Werder Bremen lifted the DFB-Pokal and booked their place in the Europa League next season thanks to a narrow win over Bayer Leverkusen.

Mesut Ozil's deflected strike in the 58th minute was enough to win the game for a dominant Bremen side at Berlin's Olympiastadion.

Bremen had enough chances to win the game several times over against a lifeless Leverkusen, whose coach Bruno Labbadia goes into showdown talks with his club's board next week having failed to deliver the expected success this season.

Diego, playing his last game for Bremen before moving to Juventus next season, was given a very warm reception from the fans from northern Germany, who made up the majority inside the sold-out Olympiastadion.

He bowed to them having vowed to leave on a high note by winning the DFB-Pokal.

The early indications were promising for Bremen as Sebastian Prodl brought a decent save out of Rene Adler.

Torsten Frings' shot was then blocked by Manuel Friedrich when Claudio Pizarro unselfishly played the ball back to the Germany midfielder when perhaps he could have shot himself from inside the area.

Patrick Helmes had Leverkusen's best chance of the whole game in the 22nd minute when the ball fell at his feet just eight yards out from goal, but he completely mis-kicked with just Tim Wiese to beat.

All of the action was concentrated in front of Adler's goal and he was clearly feeling the pressure as he fumbled Naldo's 30-yard free-kick into the path of Frings, but Diego stole in from the side to take the shooting opportunity away from his team-mate.

Bremen may have wondered how they went into the break without scoring as Naldo's header was tipped over the bar by Adler on the stroke of half-time.

But Thomas Schaaf's men got the goal they were looking for, and thoroughly deserved, when Ozil's angled shot took a slight deflection off Friedrich to beat Adler at his near post in the 58th minute.

That goal proved to be enough to win the cup for Bremen.

Stefan Kiessling had the one and only chance to take the game to extra-time when he beat the offside trap in the 79th minute, but Prodl recovered to clear.


[Soccernet]

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has put a price tag on Franck Ribery of "at least 100 million euros'' as several clubs continue to be linked with the Frenchman.

Chelsea were reported to be considering making an offer in the region of 50 million euros, but Hoeness insists he would only listen to an offer of double that much, claiming yesterday that you could "get one of his legs at best" for such a sum.

"If I hear that there was an offer for 125 million euros for Kaka, then Ribery has a market value of at least 100 million,'' Hoeness told the Bild newspaper. "But I don't want to talk about a fee we would consider because we want to keep hold of Franck.''

According to Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, Ribery will still be a Bayern Munich player next season, no matter what Chelsea or any other club offers.

He told Munich's Tz newspaper that "only FC Bayern decides what happens, however many millions are offered. We do not want to sell Franck."

Werder Bremen were able to confirm Marcelo Moreno Martins as their first new signing for next season after the Bolivian forward passed a medical in the northern Germany city.

The 21-year-old joins on a one-year loan deal from Shakhtar Donetsk, the side who defeated Bremen in the final of the UEFA Cup only last week.

However, it was not there that Bremen noticed his talents since he was an unused substitute for the Ukrainians. According to Bremen's director of sport Klaus Allofs, the Bolivia international has long since been a target.

"We have been watching him for several years now and wanted to sign him last year, which is why we are delighted that it has worked out now, albeit with a bit of a delay," he said.

Should Martins impress while on loan in the Bundesliga, Bremen have secured an option to make the move a permanent one on a four-year contract.

After passing the medical tonight, Martins left a quick comment before flying out to link up with his national team for their games against Venezuela and Chile over the next fortnight.

"We were very close (to an agreement) last year, but then I chose Donetsk," he said in a press release. "I am really pleased that Werder have given me a second chance. I would like to show my ability at Bremen and help both myself and the team develop."


[Soccernet]

Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen head into the DFB-Pokal final today looking to salvage some pride from their otherwise disappointing seasons.

Both have failed to live up to their own expectations in the Bundesliga this season, finishing ninth and 10th respectively, and this has increased the pressure on their coaches.

Indeed, leading Leverkusen to DFB-Pokal glory may be the only thing which can keep Bruno Labbadia in his job.

After missing out on a place in Europe following a disappointing league campaign, Labbadia's future appears now to be hinging on whether or not his side can get the better of Bremen in Berlin.

But reading between the lines of Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voller's pre-match comments, defeat would not be so dramatic after he gave Labbadia his indirect backing by praising opponents Bremen for the patience they have shown with their coach Thomas Schaaf.

