores, and came within a whisker of a second in a frantic period of stoppage time, before Jonker and Co had to settle for an ultimately unsatisfactory draw.

Bayern Munich and Adidas extend Contract till 2020

With a 50-year association already under their belts, Bayern and adidas have opened a new chapter in their long-term partnership. On Tuesday, Germany’s most successful club and the world-leading sports equipment manufacturer announced an extension of their partnership through to 2020. “We’re delighted that the decades-long partnership between FC Bayern and adidas, which has always been characterised by mutual trust and respect, will continue for a further period of at least eight years,” commented Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, “there is no better partner than adidas.”

“I’m delighted and proud,” said Herbert Hainer, chairman of the adidas Group, which is also a stakeholder in FC Bayern München AG. adidas has partnered with the club for 50 years, continued Hainer, the deputy chairman of the FC Bayern München AG supervisory board, describing an association of this length as “unique in football. It is founded on trust and mutual support. I’m delighted we’re adding another chapter to this 50-year success story.”

Beyond a business relationship

“These have been 50 years of trust and it has grown into a partnership between friends,” observed Rummenigge, noting that relations between Bayern and adidas go far beyond a conventional sponsorship arrangement. “It's more than just a business relationship,” agreed Uli Hoeneß, “there is a powerful bond, and friendships have been formed too. You can always talk to adidas and Herbert Hainer. That's my understanding of a true partnership, and that’s what it’s genuinely been in practice.”

FC Bayern deputy chairman Karl Hopfner spoke of the “mutually beneficial” nature of the association: “This partnership is by no means one-way.” The club has never contemplated a change in equipment supplier, reported Rummenigge, who has learned to value adidas enormously since joining Bayern in 1974. “adidas knows what it has with FC Bayern, we know what we have with adidas.” The partners will continue their joint effort until 2020 - “at the very least,” as Rummenigge said.

Bayern unveil new 2010/11 Home Kit

In keeping with the powerful sense of a fresh start at the club, and after a season without silverware in 2010/11, Bayern will seek to recapture past glories next term in an all-new, red and gold home kit. The strip, unveiled on Tuesday at the Allianz Arena, perfectly symbolises the Reds’ quest for a new golden era.

“I really like the shirt. I think it’s a wonderful combination of Bayern’s terrific red, together with gold, which represents success,” commented club president Uli Hoeneß at the launch of the new jerseys. “The job now is to lay the foundations for a season worthy of the shirt.”

“The shirt is very, very classy, and a perfect fit with Bayern,” said club captain Philipp Lahm. Replica kit goes on sale from 13 May, and will be premiered a day later in the last fixture of the season at home to VfB Stuttgart. “In my personal opinion, the new home shirt is one of the best Bayern will ever have worn. We’re all looking forward to it,” added chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.


Bastian Schweinsteiger joined in the chorus of praise for the new design: “adidas have already provided us with many great shirts, but I reckon this one’s way out in front.” Looking ahead to the new campaign, the Germany international voiced hopes of “a golden season. That would be very appropriate.”

The player said he would have to think carefully before the customary swapping of shirts at the end of a game. “I don’t think I’ll be doing it very often. And if I do, it’ll have to be the big-name players,” Schweinsteiger grinned.

True to the club’s motto Mia san Mia (We are who we are), the kit strongly symbolises unity and togetherness. The shirt boasts a number of special design elements, such as the sloganMia san Miawoven into the collar in a classic font. The outside of the collar features the word Rekordmeister(record-holding league champions).

Subtle stripes are the centrepiece of the overall design, in homage to the Münchner Kindl, the figure depicted on the city of Munich’s coat of arms. The shorts and socks are dark red, with flair and style added by the golden stripes and detailing.

Facts from 4 to 1,035,000 from Bayer Leverkusen Clash

3 - Mario Gomez shot at goal three times – and scored a hat-trick, taking him to the top of the Bundesliga scoring chart.

4 - Bayern have benefited from four own goals this term, more than any other team in the league. Leverkusen skipper Simon Rolfes was the unlucky man on Saturday.

