BERLIN (AFP) – Wolfsburg midfielder Zvjezdan Misimovic says the Bundesliga leaders must avenge their shock defeat in Stuttgart to get their title push back on track when they welcome Borussia Dortmund.
Wolfsburg went into last weekend three points clear at the top of the German league, but after Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez hit all four goals in Saturday’s 4-1 rout, Wolfsburg only lead now by virtue of goal difference.
Only two points separate leaders Wolfsburg and fourth-placed Stuttgart with Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin also within touching distance of the lead.
Wolfsburg take on Borussia Dortmund who have made a late bid for the title and a place in Europe next season with seven consecutive wins to go fifth in the table.
“We played poorly right from the outset against Stuttgart and you could even see that from our body language,” said Wolfsburg playmaker Misimovic who has helped strikers Grafite and Edin Dzeko score 43 goals between them this season.
“On Tuesday against Dortmund, we?ll have the opportunity to put this bitter defeat behind us.”
Defending champions Bayern Munich are now level on points with Wolfsburg and only stay second by virtue of an inferior goal difference with three games remaining.
Having won 3-1 at Energie Cottbus last Saturday, Bayern’s caretaker coach Jupp Heynckes wants three more points at Munich’s Allianz Arena on Tuesday against Bayer Leverkusen to keep the pressure on Wolfsburg.
“We need to think about Leverkusen now and not about anything else,” said Heynckes who is in charge only until the end of the season while a replacement is sought for sacked coach Jurgen Klinsmann.
“We played well against Cottbus, but in my opinion, if we?d been on really top form, we?d have won 6-1. We should have scored more goals.
“It?s very important not just to play convincingly, but also to put away the chances we create, and there were plenty.”
Third-placed Hertha Berlin are just a point behind leaders Wolfsburg and they want three more points to stake their claim for the title when they travel to strugglers Cologne.
“Now we have to remain focused for our trip to Cologne,” said Hertha coach Lucien Favre after strikers Marko Pantelic and Raffael sealed a 2-0 win over Bochum last Saturday at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium.
“It was a very difficult game, Bochum worked with five defenders at times, and we failed to find a way through at first.
“We created more chances in the second half and we have to keep up the momentum against Cologne.”
With Germany striker Mario Gomez having scored nine goals in his last five games, fourth-placed Stuttgart are at Schalke 04 on Wednesday eager to keep up their impressive run having won six of their last seven games.
Tuesday
Bayern Munich v Bayer Leverkusen
Karlsruhe v Hanover 96
Cologne v Hertha Berlin
VfL Wolfsburg v Borussia Dortmund
Wednesday
Eintracht Frankfurt v Werder Bremen
Schalke 04 v VfB Stuttgart
Hamburg v VfL Bochum
Energie Cottbus v Borussia M’gladbach
Arminia Bielefeld v Hoffenheim
Source: http://www.footballcupleague.com