"Werder have been showing in an exemplary fashion for years how you deal with such crises," Voller said.

"Whenever there has been public criticism of Thomas Schaaf, then there has been 100% backing for the coach from the board.

"We are still convinced of Bruno's potential and we value the way in which Labbadia lets football be played."

Yet Leverkusen have veered from the sublime to the ridiculous this season, culminating in a 3-0 defeat on the final day of the season to struggling Energie Cottbus which has made the cup final even more important

Saturday's game may be the explanation for that slip-up last weekend since Labbadia says his players have been focused on this clash for months.

"The team is very excited," he said. "Everybody is looking forward to it.

"We have been working towards getting to Berlin from day one and spoke about how great an experience it would be even in (the first round at) Oberhausen.

"We are now here in Berlin and are incredibly excited."

Leverkusen got the better of Bremen in the Bundesliga with a win and a draw in their two meetings, but Schaaf hopes it will be a case of third time lucky for his side.

"It is going to be a tough task and I hope that we can do better this time than we did in the league," he said.

Brazilian playmaker Diego will be playing his final game for the club before moving to Juventus in the summer and he has promised to do all he can to leave with a piece of silverware.

"This is going to be the biggest game in my life so far," he said. "Winning the DFB-Pokal is my biggest dream."

Torsten Frings took a knock to his thigh in Thursday's training session, but he should be fit to play, leaving Schaaf without only his two long-term injury absentees, Per Mertesacker and Daniel Jensen.

Labbadia has a fully-fit squad to choose from.

It looks like Nuremberg are going to return to the Bundesliga next season after their 3-0 win at Energie Cottbus in the first leg of Thursday's promotion play-off.

Ghana striker Isaac Boakye scored twice for Nuremberg, who are now in a commanding position to win promotion. The second leg will be played back at their home ground on Sunday.

The German Football Federation (DFB) started the promotion play-off for the first time this season. It is played between the side that finished third from bottom of the Bundesliga and the team that finished third in the second division.

AFP

Shanghai - German football needs a bigger presence than Friday's friendly international in Shanghai to make an impact in China in particular and Asia in general, according to goalkeeping Legend Oliver Kahn. "In Germany they always speak about it as an interesting market. But if you really want to penetrate it it's not good enough to play a match there, be it Bayern Munich or the national team," Kahn said.

"It is not that easy."

Clad in a typical Chinese suit, the "Titan" Kahn knows what he is talking about on the 32-floor terrace of the Hyatt hotel in Shanghai.

Kahn has been immensely famous in Asia ever since his heroics in the 2002 World Cup in South Korea and Japan, where he conceded just one goal in Germany's surprise run to the final which they lost 2-0 to Brazil.

He has made several trips to Asia since then and is currently in China for several weeks until mid-June to tape a 10-part television show with young goalkeeper candidates.

"This is very important to me," he says.

"I started with 10 candidates, now four are left. The experience is great, the boys want to know so much, they soak everything in and want to improve."

Kahn, a father of two himself, said he felt especially drawn to a boy from Tibet: "His father told him: 'son, you must become a goalkeeper, as a goalkeeper you learn a lot about life.'"

That suits Kahn, who was one of the most dedicated players in his professional career and names "courage and responsibility" key phrases as he works with the young Chinese keepers.

The TV show will air from mid-June onwards and millions of Chinese are expected to tune in.

That is not the situation with Bundesliga broadcasts. The ruling German body DFB in Shanghai renewed its deal with national broadcasters CCTV for three years, but the Bundesliga market share in China is not more than 0.2 or 0.3 per cent.

Kahn mentioned kickoff times as one problem, with Bundesliga games starting late in China. The English Premier League, by contrast, has at least one match each weekend starting early in England for prime time viewing in Asia.

"You must create a permanent presence, be visible permanently, and not at 12 or 1 at night when most people are asleep. You must have decent kickoff times for the Chinese," he said.

Kahn also named the American National Basketball Association as another example, even though that also generates big interest in China because the best Chinese player, Yao Ming, plays in the NBA.

"You must invest and create a constant presence. This process can not be achieved with one friendly match per year," Kahn said.

That even more as coach Joachim Loew had only a handful of established players available for Friday's game as captain Michael Ballack led a long list of absentees owing to club duty or injury.

The presence of Kahn has helped the depleted team and the DFB to get some attention in their first visit to China, but Kahn said that he can't be the saviour for German football in Asia.

