Huge motivation for rejected trio

– Niko Kovac says Bayern Munich stars Thomas Mueller, Jerome Boateng and Mats Hummels (right) can use their midweek rejection by Germany coach Joachim Loew as motivation in the Bundesliga title race.

Defending champions Bayern, who sit second in the table behind Borussia Dortmund on goal difference, host Wolfsburg today.

It is their final warm-up before their Champions League last-16, return leg at home to Liverpool next Wednesday following a goalless draw at Anfield.

Kovac says Mueller, Boateng and Hummels can take out their frustrations on Wolfsburg after being told by Loew on Tuesday they no longer have a future with Germany.

“I know my players were disappointed, especially to be thrown on the scrapheap, at just 29 or 30,” said Bayern head coach Kovac.

“That’s not right, I think. But the brief disappointment is behind them.”

Mueller, who has made 100 appearances for Germany, scoring 38 goals, has said he is “angry” by the manner in which Loew discarded the trio, lamenting that “it seemed so final”.

Hummels blasted the handling of the decision as “unfair” and

Berlin

“incomprehensible”.

Bayern could finish the weekend top of the Bundesliga table for the first time since September having caught up with Dortmund, who are home to Stuttgart today.

Bayern and Dortmund are level on 54 points with a goal difference of just two keeping Bayern from top spot.

As the Bavarians chase a fifth straight league win and with Liverpool looming, Kovac said he will only rotate if necessary.

“It is always a fine line. We’ll see if we need to make a few changes, but only if it’s necessary,” he explained.

“I know we need to keep an eye on Liverpool, but first we have to win the match on Saturday.”

Midfielder Franck Ribery and Leon Goretzka are back fit, but Arjen Robben is once again sidelined, this time by a calf injury, having just got over a persistent thigh problem.

Dortmund are home to a Stuttgart side in the thick of the relegation battle.

The league leaders showed enough spirit and fight in Tuesday’s 1-0 Champions League defeat at home to Tottenham to be confident despite four losses in their last seven games.

“That performance (against Spurs) is the yardstick we need to aim to repeat,” said director of sport Michael Zorc. –