Bayern are looking to bounce back
BERLIN: After a season that promised so much, Bayern Munich have been sent packing from two Cup competitions in the space of eight days and Carlo Ancelotti’s side are determined to take a step closer to the league title when they travel to VfL Wolfsburg tomorrow.
A Bayern win combined with defeat for second-placed RB Leipzig against relegation candidates Ingolstadt would give them an unassailable 11point lead with three games remaining.
After crashing out of the Champions League quarter-finals to Real Madrid and then losing to Borussia Dortmund in Wednesday’s German Cup last four, the feel-good factor from Ancelotti’s first season in charge has largely dissipated.
“After wasting our chances against Dortmund and having gone out of the Cup we want to make sure of an early Bundesliga title with a win at Wolfsburg,” Bayern defender Mats Hummels said.
“It is going to be a difficult game for us mentally but we want to do everything possible not to let any excitement back into the title race.”
Ancelotti has his work cut out to get his team in the
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Late kick-off: Man City L Man United L
FChelsea . . . . . 33 25 3 5 69 29 40 Tottenham . . 33 22 8 3 69 22 47 Liverpool . . . . 34 19 9 6 70 42 28 Man City . . . . 32 19 7 6 63 35 28 Man United . 32 17 12 3 50 24 26 Arsenal . . . . . 32 18 6 8 64 40 24 Everton . . . . . 34 16 10 8 60 37 23 West Brom . . 33 12 8 13 39 42 -3 Southampton32 11 7 14 39 44 -5 Watford . . . . . 33 11 7 15 37 54 -17 Stoke City. . . 34 10 9 15 37 50 -13 Crystal Palace 34 11 5 18 46 54 -8 Bournemouth34 10 8 16 49 63 -14 West Ham. . . 34 10 8 16 44 59 -15 Leicester City 33 10 7 16 41 54 -13 Burnley . . . . . 34 10 6 18 33 49 -16 Hull City . . . . 34 9 6 19 36 67 -31 Swansea City 34 9 4 21 39 68 -29 Middlesbro’. 34 5 12 17 24 43 -19 Sunderland . 33 5 6 22 26 59 -33 78 74 66 64 63 60 58 44 40 40 39 38 38 38 37 36 33 31 27 21 right frame of mind. What could have been a brilliant treble-winning season may quickly turn into a nervous title run-in.
“It’s too early to talk about the overall season,” said the Italian. “We have four games and we are fighting to win the Bundesliga. Of course we are disappointed to go out of the Cup. It was an important competition.
“We have to focus on the next game and try to win the Bundesliga as soon as possible.”
Wolfsburg will be no pushovers though, with the 2009 champions hovering a point above the relegation play-off spot.
Coach Andries Jonker, a former Bayern interim manager, rested nine players early this week to keep his team fresh for the relegation battle.
Promoted Leipzig, in second place on 62 points, can make sure of an automatic Champions League spot next season with a win over visitors Ingolstadt.
Borussia Dortmund, in third, host Cologne while Hoffenheim, in fourth, entertain Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday. – Reuters