"I can generate attention, but only temporarily," said Kahn.


[Deutsche Presse-Agentur via Earth Times]

Germany’s demanding football fans have to be satisfied with a 1-1 tie in Shanghai, on the very first appearance of a German national team in China.

Although the two nations are 95 places apart in the FIFA World Rankings, China had the better chances but were denied by a combination of Germany goalkeeper Robert Enke and poor finishing.

Just five minutes into the game, the hosts shocked Germany by taking the lead. Hao Junmin scored on a shot from short distance, leaving German keeper Robert Enke little chance for a save. Germany responded three minutes later, when Lukas Podolski tied the game on a clever assist by Bastian Schweinsteiger. It was the 33rd goal during Podolski’s international career, letting him share eleventh place in Germany's all-time goalscorers with 1954 World Champion Fritz Walter.

China continued their aggressive and fast-paced style of football. Led by first-time captain Philipp Lahm, the German team, decimated by injuries and even more cancellations due to the DFB Pokal final this weekend, had no easy pickings against the Chinese. Enke saved a shot by Zhao Xuri (21.). Hannover’s goalkeeper displayed courage and attitude, as he played without bandages despite the head lacerations he had received in the Bundesliga finale.

Christian Gentner from German champions VfL Wolfsburg and striker Cacau were the 25th and 26th debutants during the reign of Joachim Löw. With German captain Michael Ballack absent because of the FA Cup final, Gentner played next to Thomas Hitzlsperger in midfield. Center defense was manned by Robert Huth and Arne Friedrich, who celebrated his 30th birthday in Shanghai. Cacau substituted teammate Mario Gomez after 64 minutes.

Six minutes from time Bastian Schweinsteiger had the biggest opportunity to score the winning goal, when he broke free in front of the Chinese goal, but shot the ball just wide.

Germany now fly to Dubai where they will face the United Arab Emirates in their second and final tour match next Tuesday.


[DFB.de]

For this Friday’s international game against China, German coach Joachim Löw sets his trust on his more experienced players. Because of a somewhat depleted roster of 17 players and the fact, that Arne Friedrich was unable to participate in Thursday’s public practice session, Robert Huth of FC Middlesbrough is expected to start in the friendly match. Newcomers such as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (FC Schalke), Cacau (VfB Stuttgart) and Christian Träsch (VfB Stuttgart) will most likely be on the reserve's bench first.

Apart from Friedrich, defender Heiko Westermann (Schalke 04) and midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger (Bayern München) had to rest for at least part of Thursday's practice session. Westermann had suffered a hit on the heel on Wednesday, while Schweinsteiger's ailing back forced him to leave Thursday's session early.

Medical staff are nevertheless optimistic, that Schweinsteiger will be ready-to-go for the match. The decision on Friedrich and Westermann on the other hand will be taken shortly before kick-off.

Earlier, German National Coach Joachim Löw had appointed Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski to start on the attack, while Robert Enke (Hannover 96) will be the starting goalkeeper, even though the 31-year-old had suffered a painful head laceration during the last league match in Bielefeld, which had to be suturated.

Manuel Neuer will get his first cap in the match against the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on Tuesday.


[DFB.de]

A weakened Germany squad arrived in Shanghai on Wednesday for an ill-timed Asia tour which they hope will offer a chance for fringe players to stake a claim for a ticket to the 2010 World Cup finals.

Germany will provide the opposition for new China coach Gao Hongbo's first match in charge at the Shanghai Stadium on Friday before moving on to Dubai for an encounter with the United Arab Emirates on June 2.

With Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen contesting Saturday's German Cup final, and captain Michael Ballack on Chelsea duty in the English equivalent, however, coach Joachim Loew travelled East without a string of regular players. "Obviously, we'll have to replace some players," team manager Oliver Bierhoff told the DFB website.
"Our two games in Asia offer us the opportunity for a final checkup, before the start of the 'World Cup season'," he added.

"Our coaching staff intends to cut the roster of candidate players for South Africa to 30. Thirty five players would be an absolute maximum. For some players, these two games in Shanghai and Dubai offer the chance to catch the coaches' eyes."

Young Squad

Among the five uncapped players in the squad is Brazilian-born Stuttgart striker Cacau, who became a German citizen in February.

While Loew's squad is well on course to qualify for next year's World Cup finals, Gao is trying to rally a struggling footballing nation whose team flopped out of contention for a spot in South Africa as early as last June.

