German Roundup

Bayern Munich in no hurry to win Bundesliga title

BERLIN (Reuters) -- Bayern Munich could be crowned German champions on Saturday but club executive Franz Beckenbauer would not mind having to wait another few weeks.

"It's too early for me," said the former Bayern and Germany great. "Excitement until the very end would be better in my view. Winning the title on the penultimate day would be fine."

Beckenbauer does not want Bayern win the title race too soon and then relax before their next goal -- the German Cup final against Kaiserslautern on May 31 in Berlin.

Bayern, 11 points clear at the top of the Bundesliga with five matches left, have set their sights on a domestic league and Cup Double since making an embarrassing first-round exit from the Champions League.

To secure an 18th German title at the weekend, Bayern need to win at VfL Wolfsburg and hope neither second-placed VfB Stuttgart nor third-placed Dortmund can pick up three points.

Champions League-chasing VfB Stuttgart entertain Hansa Rostock while defending champions Dortmund, one point behind Stuttgart and fighting for second place and direct acces to European club soccer's premier event, visit TSV 1860 Munich.

Bayern were 15 points ahead a few weeks ago but the road to the title became a little bumpier with them losing their last two league games.

However, the four-times European champions need just four points from their last five outings to win the title whatever the others achieve and it is just a matter of time before they start celebrating.

Ballack back

Bayern's poor form of late, with just one point from their last three league games, has a lot to do with the absence of inspirational playmaker Michael Ballack, who looks set to return on Saturday.

Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld doubted whether the Germany midfielder, who has been sidelined for seven weeks with an ankle injury, could play the full 90 minutes but said he would definitely play some part in the match.

"I don't know whether he will start the game but he will play," Hitzfeld said. "He's a winner and his presence is a big help for the team."

As they close in on another title, Bayern have also been in the headlines for their off-the-pitch activities, including an ugly battle with German soccer authorities over television rights and allegations of irregular lobbying ahead of the 2006 World Cup hosting vote.

Beckenbauer, a former club chairman and now the president of their supervisory board, stepped into both debates on Thursday.

He called for peace with the German Football League (DFL) over the television deal -- which earned Bayern a substantial secret cash top-up -- and said the fact that Bayern had played friendlies in exotic locations had not been an attempt to make small national federations vote for Germany.

While Beckenbauer is looking for appeasement, club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge is still furious that the DFL said Bayern's secret deal with the troubled KirchMedia group had been "morally reprehensible."

"Franz [Beckenbauer] has nothing to do with the [Bayern] limited company, which deals with those issues," Bayern commercial manager Uli Hoeness said on Friday.

"Only what the limited company [chaired by Rummenigge] has to say on this is relevant. The rest is just opinions."

Something to celebrate could help ease tensions between the Bayern bosses, who were all great players for the club before moving upstairs.

Bayern visits VfL Wolfsburg

BERLIN (Reuters) -- Bayern Munich could secure an 18th German title with victory at VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday (1330 GMT), but their rivals will try to make sure they have to wait a bit longer.

To be crowned champions this weekend, the Bundesliga leaders need a little help from VfB Stuttgart and Borussia Dortmund, currently second and third respectively.

Bayern have to take three points and hope neither Stuttgart, who are at home to Hansa Rostock, nor defending champions Dortmund, who visit TSV 1860 Munich, can do no better than draw their matches.

The Bavarians, 11 points clear at the top, need just four points from their remaining five matches to win the title whatever the others achieve on Saturday.

After losing their last two league games, Bayern will be boosted by the return of Michael Ballack at Wolfsburg.

The Germany playmaker, who has been sidelined for seven weeks with an ankle injury, is probably not fit enough for 90 minutes yet but coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he would play some part in the match.

Other matches this weekend (league positions in parentheses, kickoff times GMT):

Saturday, April 26 (1330)

HAMBURG SV (6) v NUREMBERG (17)

Hamburg SV are chasing a place in the UEFA Cup, while Nuremberg are fighting against relegation. Hamburg are unbeaten at home since the winter break with five wins and a draw.

Nuremberg, who have gone 272 minutes without scoring, have plenty of injury worries and will be without midfielder David Jarolim through suspension.

-- - -- -

HERTHA BERLIN (4) v HANOVER 96 (10)

Hertha Berlin, on course for a place in Europe, welcome back striker Michael Preetz from injury.

Hanover 96, who are nearly safe from the drop, have never beaten Hertha in Berlin.

-- - -- -

VFB STUTTGART (2) v HANSA ROSTOCK (14)

Midfielder and captain Zvonimir Soldo is suspended for Champions League-chasing VfB Stuttgart, who will be eager to delay Bayern's title celebrations.

Hansa Rostock, who need points to avoid relegation, have lost their last four away games.

-- - -- -

SCHALKE 04 (5) v VFL BOCHUM (13)

Schalke 04, who hope to make the UEFA Cup, have a midfield problem with Sven Kmetsch and Denmark's Christian Poulsen both injured.