4 - Gomez now has four hat-tricks for Bayern, although Sunday’s triple strike against Leverkusen was the first ‘pure’ hat-trick – three goals in one half with no goal by any other player in between – in his Bundesliga career.

15 - Bayern have now scored at least once in their last 15 league fixtures, the longest such streak in the Bundesliga.

21.5 - Bayer Leverkusen have not won a league game in Munich for 21 and a half years. Back in October 1989, an FCB side coached by Jupp Heynckes fell 1-0. Since then, the fixture has produced 19 home wins and five draws.

41 - Bayern controlled only 41 percent of the possession, their lowest figure of the season.

57 - Philipp Lahm was the ‘busiest’ Munich player with 57 touches of the ball. Leverkusen’s best player, Stefan Reinartz, scored almost twice as many with 107 touches.

66 - Bayern now have 66 goals in the Bundesliga, more even than leaders Dortmund.

85 - Daniel van Buyten topped the tackling stats by winning 85 percent of his challenges.

100 - Bayern have played 100 league games at the Allianz Arena since it opened in summer 2005. The record: 72 wins, 19 draws and only nine defeats.

103 - FCB now have 103 goals in competitive fixtures this season.

381 - Munich keeper Jörg Butt is up to 381 Bundesliga appearances, making him the most experienced player currently at the club.

1,035,000 - As of Sunday, more than a million customers have attended matches at the Allianz Arena this term. Munich’s last 146 home and away league matches have been played to sell-out crowds.

Match Day 30 : Bayern Munich 5 : 1 Bayer Levekusen

Uli Hoeneß predicted an explosion from Bayern this weekend, and the Andries Jonker era at the club duly opened with a mighty bang, Mario Gomez blasting a first-half hat-trick to set Munich on their way to a crushing victory over dismal Bayer Leverkusen.

The 69,000 full house at the Allianz Arena saw Bastian Schweinsteiger hand his side a dream start with a seventh-minute header which cannoned off Bayer skipper Simon Rolfes on its way into the net. Gomez exploited some calamitous defending to double the lead on the half-hour, and smacked two more goals past the abject visitors before half-time.

Eren Derdiyok pulled one back on the hour as FCB’s concentration briefly faltered, but Franck Ribery restored the four-goal advantage 15 minutes from time, and it could even have been more as the men in red wrapped up a supremely comfortable and heartening win.

Bayern’s tenth victory in their last 13 Bundesliga meetings with Bayer, combined with Hannover’s goalless draw away to Hamburg on Saturday, means the champions are back up to third in the Bundesliga on 55 points from 29 matches, one ahead of Hannover and six behind second-placed Leverkusen. The Bavarians continue their league quest away to struggling Eintracht Frankfurt next Saturday afternoon.


Jonker’s first line-up showed four changes compared to the 1-1 draw with Nürnberg last week, as the new boss turned to experience for the run-in. Ex-Leverkusen stalwart Jörg Butt took over from Thomas Kraft in goal, with Daniel van Buyten, Anatoliy Tymoshchuk and Miroslav Klose in for Toni Kroos and suspended pair Arjen Robben and Holger Badstuber.

Skipper Philipp Lahm, Luiz Gustavo and Danijel Pranjic lined up alongside Van Buyten in the back four, with Schweinsteiger and Franck Ribery declared fit to start in midfield. Thomas Müller and Mario Gomez completed the line-up, with Klose slated for the slot in the hole behind Gomez.

Current Bayer supremo and future FCB boss Jupp Heynckes sent out a relatively defensive 4-5-1 formation, although lone striker Derdiyok was supported by counter-attacking specialists Sidney Sam, Renato Augusto and former FCB man Michael Ballack.

Just seven minutes after referee Manuel Gräfe whistled the match underway on a glorious Bavarian spring afternoon, the home side had the start they wanted when Schweinsteiger flicked Ribery’s near-post corner towards goal, the ball smacking off Rolfes’ face and over the line.