With half an eye on the 2014 World Cup, Gao has picked a young squad and is hoping to get a measure of how good, or bad, his 97th-ranked team is against Germany, who are second in FIFA's rankings.

"I think it is a very good chance to build a team and get to know the players," Gao told reporters.

"Through the match with Germany, we can check out the how far China is behind the world football."

Chinese football has been in the doldrums for several years, becoming associated with violence and corruption off the pitch and ineptitude on it.

Friday's match is unlikely to fill the 80,000-seater stadium, even if the Bundesliga has a large following in China as one of the few top leagues broadcast free to air nationwide.


[Reuters via Guardian]

Bayern Munich have dismissed reports that Chelsea have opened negotiations to sign midfielder Franck Ribery, claiming that the Frenchman is ''not for sale''.

Various tabloids in the UK have linked the 26-year-old playmaker with a move away from Germany and the Bundesliga in recent weeks, and new speculation had suggested that the two clubs have now agreed a fee for the French international.

Bayern have stated that they want to keep Ribery, although that has not stopped the speculation about his future, forcing the club into another public statement.

"This story is completely untrue," Bayern media officer Markus Horwick told Deutsche Presseagentur. "Franck Ribery remains not for sale."

''Our stance has not changed: we would like to extend Ribery's contract, not sell him.''

The in-form Frenchman has been consistently linked with a move away with Chelsea the latest club to be linked with the former Marseille man. Chelsea's managerial target Carlo Ancelotti recently revealed that Ribery would be one of the first players he would try to sign if he took control at Stamford Bridge.

Ribery's contract with Bayern still has two years left to run on it, but general manager Uli Hoeness recently admitted Manchester United had made a ''casual inquiry''. Whether that inquiry develops into something more serious will depend on the future of Cristiano Ronaldo and the long-running saga over a prospective move to Real Madrid.

Ribery has also been linked with Real in recent months, while Barcelona dropped their interest after talks with Bayern over a possible deal were made public.

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has warned midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger he will need to improve his performances next season.

The Germany international failed to make an impression on Hoeness this campaign and has been told more is expected of him in the future.

"You have got to ask him quite clearly if he always just wants to be any old member of this squad," Hoeness told Sport Bild magazine.

"Is what he showed here last year how he imagined things to be with us at Bayern?"

Hoeness also said Philipp Lahm cannot expect to leave the club just because of his "nice guy" image.

The Germany full-back was strongly linked with Barcelona last summer and the Champions League winners are believed to be showing an interest again, but Hoeness is not listening to the rumours.

He said: "There is not one player who can leave us just because he is a nice guy. Are we a charity or something?"

When Werder Bremen take on Bayer Leverkusen in the German Cup final on Saturday (1800 GMT), it will be their last chance to salvage a European spot from an otherwise hapless season.

The pre-season Bundesliga favourites, who ended up in 10th place after showing only occasional sparks of their brilliance, also missed out on European glory, losing in the UEFA Cup final to Ukraine's Shakhtar Donetsk last week.

With playmaker Diego joining Juventus at the end of the season, Werder are asking the Brazilian to put in one final breath-taking performance to win the cup.

Mercurial Diego has been sparkling when it really mattered, at time almost single-handedly guiding them further in their competitions.

His suspension from the UEFA Cup final was crucial, leaving Werder with no creative play in midfield and no trophy.

"This (German Cup) match is the most important one, not only during my time at Werder but the most important one of my life," Diego said.

"I am happy to be able to give something back to Werder for all their devotion. I am fully motivated for this."

Coach Thomas Schaaf, rumoured to be on his way out at the end of the season after 10 years, will have captain Frank Baumann and Sebastian Boenisch back in the squad as he bids to bring back the cup after Werder's last triumph in 2004.

BAYER COLLAPSE

Leverkusen coach Bruno Labbadia had also imagined his season differently after sitting in fifth place halfway through. But his young team's second round collapse, including eight defeats, saw them crash out of the European spots, finishing a disappointing ninth.

His job is now on the line, with defeat in the final seemingly sealing his fate after club officials called the season so far "unsatisfactory."

Leverkusen can play stunning, fast-paced football when two of the league's most dangerous strikers, Stefan Kiessling and Patrick Helmes, are in top form and Brazilian midfielder Renato Augusto orchestrates the attacks.

