Hummels talks up Ancelotti

– Bayern Munich central defender Mats Hummels (above) says the club’s powerful position going into their Bundesliga home clash with Hamburg this weekend is a good measure of coach Carlo Ancelotti’s ambitions for the season.

After Robert Lewandowski last gasp equaliser saved their 2017 unbeaten record in Berlin last weekend, Bayern are five points clear at the top, and 5-1 up against Arsenal in the Champions League last-16.

Unbeaten in 16 games against today’s visitors Hamburg, Hummels, who joined from Dortmund last summer, says their position of strength is a natural state of affairs.

“We’re where we want to be, five points clear, that’s in keeping with our ambitions, we want to win it all,” he said.

He also asserted that the new coach and his avuncular attitude were going down well in the dressing room at a crucial stage of their campaign, despite Ancelotti’s middle finger gesture to fans in Berlin after their equaliser for 1-1 at Hertha last week.

“He seems to exude peace and calm. This doesn’t mean that he fails to intervene if he sees the need, but he does this in his own way,” Hummels said.

The Bayern forward line, who hit eight goals past Hamburg in a 2015 Bundesliga game, will look over their shoulders as former French international winger Franck Ribery resumed training after a seven-week lay-off.

But Ancelotti will not rush Ribery back as he wants him and Arjen Robben fit for the latter part of the season.

Hamburg were once considered Bayern’s bogey team and have gone four games unbeaten going into today’s game. – AFP