Perebutan Gelaran Juara Bundesliga bermula

Wolfsburg merapatkan jurang mata kepada 8 selepas mengejutkan gergasi Jerman Pada perlawanan Bundesliga. 

VfL Wolfsburg 4:1 Bayern Munchen 

Thiago Alcantara Could Return in a Month and a Half Claims Xabi Alonso

Xabi Alonso has hinted that Bayern Munich​ teammate Thiago Alcantara could be set for an early return to action [via ​Bavarianfootballworks.com].

Thiago, who hasn't played since March 2014 thanks to a knee injury, suffered further setbacks in May and October - ruling him out for an unspecified amount of time.

Matthias Sammer, the Bayern sporting director, said last month: "I'm not going to offer an opinion [on the injuries to Thaigo and Javi Martinez]. We'll give them all the time in the world, because all that matters is getting them fit again."

But in a recent fanclub visit Alonso let slip about a possible time-frame for his compatriot's recovery, revealing: "I am in contact with him, and he's making progress.

"He is running again, but he still has about one and a half months to go. It's important that he's 100% again."

That would hint at a possible return to action in the middle of March, but after a year on the sidelines it has been suggested that Bayern could take their time with Thiago in order to get him fit again for next season.

The Bundesliga champions did likewise with defender Holger Badstuber during the 2013-14 campaign.

DFL Recommending a Minute's Silence at the Beginning of the Second Half of The Bundesliga Season

In memory of Junior Malanda, a player for VfL Wolfsburg, who died in a tragic accident, German Football League (DFL) recommends holding a minute’s silence at all stadiums prior to the kick-off at the matches marking the commencement of the second half of the Bundesliga season from 30 January until 1 February.

In addition, DFL will leave it to all clubs to decide at their discretion whether players may wear black arm bands.

Belgian midfield player Junior Malanda was killed in a traffic accident on 10 January 2015. He was only 20 years old.

Mats Hummels berang bila dikaitkan bakal berpindah ke Manchester.

Hummels tidak berminat ke Manchester United dan menolak segala khabar angin mengenainya 

The Dortmund defender has been consistently linked with a big-money exit with the club's poor form doing nothing to dampen such talk Stuart Franklin

Nein! Hummels is not interested in talking about Manchester United right now

Mats Hummels has reacted angrily when quizzed over a potential move to Manchester United next summer.

The German international has been linked with the Borussia Dortmund exit door for some time, and the club's slide towards the bottom of the Bundesliga has done nothing to dampen such talk.

While a move this month still appears unlikely a switch in the summer, with Dortmund potentially not in Europe next year, could well be on.

But Hummels, when asked about whether he would leave at the end of the season, wasn't interested in such speculation at this time.

"Are you looking for a headline?," he said in an interview with German newspaper Bild.

 

"No, I will keep it the way I've been doing it for seven years. I'll let everything come to me and just look forward only to the start against Leverkusen and the second half of the season."

With the winter break nearly at an end Jurgen Klopp's men return to action this weekend against Bayer Leverkusen looking to climb back up the table after a disastrous run that sees them that sat 17th.

"I'm really completely relaxed," he added.

"I really only think about what I contribute on the pitch and in the dressing room, that we get better and move as quickly as possible from the bottom of the table."

Bayern Munich Chief Insists There Are No Hard Feelings After OdegaardSnub

​Martin Odegaard rejected a host of top European clubs when he chose to join Real Madrid last week, but Bayern Munich chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is insistent there are no hard feelings.

The Bavarian club graciously accepted defeat in the pursuit and speaking to TZ in Germany, Rummenigge explained, "It was clear right from the start that it would not be easy to sign Odegaard."

"Manchester United, Liverpool, Arsenal, Barcelona, Real Madrid and some German clubs were all after his signature. I can only congratulate Real Madrid," he continued.

"I wish Martin all the best for the future. He and his father were very sympathetic and serious when they visited Bayern. There was nothing strange about him visiting so many clubs. He did it with a clear objective. He simply wanted to get some insight at each club.

"Perhaps Madrid were a bit more attractive an option than Bayern in the end. I don't think this was about money."

André Schürrle bakal ke Wolfsburg ?

André Schrürrle merupakan antara jentera penting dalam membantu Jerman merangkul gelaran Juara Dunia 2014. Walau bagaimana pun, Schrürrle tidak nampak begitu penting di Chelsea. 

Desas desus terkini seperti yang dilaporkan oleh media-media di Jerman, Schrürrle bakal berhijrah semula ke Bundesliga. Schrürrle dikhabarkan akan menyertai kelab VfL Wolfsburg. 

Moga dengan kehadiran Schrürrle di Wolfsburg mampu menguatkan squad tersebut pada musim-musim mendatang. Wolfsburg kini dilihat sebagai pencabar utama untuk slot Bundesliga ke pentad Liga Juara-juara musim hadapan. 