However, since their sensational 4-2 German Cup quarter-final win over Bayern Munich, Leverkusen have failed to replicate their good form, needing extra time to oust Mainz 05 4-1 in the last four.

Captain Simon Rolfes is fully fit to play in their third final appearance and Labbadia can only hope his strikers will be in the mood for goals to win their first German Cup since 1993.


[Reuters via Guardian]

Dutch giants Ajax Amsterdam have appointed Martin Jol as their new head coach on a three-year deal, after landing their man for free.

GettyImages

Martin Jol: Ecstatic...

The Dutchman, who was under contract at SV Hamburg until 2010, succeeds Marco van Basten who resigned with one game of the Eredivisie season remaining after missing out on a Champions League spot, but Hamburg have admitted to letting him walk away from the club for nothing.

''The developments of the last few days were very surprising,'' Hamburg chairman Bernd Hoffman told the club's website. ''We had many conversations. At the end of them we realised it would be for the best if we went our separate ways.''

Jol had one year remaining on his Hamburg deal, but Hoffman said the club saw no reason to demand compensation.

''We have not asked Jol to fulfil his contract until 2010 because Ajax have offered him a longer-term deal with more far-reaching powers. He has better prospects there,'' he said.

Hoffman revealed the disagreement between Jol and the club was over the direction of transfer policy, suggesting the coach wanted to spend more than the board were prepared to authorise.

''It is in the interests of the coach to want the best players available,'' he said. ''We also have the same idea. But you can only take as many risks as you can justify economically. We have invested a lot on the team in recent years, and we will continue to do so.''

Jol, who took Premier League club Tottenham Hotspur to the brink of the Champions League qualifying places, was appointed Hamburg coach last summer and led the club to a fifth-place finish in the recently-completed Bundesliga campaign.

The 53-year-old also guided Hamburg to a UEFA Cup semi-final, but lost to German rivals Werder Bremen.

Jol, who last worked in Holland with RKC Waalwijk before moving to Tottenham to take up the role of assistant to head coach Jacques Santini in 2004, is relishing a return to his homeland.

He said: ''Ajax gives me a great opportunity, with an eye for the long term. 'I get a very wide array of responsibilities. Ajax is a fantastic club and I very much want to get started.

''I enjoyed my stay at HSV. It's a great club and Hamburg is a nice city to live and work in. I have in recent years worked abroad and once again return to the Netherlands, so I very much look forward to this.''

Van den Boog was equally delighted with the appointment.

''It is the most important position in a football club, so we gave it very careful consideration,'' he said. ''Martin has all the qualities the new coach of Ajax in our view should have.

''He is experienced and has experience both domestically and abroad. He has worked in large and smaller clubs and got the maximum from his players.

''He is a trainer who has shown that he gives talented young players a chance - our basic interest.

''I am very pleased with the way we have worked to achieve this. It was an exciting and challenging period, with an excellent result for Ajax.''

[Soccernet]

Mario Gomez has every reason to smile.

VfB Stuttgart striker Mario Gomez will join Bayern Munich in a deal that could make him the most expensive Bundesliga player ever.

Both clubs and the player confirmed they had agreed a deal that media have estimated will be worth about €30m. This would be the biggest in German league history.

Manchester United paid €25m for Owen Hargreaves in 2007.

"I am looking forward to Bayern," Gomez told the club website at the start of an Asian tour with the German national team. "The club is something special. I want to compete for the championship with it and look forward to the Champions League."

Gomez scored 24 times for Stuttgart this season, a personal best, and has long been on Bayern's shopping list. He also won the 2007 championship with Stuttgart.

The move could increase the chances of Bayern playmaker Franck Ribery staying on.

Ribery, courted by most major European clubs, has repeatedly called on Bayern to buy other players to create a more competitive team.

"We managed to hold on to him twice," Stuttgart manager Horst Heldt said about Gomez. "But he has now decided on a change. The fact is that if Bayern meet our conditions then the transfer will be complete in a few days.

The 23-year-old German, whose father is from Spain, has won 23 caps for Germany, scoring six goals, the last more than a year ago.

Gomez said he understood why some Stuttgart fans would be surprised that he was joining rivals Bayern.

"But I hope they will fondly remember the amazing times we lived through together," he added.

The deal only became possible after Bayern clinched the second Bundesliga spot leading to automatic Champions League qualification, guaranteeing them several million euros worth of added revenues.

