Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich side will go into the clash against Werder Bremen this weekend with even more confidence than usual - Die Bayern were in fine fettle before being interrupted by the international break. Guardiola's side have scored fourteen goals in their last seven games - across all competitions - without reply, and sit atop the Bundesliga table, looking to extend their four-point lead this weekend.
"We must keep improving"
- Xabi Alonso
New signing Xabi Alonso - who has settled into this Bayern side like he has been there for years - believes that Bayern have started strongly and fought hard, but that there is much more to come from the champions: "When you play for Bayern, you fight for everything," the Spain international said. "Until now we have done it well. But we want to keep improving and, when it comes to the title, be at our peak in the second half."
Bayern have, evidently, been on a rampage of late - but it is Robin Dutt and his Werder side that are tasked with the seemingly impossible challenge of stopping them in their tracks. Werder's season has been abysmal so far, as they languish miserably at the wrong end of the league table, without a win from their opening seven games. Not even banning newspapers from the dressing room was enough to stop them only managing a 1-1 draw with SC Freiburg this weekend. Dutt's side have failed to keep a clean sheet in any of their league fixtures this season, and with Lewandowski and company waiting for them at the Allianz Arena, it will be a struggle to stop that unwanted record.
Despite their awful start to the 2014/15 Bundesliga campaign and poor defensive record, Werder's Austrian defender Sebastian Podl believes the game is far from cut and dry: "We will look to see if there are weaknesses in Bayern, and how can we play with our strengths against them," he told Bild. "We have yet to hoist the white flag against any opponent. It must hurt Bayern to play against us. It must not be a pleasant game for them." The 27-year-old is positive in his comments, but for some his words ring hallow. It will be a struggle for his side to bring anything away from the home of the champions.
Guadiola was dealt some bad news this week in the form of another injury to Thiago Alcantara. The Spaniard suffered his fifth knee ligament injury in the space of fourteen months on Wednesday, and is set for another length absence. Bayern will be boosted by the return of Franck Ribery, however goalkeeper Pepe Reina has suffered a calf injury and joins Bastian Schweinsteiger (knee) and Holger Badstuber (thigh) on the sidelines.
Dutt will be pleased that Werder have no new injury concerns, but their list of long-term absentees is still long. Philipp Bargfrede and Julian von Haacke are both still out with knee problems, whereas Theodor Gebre Selassie (thigh) and Ozkan Yildirim (groin) are still unavailable to the Werder coach.