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.

Salam Maal Hijrah

Guardiola’s system, with a twist

Bayern at present are beginning to resemble a combination of the old Guardiola system at Barca and the new one in Bavaria. The possession count is similarly dominant and the pressing just as relentless. The biggest difference, however, has been the number of goals scored from crosses. Barcelona refrained from using the tactic, but die Münchner have scored seven times courtesy of service from wide positions in their ten games so far, with six headed goals, more than any other side.

Ninth Win, Record Equalled

Bayern’s 2-1 victory away to TSG Hoffenheim on Saturday was significant in two main respects, as the ninth win of the current campaign sends the champions back to the top of the Bundesliga and also means Pep Guardiola’s side have equalled Hamburg’s 30-year-old league record of 36 consecutive matches without defeat.

The 30,150 full house at Wirsol Rhein-Neckar-Arena in Sinsheim saw the visitors dominate the early exchanges but fall behind for the third league game in a row when young Niklas Süle opened the scoring on 34 minutes. Mario Mandzukic equalised just five minutes later, but it took until a quarter of an hour from time before Thomas Müller forced the ball over the line from close range to hand his side a deserved lead and ultimately the points.

The win means the Reds recover first place in the Bundesliga, temporarily lost to Dortmund overnight, as FCB now have 29 points from 11 games and lie a point ahead of BVB and four clear of Bayer Leverkusen. The focus now turns to Tuesday’s Champions League trip to Viktoria Plzen, before the Bavarians return to Bundesliga action a week from now in the Bavarian derby at home to FC Augsburg.

Undefeated in Bundesliga for 1 year

It began in Hamburg, of all places. A 3-0 victory on 3 November 2012 was the start of an unbeaten run for FC Bayern which, almost a year to the day later, can equal the Bundesliga record set 30 years by SV Hamburg. If the German champions get through Saturday's away game in Hoffenheim unscathed, they will have gone through 36 league matches without defeat, as Hamburg did in 1982-83. Who could ask for better motivation? 

But for Pep Guardiola and his players the record is a secondary consideration. "It's a great thing for the club, something extraordinary, but for the team all that matters is winning and playing well," said the Bayern coach, noting that Bayern's rivals in the title hunt are just waiting for the Reds to slip up. A win matters first of all as a way of defending Bayern 's position at the top of the table.

"Records aren't as important as titles," said Arjen Robben, stressing the team's focus on the championship this season. "We have the opportunity to equal a record, which is great, but Bayern's goal is always winning," said Philipp Lahm, who expects strong resistance in Hoffenheim from the home side: "It's a very difficult fixture. We've always had a tough time in Hoffenheim in the past few years."

Bus FC Bayern