Bayern confirmed their interest hours after grabbing the spot with a 2-1 win against Stuttgart on Saturday.

"We are delighted that Mario Gomez has decided to join us," said Bayern General Director Karl-Heinz Rummenigge. "He is a first class striker, one of the best in Germany."

Bayern have already signed Anatoliy Tymoschuk from Zenit St. Petersburg, Ivica Olic from Hamburg SV and Alexander Baumjohann from Borussia Moenchengladbach.


[Soccernet]

Brazilian playmaker Diego has completed his "dream" move to Juventus from Werder Bremen, for a fee of €24.5m.

The 24-year-old, who helped steer Werder to the UEFA Cup and German Cup finals this season, had two years left on his contract with the Bundesliga side but had made it clear that he wanted a new challenge.

Diego's performances also attracted the interest of German giants Bayern Munich but after signing a five-year contract with the Bianconeri he said: "I'm enthusiastic about Juventus and proud to become part of such a prestigious club, which I have dreamed about since I was a child."

The Brazil international, who joined Werder from Porto in 2006, added: "After the experiences in Portugal and in the Bundesliga I will be able to measure up to football of a very high level in a difficult and very competitive championship.

"It's the right time in my career to make such an important step and I'm convinced that with Juventus I'll achieve great results."

Diego's arrival is aimed at filling the gap created by Pavel Nedved's expected retirement. Juve also hope Diego can spur them to success in the Champions League and on the home front next season. Claudio Ranieri's failure to do so cost the coach his job last week.

Juventus, who are currently in the hands of caretaker boss Ciro Ferrara, also have a deal to bring Italy captain Fabio Cannavaro back from Real Madrid despite widespread supporter opposition.

The 35-year-old centre back, soon out of contract at Real, left for Spain in 2006 when Juve were demoted for match-fixing, while other top players such as Alessandro Del Piero and Gianluigi Buffon stuck with the club for their season in the second tier.


[Soccernet]

Samuel Eto'o and Lionel Messi deservedly won the Champions League for Barcelona with a 2-0 win over Manchester United in Rome. Although United started well, it was Barca who dominated from their 10th minute opener before Messi put the game beyond doubt (70).


[Soccernet]

Injured striker Vedad Ibisevic has extended his contract with Hoffenheim until 2013.

The 24-year-old Bosnian, who scored 18 goals in 17 matches before the winter break to help his team top the standings, ruptured cruciate ligaments in January and has not played since.

"He is a crucial part of our team. His extension is a signal that we will continue down the path we have followed until now," manager Jan Schindelmeiser told the club's website.


[Reuters]

Bayern Munich will open talks with Stuttgart next week over the possibility of signing Germany international striker Mario Gomez, according to the Bavarian club's general manager Uli Hoeness.

Hoeness told DSF television today he is hopeful the two clubs will be able to agree on the transfer of Gomez to Bayern.

"We will start talks next week and then we will see what comes of it," he said. "I would say today he is a very interesting player. I am relatively optimistic."

Funds to finance a deal should not have to come from the sale of Bayern's star midfielder Franck Ribery, however.

"He has a contract for another two years and there is no get-out clause at all," said Hoeness. "(Keeping him) is not so difficult."

Hoeness is confident keeping Ribery and signing Gomez will enable new coach Louis van Gaal to plan for a successful season next year and he has every confidence the Dutchman will show a better eye for talent than his predecessor Jurgen Klinsmann.

For the first time since Klinsmann was sacked in April, Hoeness criticised his leadership of the club.

"No coach has ever had as much of an influence on things in the history of FC Bayern as Klinsmann," he said. "His wishes were not only fulfilled, they were over-fulfilled. To claim he was not allowed to do what he wanted is wrong.

"The only concrete suggestion Klinsmann had was to sign Landon Donovan and (reserve team coach) Hermann Gerland said he would never even have played him in the reserve team."

Hoeness also today confirmed Christian Nerlinger will be taking over his position at the club this summer.

"Nerlinger will become our director of sport on July 1," said the 57-year-old, who had already announced his intention to leave his post at the end of the year after three decades.

By then, Hoeness hopes to have found another man to work alongside Nerlinger in a dual role to take care of the marketing and sponsorship side of the business while Nerlinger can concentrate on team affairs.


[Soccernet]

Former VfB Stuttgart coach Armin Veh will take over from Felix Magath at champions VfL Wolfsburg, the club said on Sunday.

