Bayern Munich
Bayern Munich coach Vincent Kompany wants nothing more than a good night's sleep after his team won the Bundesliga title last week with two matches left to play.
The Bavarians, eight points clear with four matches left, could seal their 34th league crown with a win over Mainz should second-placed Bayer Leverkusen fail to beat Augsburg.
Bayern want to show an instant reaction to Tuesday's Champions League quarter-final 2-1 home loss to Inter Milan, in order to go into next week's return leg with a shot of confidence, the coach said.
The timing of the Bundesliga Klassiker at league leaders Bayern Munich could not have been worse for struggling Borussia Dortmund, with their entire season seemingly resting on Saturday's result.
With 65 points from 27 games, Bayern hold a six-point lead over holders Bayer Leverkusen. They have won one of their last three Bundesliga matches, losing to lowly visitors VfL Bochum and drawing at Union Berlin before a 3-2 home win over St Pauli.
Reigning champions Bayer Leverkusen will put as much pressure as they can on league leaders Bayern Munich as they battle to keep their title hopes alive, coach Xabi Alonso said ahead of Friday's home game against strugglers VfL Bochum.
The 31-year-old striker, England's all-time leading goalscorer, has scored 32 goals and provided 11 assists in 37 appearances across all competitions this season for Bayern, helping the German giants top the Bundesliga table and book a place in the Champions League quarter-finals.
Bayer Leverkusen's players must be professional and quickly move on from their chastening 3-0 Champions League defeat to Bayern Munich, manager Xabi Alonso said on Friday ahead of a Bundesliga clash with Werder Bremen.
Bayern Munich rallied from a goal down to beat VfB Stuttgart 3-1 on Friday and consolidate their position at the top of the Bundesliga, with coach Vincent Kompany praising his side's resilience, saying it was "a real German top match".
Saturday's Bundesliga big game between leaders Bayern Munich and champions Bayer Leverkusen is not a title-deciding game even though the latter are eight points behind the Bavarians, Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso said on Friday.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich must deliver a winning performance at Freiburg on Saturday to bounce back instantly from Wednesday's Champions League loss at Feyenoord, coach Vincent Kompany said on Friday.
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich are proving they are hungry for success again and are delivering a reaction to their disappointing previous season, coach Vincent Kompany said after his team's 5-0 demolition of Hoffenheim on Wednesday.
Bayern Munich stamped their authority over the Bundesliga in commanding style by hammering fourth-placed RB Leipzig 5-1 on Friday in a game that featured two goals in the opening two minutes for the first time in the league’s history.
Bayern Munich will go into the mid-season break as Bundesliga "winter champions" but RB Leipzig will aim to put a dampener on any festive cheer when they face Vincent Kompany's side in their final game of the year on Friday.
The Bavarians, who take on Paris St Germain in the Champions League on Tuesday, are undefeated in the Bundesliga and on 29 points following their fifth consecutive league game without conceding a goal.
Germany midfielder Musiala scored with a bullet-header from close range in the 67th minute with Bayern dominating and missing several chances before breaking the deadlock.
In-form Jamal Musiala bagged a first half hat-trick to steer Bayern Munich to a 4-0 victory over hosts Mainz 05 on Wednesday and into the German Cup third round.
Bayern Munich will learn from their 4-1 Champions League defeat to Barcelona but the German team's belief in a successful season is intact, coach Vincent Kompany said on Saturday ahead of Sunday's league game against VfL Bochum.
Aston Villa striker Jhon Duran's late lob over Bayern Munich goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to earn a 1-0 win in the Champions League was a pre-planned tactic, the English Premier League side's manager Unai Emery said.
After Robert Andrich gave Leverkusen the lead, Bayern's Aleksandar Pavlovic levelled with a stunning half-volley from 25 metres out which beat goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky to leave the visitors third in the standings.