It was an encouragingly lively opening from FCB, but the flow was interrupted after a quarter-hour when Pranjic pulled up with a strained hamstring, Diego Contento coming on in his place. The visitors began to see more of the ball and Butt had to look lively as Sam closed in, but Munich continued to show the greater focus and doubled their advantage with 28 minutes played.

The goal was netted by Gomez but created by Müller’s determination and neat pass, although the Germany man was aided and abetted by an appalling howler from Arturo Vidal, whose suicidal attempt at a back-heel in his own box invited and received suitable punishment.

The home side comfortably controlled the play without over-exerting themselves after that, but left the visitors reeling with a deadly burst in the dying minutes of the first half. Gomez completed a 17-minute hat-trick to move onto 21 goals for the season, first turning in Müller’s 44th-minute cross after a fine burst from defence by Van Buyten, and then arrowing a drive through keeper Rene Adler’s legs from an excellent Schweinsteiger pass.

Ribery and Gomez combined superbly to create the first chance after the restart, only for Tymoshchuk and Müller to get in each other’s way. Bayer sub Stefan Kießling steered his side’s first genuine chance past the post with almost an hour played, but Derdiyok hit the target a couple of minutes later when Schweinsteiger failed to deal adequately with a high ball into the box.

Ballack headed over the bar and Butt got down sharply to Derdiyok’s snap effort, before the excellent Gustavo came up fractionally short with an attempt to release Ribery just yards from goal. However, the Frenchman was not denied for long, adding his name to the scoresheet after 75 minutes with a shimmy and finish into the corner from Van Buyten’s return pass.

Andi Ottl and Breno replaced the limping Schweinsteiger and Van Buyten for the last few minutes, in which Müller put one a shade too high and Ottl crashed a header off the bar, as a thoroughly enjoyable afternoon for FCB and their fans drew to a highly satisfactory end.

Anatoliy Tymoshchuk is returning to his Favorite Midfield Position

Bayern Munich midfielder Anatoliy Tymoshchuk has expressed his delight with his return to the starting XI in this weekend's Bundesliga match against Bayer Leverkusen.

Caretaker coach Andries Jonker has already informed the Ukraine international that he will get the nod in midfield on Sunday.

"The coach told me I’d be playing in my favourite position. I’m very happy about returning to the starting XI," Tymoshchuk was quoted as saying on the official Bayern website.

"I’m playing in midfield despite a number of the lads being missing at the back. I’m glad about that. Every team needs players who can defend. That makes life easier for the more creative players."

Tymoshchuk then went on to underline the importance of the match against Leverkusen.

"We’ve got to press ahead and make sure we qualify for the Champions League."

Bayern currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga table, trailing third-placed Hannover by one point.


Schweinsteiger and Ribery doubtful for Leverkusen clash on Sunday

Bayern Munich midfielders Franck Ribery and Bastian Schweinsteiger could miss this weekend's clash with Bayer Leverkusen through injury.

After a collision with team-mate Arjen Robben in training on Thursday, Schweinsteiger suffered a heavy ankle ligament strain. He missed training on Friday, and his availability will depend on a late fitness test on Sunday.

Things went from bad to worse for Bayern as Ribery was forced to skip Friday's training session after complaining of thigh muscular pain. Even after last week's 1-1 draw with Nurnberg, the Frenchman had a slight knock, and that has only worsened over the course of the week.

"It may be that Schweinsteiger and Ribery miss the match," interim coach Andries Jonker was quoted as saying by Bild.

However, he still has belief that Schweinsteiger will be fit, adding: "I hope that he can play. There is hope. It may be that the decision is made only after warming up on Sunday."

Bayern are already without suspended duo Arjen Robben and Holger Badstuber for the Leverkusen match.

The defending Bundesliga champions are fourth in the Bundesliga with five matches left to play, and are in serious danger of missing out on the 2011-12 Champions League






Bastian Schweinsteiger





































Franck Ribery

Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery will not Leave Bayern Munich : Karl-Heinz Rummenigge

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is not impressed with the speculation regarding the futures of star players Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery, and has made it clear that both will be at the Allianz Arena next season.