Veh, who led VfB Stuttgart to their 2007 title, would officially be presented on Monday, the club said.

Wolfsburg chairman Hans-Dieter Poetsch told ZDF television Veh would be the new coach late on Saturday, hours after the team had clinched their first Bundesliga title with a 5-1 win over Werder Bremen.

Magath, who will join Schalke 04 after a two-year spell at Wolfsburg, said Veh was a good choice.

"If you asked me I would have named Armin Veh. He produced outstanding work in Stuttgart. I think he is the right man," he told DSF television on Sunday.

Veh was sacked by Stuttgart in November 2008 after a poor run of results.

Franz Beckenbauer feels Wolfsburg manager Felix Magath "should be knighted" for winning the Bundesliga title this year.

Wolfsburg beat Bayern Munich to the title by two points to be crowned German champions for the first time in their history.

"Felix Magath has managed to make an average team into German champions," he said. "Such a success is worth more than winning the title in consecutive years with FC Bayern. He should be knighted for it."

Magath led Bayern Munich to back-to-back league and cup doubles, but was sacked one game into the second half of the 2006/07 season with the record champions lying in third place.

They went on to end the season fourth and missed out on a place in the Champions League.

Seeing Magath win the title with a rank outsider will surely hurt Bayern, but Beckenbauer insists Wolfsburg are worthy champions.

"When you play as impressively as Wolfsburg have done in the second half of the season, when they took Bayern and Werder Bremen apart 5-1, and play with such consistency and proven their strength at home, then it is fine," he told Premiere television.

"They have won 16 from 17 home matches. They have become German champions at home and that is honourable."

Magath was humble in accepting his third Bundesliga title before he moves to his eighth managerial position next season with the aim of making Schalke his third title winners, although he had tears in his eyes as he looked back on a successful two years with the Wolves.

"We maybe did not have the best team, but we played the best football," he said. "We deserved to be champions. Leaving this club is very hard.

"The expectations at Schalke are always high and when you go there as the manager who has just won the title then there will be people who think that just that alone will be enough (to win the league).

"I can only guarantee that I will give 100% of my abilities to take Schalke forward, but we still have to work sufficiently."


[Soccernet]

Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp admitted it will take a long time to come to terms with the disappointment of missing out on a place in Europe next season after his side slipped to sixth position in the Bundesliga in the very last minute of the season.

A 1-1 draw at Borussia Monchengladbach would have been enough for the Westphalians to qualify for the Europa League had Hamburg not scored a stoppage-time winner over Eintracht Frankfurt.

"We have worked hard, but not reached our goal," said Klopp. "The disappointment is huge. We have not managed to reach what may not have been the aim we set at the start of the season, but which became one as the season progressed.

"It would take too long to describe how big the disappointment is. But I am proud of my team and proud of our fans, who have been sensational all season.

"I hope we can build on this next season. The way in which the team and the fans have come together is incredible and I can only promise that we will continue where we had to leave off today."

The players' frustration was even greater and Sebastian Kehl and Roman Weidenfeller almost came to blows after the final whistle.

"We were on fire for the last few weeks and then all of a sudden everything is destroyed in the last minute," said Kehl. "That certainly brings out all your frustration."

Klopp condemned Weidenfeller for his verbal tirade at Kehl, saying he "should not present such an image, even after a game like this".

The only positive words came from Gladbach boss Hans Meyer, who said avoiding relegation was "the biggest thing in 38 years as a coach".

However, his future remains unclear. He has a contract until 2010 and would not be drawn on whether he would be fulfilling it.


[Soccernet]

Mainz 05 became the second team to win promotion to the Bundesliga on Sunday after beating Oberhausen 4-0 to finish second on 63 points. Freiburg have already secured promotion with top spot while third-placed Nurnberg, who beat 1860 Munich 2-1, face a promotion play-off against Energie Cottbus, third from bottom in the Bundesliga.

Hamburg coach Martin Jol claimed his team deserved their place in the Europa League next season, even if they secured it with practically the final kick of the season.

The northern Germany side threw away a two-goal lead at Eintracht Frankfurt yesterday to risk missing out on a fifth-place finish, but a stoppage-time goal from Piotr Trochowski sent 10,000 travelling fans inside Frankfurt's Waldstadion into delirium.

That goal was enough to take Hamburg above Borussia Dortmund and into Europe next season.

"The joy is immense," said Jol. "The team has deserved this success and I am most pleased for our fans. They are incredible with 10,000 of them following us here to Frankfurt, which is amazing.