Borussia Dortmund Look to Lassana Diarra in Desperate Attempt to Save Season

Borussia Dortmund could be about to turn to forgotten former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra in their desperate attempts to continue fighting against what would be a shock relegation from the Bundesliga.

Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund were the toast of Europe less than two years ago, reaching the Champions League final in style in 2013. However, Die Schwarzgelben have endured a dreadful season so far, sitting level on points and goal difference with Freiburg at the bottom of the table.

FC Lokomotiv Moscow v FC Zenit St. Petersburg - Premier League

The loss of veteran midfielder Sebastian Kehl to injury is another big blow in the fight against relegation and Bild reports that a deal to sign free agent Diarra is now likely as a result after discussions between Klopp and Dortmund chiefs Han-Joachim Watzke and Michael Zorc.

Once a contemporary of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Ramos in Madrid, Diarra has been without a club since he left Lokomotiv Moscow under a cloud in August.

The 29-year-old former French international was on the radar of Premier League strugglers QPR as soon as he became available, but the London club passed on him after he refused to lower his high wage demands.

Borussia Dortmund Look to Lassana Diarra in Desperate Attempt to Save Season

Borussia Dortmund could be about to turn to forgotten former Chelsea, Arsenal and Real Madrid midfielder Lassana Diarra in their desperate attempts to continue fighting against what would be a shock relegation from the Bundesliga.

Jurgen Klopp's Dortmund were the toast of Europe less than two years ago, reaching the Champions League final in style in 2013. However, Die Schwarzgelben have endured a dreadful season so far, sitting level on points and goal difference with Freiburg at the bottom of the table.

FC Lokomotiv Moscow v FC Zenit St. Petersburg - Premier League

The loss of veteran midfielder Sebastian Kehl to injury is another big blow in the fight against relegation and Bild reports that a deal to sign free agent Diarra is now likely as a result after discussions between Klopp and Dortmund chiefs Han-Joachim Watzke and Michael Zorc.

Once a contemporary of players like Cristiano Ronaldo, Angel Di Maria and Sergio Ramos in Madrid, Diarra has been without a club since he left Lokomotiv Moscow under a cloud in August.

The 29-year-old former French international was on the radar of Premier League strugglers QPR as soon as he became available, but the London club passed on him after he refused to lower his high wage demands.

Tin Jedvaj Signs Permanent Contract with Leverkusen

Bayer 04 Leverkusen have completed the permanent signing of Croatian international right-back Tin Jedvaj from Italian outfit AS Roma.The 19-year-old, who initially joined the Bundesliga club on a two-year loan deal in summer 2014, has signed a contract at the BayArena until 30 June 2020.

'The best option'

"Tin Jedvaj has great potential and has consistently shown that in the few months he's been at Bayer 04," explained Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Völler. "His versatility is a real plus for us, so why we decided to wrap up the deal as soon as we could."

An equally delighted Jedvaj, who was recently voted Croatia's most promising youngster and has made 17 appearances in all competitions so far this season, scoring twice and chipping in with one assist, said: "Bayer 04 are the best option for me and good for my development. I really want to get stuck in at Leverkusen."

Klopp Don't Let Dortmund Become Divided

Six months ago, Borussia Dortmund were the club supposedly set to provide the biggest challenge to apparent title favourites FC Bayern München in 2014/15.

At the halfway point in the season, however, BVB’s objectives have required radical alteration, with the club sitting second-bottom in the table - a staggering 30 points behind the leaders from Bavaria - after ten defeats in 17 games. Now, Jürgen Klopp’s target for the remaining 17 games is very simple: “Get some wins on the board and make sure we stay in the division. Right now, where we finish is of no interest to me.”

'From one catastrophe to another'

BVB’s winter training camp in La Manga, Spain has given the players an opportunity to get back onto the training ground and begin intensive preparation for the Bundesliga's resumption, but there is no doubt that their paltry points total in the Hinrunde still rankles. In a candid interview with German football magazine kicker, Dortmund’s coach since 2008 expanded in depth on his comment following Matchday 17's 2-1 defeat to SV Werder Bremen that it had been “the worst first half to a season of our lives”.

“We knew it would be tough, but nobody could have predicted the problems we ended up having, or the chain reactions that made them worse,” said the Stuttgart native. “Where we struggled wasn’t in identifying the problem but in finding the solutions. We tried to deal with the most pressing issues only, and swept everything else to one side. We lurched from one catastrophe to another and in the end didn’t have time to work out a proper solution.”

Positive to the hilt

The glass is always half-full with Klopp, though, and despite the misery they endured between August and December, the coach maintains the ordeal has helped his battered squad grow. With perfect conditions in which to train, prepare, analyse and plan for the second half of the season, and with some key players nearing a return to full fitness, Klopp now glimpses the outline of a bright future from the sunshine of southern Spain.