A number of recent reports hinted that Netherlands international Robben and France winger Ribery could leave this summer if the club fails to qualify for next year's Champions League.

Rummenigge refuted such suggestions, and was quoted as saying by TZ: "I can guarantee that both Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery will stay. But not just these two. We will not sell any first-team players this summer.

"We will be active during the summer transfer window even if we don't qualify for the Champions League. Transfer decisions do not depend on that. We played in the Uefa Cup in 2007 but we still signed Ribery, Luca Toni and Miroslav Klose."

Bayern currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga table, trailing third-placed Hannover by one point.

Franck Ribery : Louis Van Gaal is not important to me

France international Franck Ribery has revealed that he has't been too affected by the exit of head coach Louis van Gaal at Bayern Munich.

The Dutch tactician was due to leave the Bavarian giants at the end of the season, but was sacked with immediate effect on Sunday in the wake of Bayern's 1-1 draw against regional rivals Nuernberg.

"This situation is over now. Louis van Gaal is not important to me," Ribery was quoted as saying by Bild.

"What's important for Bayern is that we manage to qualify for Champions League football. We have to win the upcoming match against Bayer Leverkusen and can't afford to slip up in the other games either."

Bayern currently sit fourth in the Bundesliga table with 52 points from 29 games, and they trail third-placed Hannover by a single point.

Louis Van Gaal Sacked by Bayern

Bayern Munich have sacked Louis van Gaal as their coach with immediate effect and have appointed Andries Jonker in the role until the end of the season.

The Dutchman was due to leave at the end of the 2010-11 campaign after an agreement was reached between him and Bayern in early March.

However, with the club having been knocked out of the Champions League at the round of 16 stage and also struggling to qualify for Europe’s premier club competition next season, Bayern officials have decided to cut short Van Gaal's stay.

The announcement comes just a day after Bayern were held to a 1-1 draw with Nuernberg in the Bundesliga. The two points dropped mean that the defending German champions are now a point behind Hannover in fourth place with five more rounds of matches remaining.

Andries Jonker, a former Willem II coach, will be in charge of the first team between now and the end of the season. Jupp Heynckes, currently with Bayer Leverkusen, will take over in the summer.

A club statement read: "The board, director of sport and president of FC Bayern took this decision together.

"After the 1-1 draw in Nurnberg yesterday and the renewed slide to fourth in the table, and with the threat of missing out on the minimum aim of a place in the Champions League next season, this decision was taken in FC Bayern's best interests.

"Louis van Gaal's assistants Frans Hoek, Jos van Dijk and Max Reckers have also been relieved of their duties."

Red-carded Arjen apologises to fans and team

Arjen Robben will be suspended for Bayern’s crunch Bundesliga clash with second-placed Leverkusen next week, and could yet be banned for more than a single game, after collecting a red card for dissent following Bayern’s 1-1 draw away to Nürnberg on Saturday. The final whistle had already gone, but the Dutch ace was punished by referee Knut Kircher after exchanging words with the match official in the centre-circle.

“I don’t know any more what I said,” the winger commented afterwards, “I was very angry, very disappointed. But I should be sorting that out with my team-mates and not with the referee. I want to apologise to the fans and the team. I shouldn’t have done that.” Robben also visited the referees’ room at the easyCredit stadium to apologise to Kircher in person.

The red card caused Robben even more anguish than Bayern’s failure to take three points in Nuremberg. “That's the very worst thing of all,” said the 27-year-old, who is certain to miss the crucial meeting with Leverkusen next Sunday. A German FA (DFB) disciplinary tribunal will determine the exact length of the player’s ban next week. “Hopefully it won’t be too bad,” a remorseful Arjen said.

It is only the second red card in Robben’s career to date. His first dismissal came almost exactly five years ago, while playing for Chelsea in an English Premier League encounter with West Bromwich Albion on 4 March 2006.

Nürnberg vs Bayern Munich Match Preview

Below-par Bayern were forced to settle for a disappointing draw away to Bavarian rivals Nürnberg on Saturday, a result which means the champions slip back to fourth in the standings with five games to play. To rub salt into the wound, Arjen Robben saw a straight red card for dissent after the final whistle and will now miss at least two matches with suspension.

