Previews: Wolfsburg face former boss Magath
Reuters - Thursday 17 September 2009, 02:00
BERLIN - Champions VfL Wolfsburg's Friday
match against Schalke 04 will be their first encounter
with former coach Felix Magath since he steered them to their
maiden Bundesliga title last season.
Wolfsburg have started badly in the league with only six
points from five matches, including three defeats in a row, and
are in 10th place.
The club are hoping their 3-1 win over CSKA Moscow in the
Champions League group stage on Tuesday could fire them up.
"The last weeks have not been easy," said defender Marcel
Schaefer. "But (against Moscow) we showed our strength which is
offensive football. This win gives us confidence for the
Bundesliga."
Coach Armin Veh has so far failed to replicate Wolfsburg's
lethal pace and attack mainly because opponents now know what to
expect from the champions.
Despite their Champions League win, another defeat against
Schalke, who are in third place three points off leaders Hamburg
SV, would pile considerable pressure on Veh.
"I have been in this business for quite a few years and have
no problem handling pressure," Veh said.
Fifth-placed Bayern Munich could climb up the table after a
rocky start, with Frenchman Franck Ribery set to start in his
first league match following a string of injuries, when they
take on promoted Nuremberg in the Bavarian derby on Saturday.
Bayern's mid-week 3-0 victory at Maccabi Haifa in the
Champions League, which came hot on the heels of their 5-1
demolition of Borussia Dortmund last week, looks to have
silenced critics and improved ties between Ribery and coach
Louis van Gaal.
The German record champions are five points off the top.
Hamburg SV travel to fourth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on
Sunday while second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, level on 13
points with Hamburg, take on mercurial Werder Bremen.