By Derek Wilson, dpa
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich will hope for less stressful time against Cologne Saturday after some Champions League dramatics midweek.
Berlin (dpa) – Bayern Munich rescued their Champions League dream in dramatic fashion midweek but the Bundesliga leaders will hope to return to normality in their Saturday trip to Cologne.
«It wasn’t going according to plan, it was a crazy match,»
Thomas Mueller said after defeating Juventus in extra-time on Wednesday. Mueller scored an injury-time equalizer in regulation before Bayern eventually progressed 6-4 on aggregate.
«We were up against last year’s finalists, coach Pep Guardiola said.
«Juventus are a very strong team. If you’re two down against an Italian team and score four it’s just outstanding. A huge compliment to my team.»
But despite the high of the triumph, Guardiola will be concerned at slack defending and what is an undeniable slump in form – in the last six games, Bayern have recorded only two wins in 90 minutes, a far cry from their early-season dominance.
As second-placed Borussia Dortmund travel to Augsburg on Sunday, a Bayern victory in Cologne will increase their advantage at the top of the table to eight points for at least 24 hours.
Cologne have won just once in their last five but that success came last time out and they believe a first win over Bayern since 2011 could be possible.
«Everyone knows what kind of quality Bayern Munich has,» Yannick Gerhardt told the club homepage. «I know as well that everything has to line up for us. We have to have a very good day and Bayern has to be rather poor.
«But we have shown in the home game (won) against Borussia Dortmund, for example, that we can achieve great things when everybody takes responsibility and believes. We have to be absolutely convinced that we have a chance.»
The weekend action starts with a clash of Champions League hopefuls Friday when fifth-placed Schalke welcome Borussia Moenchengladbach, who are fourth.
«It is really important that we pick up some points in this match when you look at the league situation,» Schalke’s Pierre-Emile Hojbjerg said. «Moenchengladbach have a strong side and there is a reason they qualified for the Champions League last year.»
Hertha Berlin are enjoying a brilliant campaign in third and can strengthen their own European ambitions at home to midtable Ingolstadt Saturday, while sixth-placed Mainz travel to Werder Bremen.
SV Hamburg, in 12th, will slip back towards the relegation struggle should they not defeat second-bottom Hoffenheim while promoted Darmstadt – just three points above the play-off place – travel to Champions League quarter-finalists Wolfsburg, who are eighth and outside the European spots.
«We know where we stand in the table and that we can’t afford any more slip-ups,» Wolfsburg’s Andre Schuerrle said.
Hanover, currently last, face a do-or-die trip to 16th Eintracht Frankfurt in the Saturday late match. They are seven points behind the play-off spot.
Frankfurt coach Niko Kovac will lead the team at home for the first time since his recent appointment.
The remaining match this weekend is VfB Stuttgart v Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday.