The 48,548 full house at the Easy-Credit-Stadion in Nuremberg saw Thomas Müller fire Louis van Gaal’s men ahead after just five minutes, but it was the only truly clear-cut chance of a first period in which Bayern were largely content to contain their busy opponents.

The home side came out fighting after the interval and Christian Eigler levelled on the hour with a stunning volley. There were chances at both ends as the action hotted up towards the end, but Mario Gomez blasted over an open goal and the game remained deadlocked through to the end.

The draw, combined with Hannover’s 2-0 win over Mainz, means the champions are down to fourth in the Bundesliga with 52 points from 29 matches, a point off Hannover and six behind second-placed Leverkusen, who play tomorrow – and then visit the Allianz Arena next Sunday, in what could be a showdown for the coveted runners-up spot.


With Daniel van Buyten (hamstring) not yet back in contention, Van Gaal sent out a line-up unchanged from last week’s battling 1-0 victory at home to Monchengladbach. Keeper Thomas Kraft, skipper Philipp Lahm, Luiz Gustavo, Holger Badstuber and Danijel Pranjic formed the defence, with Bastian Schweinsteiger and Toni Kroos in central midfield, and Arjen Robben Franck Ribery, Müller and Gomez going for goal.

Just five minutes after referee Knut Kircher whistled the match underway on a beautiful afternoon in Nuremberg, Bayern had the lead when Robben intercepted a wayward Javier Pinola pass and delivered a sumptuous angled ball for Müller to control, swerve round Almog Cohen and slot past home keeper Raphael Schäfer.

Bayern loanee Mehmet Ekici hit the side-netting from a free-kick, Slovak prodigy Robert Mak shanked wide, Belgian veteran Timmy Simons headed over and Cohen aimed a curler too high as FCN sought a swift response, but the visitors looked dangerous on sporadic thrusts down the flanks from Robben, Ribery and Lahm.
Philipp Wollscheid just got enough on Gomez’ close-range effort to prevent a second, Ribery flashed a drive wide, and the France star combined with Müller to set up a half-chance for Gomez as the men from Munich eased into gear midway through the half, but there was a let-off for FCB seven minutes from the break when Kraft sliced an attempted clearance from Cohen’s hopeful punt, the ball travelling behind the keeper and past the post for a corner before Eigler could reach it.

Van Gaal made two changes for the second half, replacing the subdued Kroos with Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, and the injured Pranjic with Diego Contento, the left-back returning to first-team action for the first time since an injury last autumn. Nürnberg started the second period on the attack, Jens Hegeler smacking two long-range efforts over the bar, before Badstuber was booked for a foul on US international Tim Chandler, ruling the Germany defender out of next week’s Bayer clash with suspension for a fifth yellow of term.


Wollscheid smothered a Gomez shot after Robben’s dart into the box, before disaster struck on the hour when Kraft came out of his box on the right-hand side but dropped his lobbed clearance way too short, Eigler brilliantly volleying back over the keeper’s head from fully 30 yards to level the scores.

Van Gaal had been about to send on Andi Ottl to shore up the midfield, but switched tack now and replaced the tiring Müller with Miro Klose. Eigler’s lob drifted inches wide of the far stick as FCN threatened, but Cohen was forced to clear off the line as Klose almost marked his introduction with a goal.

Pinola whistled a drive narrowly too high and Ekici missed by even more, before Gomez failed with an attempted near-post flick and Schäfer clutched Robben’s drive. Gomez then skied a sitter after charging clear and seeing his first effort blocked by the FCN keeper, Hegeler missed his kick with the Bayern goal at his mercy, and Schäfer just managed to beat Gomez to a bouncing ball.

The champions had a huge shout for a penalty waved away a minute from time when Andreas Wolf appeared to handle in the box, but Nürnberg finished the game on the attack and FCB ultimately had to settle for an unsatisfactory point, with Robben’s red card after the final whistle the negative highlight of the afternoon.