“In about a week, we’ve been able to train better here than we did than throughout the entire pre-season,” he continued. "We’ve been able to do what we couldn’t do before, and that’s practice our routines with a large group of players. Every player here training in La Manga is further in his development now than he was back in the summer. That’s what makes me optimistic.”

Praise for new arrival Kampl

Well-documented mistakes in defence were blamed as the cause for many of Borussia’s defeats in the Hinrunde, but in fact, a potentially graver problem was their inability to convert chances. Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang is their top scorer with five league goals, while summer arrivals Ciro Immobile, Adrian Ramos and Shinji Kagawa have added just three, two and one respectively.

To that end, Klopp has been able to add Kevin Kampl, an attacking midfielder with a promising record for previous club FC Salzburg (29 goals and 54 assists in 109 appearances) to the squad, and he is evidently excited at what the 24-year-old can bring to the team. “We need players with talent on the ball and a willingness to work hard on winning it back - he has both." Encouragingly for Klopp, Kampl, a boyhood BVB fan, has slotted in seamlessly into his new surroundings and impressed on his first appearance, a 1-0 friendly win over FC Sion.

LEGENDARY HEAD COACH UDO LATTEK DIES

Udo Lattek, the most successful Bundesliga head coach of all time, has passed away.

Lattek, who suffered two strokes and was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease in 2013, was 80 years old.

“The Bundesliga is mourning the passing of an extraordinary sportsman and an extraordinary person," said League President Dr. Reinhard Rauball upon hearing the news. "Like many in German football, I am losing a friend in Udo Lattek. We got to know and appreciate one another other 30 years ago. Honest, straightforward and sometimes stubborn - that was how Udo Lattek stood out. Yet at the same time he was also sensitive, and as a coach he was always receptive to the needs of his players. His success speaks for itself and eight German league titles will remain unmatched for a long time to come. He left an impression on several generations of players in German football and many of his former charges are still grateful to him to this day. Udo Lattek will be remembered as one of the Bundesliga’s outstanding figures. I extend my deepest sympathies to his wife and family."

Serial trophy-winner

In his heyday, Lattek was regarded as one of the world’s best and most successful coaches, winning the Bundesliga title eight times - six times with FC Bayern München and twice with Borussia Mönchengladbach - and also lifting three DFB Cups.

Perhaps his greatest success came in winning the European Cup (now the UEFA Champions League) with Bayern in 1974 with victory in a reply over Club Atletico de Madrid. His CV later included spells as coach of FC Barcelona, Borussia Dortmund and FC Schalke 04.

'I have football to thank for everything'

More recently, he was a pundit on football chat show Doppelpass, from which he retired in May 2011, and despite his many achievements, Lattek remained humbled to the last about becoming the most successful coach in the Bundesliga’s history. "I’m a farmer’s son who came from nothing. I have football to thank for everything."

He was also recognised for his services to and achievements in German football with the Honorary Bundesliga prize in 2013, handed over to him by Dr. Rauball. “He was one of the most modern coaches in Europe and he shaped football like few others have done since,” commented 2014 FIFA World Coach of the Year Joachim Löw. “You have to respect his successes.”

BUNDESLIGA CLUBS' 2014/15 WINTER SCHEDULE

Di sini lah lokasi Kelab-kelab Bundesliga berlatih sepanjang musim sejuk sebelum bermulanya bahagian kedua saingan Bundesliga 2014/15 yang akan bermula pada 30 Januari 2015.

The Bundesliga is gaining an increasing number of fans in Malaysia.

DFL Sports Enterprises and Malaysian TV provider Astro extend deal to 2015

Following the Sportel Asia exhibition in Hong Kong (16-18 March), one of the most important of its kind in Asia, DFL Sports Enterprises and Malaysian Pay TV network Astro have agreed to extend the long-standing partnership between the Bundesliga and Astro for another three seasons. A verbal agreement has been reached by both parties and a written contract is likely to be signed by the end of March.

Astro hold exclusive media rights to broadcast the Bundesliga in Malaysia and Brunei for the seasons 2012/13 to 2014/15. The exclusive contract applies to all media types, including television, internet and mobile phones. Astro have already been broadcasting the Bundesliga since the 2006/07 campaign. The satellite channel has around three million subscribers..

"We're delighted to be continuing our work with this strong and reliable partner for another three years," said Jörg Daubitzer, Managing Director of DFL Sports Enterprises. He went on to explain how Asia has become one of the most important markets in the business of television rights, especially now that many players from the region are now active in the Bundesliga.

"The swift agreement on a new licensing deal with Astro is a great display of faith in the Bundesliga and once again emphasises its increased international standing," added Daubitzer.

Source: Bundeliga Malaysia