Bochum, who are not safe yet, have lost and failed to score in their last three matches on the road.

-- - -- -

BORUSSIA MOENCHENGLADBACH (15) v BAYER LEVERKUSEN (16)

Whoever loses this match will be bound for the second division, while a draw would also be bad news for both sides.

Germany midfielder Bernd Schneider is one of several players out injured for troubled Leverkusen, who have collapsed after narrowly missing out on three titles last season.

-- - -- -

TSV 1860 MUNICH (9) v BORUSSIA DORTMUND (3)

TSV 1860 look set for yet another mid-table finish while champions Dortmund are still in contention for second place and direct access to the Champions League.

Dortmund will be without several important players through injury, most notably first-choice goalkeeper Jens Lehmann and Germany defender Christoph Metzelder.

-- - -- -

Sunday, April 27 (1530)

ARMINIA BIELEFELD (12) v ENERGIE COTTBUS (18)

Bielefeld have picked seven points from their last three home games and look set to survive in the top flight, but little Cottbus, in their third season in the top flight, look condemned to playing second division football next year.

-- - -- -

KAISERSLAUTERN (11) v WERDER BREMEN (7)

Egypt defender Hany Ramzy and Brazilian midfielder Ratinho are both injured for Kaiserslautern, who were at the bottom of the table a few weeks ago but are nearly safe now.

Germany defender Frank Baumann returns from injury for Werder Bremen, who stand an outside chance of playing in the UEFA Cup next year but might have to be content with a place in the Intertoto Cup.

Leverkusen coach to return to juniors

LEVERKUSEN, Germany (AP) -- Struggling Bayer Leverkusen's beleaguered coach Thomas Hoerster will return to the club's junior side after the end of this season, which could see last year's Bundesliga runner-up demoted to the second division, club official said Friday.

Relegation would be sweetened, however, by the insurance policy taken by the club -- dropping to second division would reportedly bring Leverkusen 7 million euro (US$7.7 million).

The insurance was taken after the club's most successful season last year, when Leverkusen also reached the final of the Champions League and finished runner-up in the German Cup. But the club has been unable to overcome a deep slump this season and has a crucial match against Moenchengladbach on Saturday.

Leverkusen is three points behind Moenchengladbach in the relegation zone and would be virtually doomed in case of a loss.

The latest disclosure about Hoerster's future could further shake up the club. Earlier this week, Leverkusen negotiated hiring retired coach Udo Lattek in an "advisory role," but the talks broke down over Lattek's financial demands. The two sides have been swapping accusations over the collapsed talks for days.

"It's time to end the chaos," appealed captain Carsten Ramelow.

Leverkusen's powerful general manager Reiner Calmund has publicly stood by Hoerster, his choice for coach after the Feb. 16 sacking of Klaus Toppmoeller.

Hoerster, a former player for the club, had no major league experience after working 10 years with Leverkusen's juniors. He has not managed to lift Leverkusen from the danger zone and has been widely criticized.

Calmund confirmed Friday that Hoerster would return to the junior ranks at the end of the season, but said this was not a new decision.

"This is a decision that was made three months ago. It's a fact that Hoerster knew he would be going to take over our Under-19 side," Calmund said.

Court bans sale of computer games with Kahn

HAMBURG, Germany (AP) -- A Hamburg court ruled Friday that a California computer games designer cannot use the image and name of Germany's World Cup hero goalkeeper Oliver Kahn in one of its games.

Kahn is among many international soccer stars featured in a game produced by Electronic Arts, which is based in Redwood City, California.

The Hamburg state court ruled that neither the image nor the name of Kahn can be used and told Electronic Arts that it cannot continue selling the game in Germany.

If the company continues to sell the game, it faces a fine of maximum 250,000 euro (US$275,000), or a six-month prison term.

The court, however, rejected Kahn's motion to have an advertising campaign stopped, ruling that the goalkeeper's image was not clear enough to warrant a ban.

Kahn's saves allowed Germany to reach the 2002 World Cup final, where it lost to 2-0 to Brazil.

Lawyer Matthias Prinz said Media Control, a group that monitors sales of compact discs, video games and other entertainment gadgets, estimated that 180,000 copies of the game featuring Kahn had been sold in Germany.

Prinz said the figure could be higher and would play a role in determining if and what kind of damages Kahn may seek.

Electronic Arts did not immediately return a call for comment on the ruling.

Micoud says he will stay in Bremen

BREMEN, Germany (AP) -- French international Johan Micoud on Friday ended speculation on a premature departure from Werder Bremen and said he would serve out his contract with the Bundesliga club until 2005.

"I signed until 2005 because it was clear to me that we need some time to build up the team," said the 29-year-old midfielder.

Bremen has fallen to seventh place in the Bundesliga after being as high as second and may miss out on a place in next season's UEFA Cup.

 

Related information

Stories

Germany: Voeller leaves out Ballack for friendly

Multimedia

Visit Video Plus for the latest audio and video

Both the Associated Press and Reuters contributed to this report.