"They have deserved this European qualification as much as the team."

Trochowski's goal saved Hamburg from a third bitter disappointment in the last few weeks after their dreams of a treble ended with a hat-trick of defeats to Werder Bremen in the semi-finals of the DFB-Pokal, the UEFA Cup and the Bundesliga.

Although they came close to winning the league title, finishing fifth was still a positive achievement, according to chairman Bernd Hoffmann.

"Of course there could have been more in this season for us, but overall, the season has got to be regarded as a success," he told the club's website. "We have qualified for Europe once again and are therefore continuing in the right direction.

"Considering the whole season, the team and our supporters have deserved this success."

Frankfurt coach Friedhelm Funkel said goodbye to the club he has coached for the last five years.

"I have had a lot of fun working here and had five fantastic years here," he said. "It is obviously disappointing that we have not managed to win the final game."


[Soccernet]

VfL Wolfsburg sealed their first Bundesliga title by demolishing Werder Bremen 5-1 on the final day of the season on Saturday.

Hundreds of fans poured on to the pitch at the final whistle, cheering and hugging the players and ripping the shirts off their backs, to celebrate a remarkable achievement for a team regarded as rank outsiders at the start of the season.

Bayern Munich, who went into the final round of matches two points behind, at least managed to clinch second spot, and automatic entry to the Champions League, thanks to a 2-1 win over direct rivals VfB Stuttgart, who finished third.

Stuttgart will go into Champions League qualifying, while Hertha Berlin and Hamburg SV will play in the new Europa League.

Arminia Bielefeld and Karlsruhe were relegated while Energie Cottbus will play a relegation play-off with the third best team of the second division.

Wolfsburg, holding that precious two-point advantage, ensured nerves would not be an issue as they roared into a 3-0 lead through Zvjezdan Misimovic, Grafite and an own goal from Sebastian Proedl.

Werder pulled one back through Diego before Grafite and Edin Dzeko sealed the title with two second half goals.

"It is a dream come true," Magath, who will be leaving to join Schalke next season, told Premiere. "Before the season started I never thought we had a chance to win the championship.

"It is hard to be leaving now, obviously," added a soaking Magath, who led Bayern Munich to successive league and cup doubles before being sacked by the Bavarians.

"I am not quite dry. We were in the locker room and there was quite a bit of champagne flying through the air."

More than 30,000 fans in the stands and on the pitch broke into songs when captain Josue lifted the Bundesliga shield to a clear blue sky.

Wolfsburg became the first team in the history of the Bundesliga to have two strikers score 20 goals or more in one season, with Grafite netting 28 times and Bosnian Dzeko 26.

"It is just insane," said Dzeko. "It is great feeling to be German champions. I did not think it was possible to win it in only my second year in Germany. We are going to do a lot of celebrating."

Bayern, who needed a slip-up by Wolfsburg to have any chance, managed to hold on to a 2-1 win against Stuttgart after an own goal by Khalid Boulahrouz and one from captain Mark van Bommel had put them in the lead. Mario Gomez pulled one back.

"We won four matches and had one draw. I think I fulfilled my mission," said interim Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, hired to salvage Champions League qualification after Juergen Klinsmann was sacked in late April.

"It is just a shame that we could not win the championship. This team has so much potential. Normally a team this good should win the title," Heynckes added.


[Soccernet]

Manchester City have completed the signing of teenage Schalke full-back Nils Zander.

The German youth international is yet to make his senior debut for the Bundesliga outfit but has shown enough in their junior ranks for City manager Mark Hughes to be convinced of his quality.

And, for all the star names Hughes continues to be linked with, the former Wales chief has made 16-year-old Zander his first capture of the summer.

It is not anticipated Zander will go straight into Hughes' senior squad.

However, with Michael Ball set to leave Eastlands this summer and Javier Garrido not convincing Hughes of his long-term value for the Blues, Zander could easily be called upon to deputise for Wayne Bridge at some stage next term.

Meanwhile, Stephen Ireland has been voted City's player of the year.

The midfielder has been one of the stand-out figures for the Blues in a campaign scarred by inconsistency.

And, after being overlooked in favour of Ashley Young for the PFA young player prize, the 22-year-old has now gained some consolation, ending fellow Irishman Richard Dunne's four-year hold on the trophy.

Ireland was the overwhelming choice of City fans, beating Vincent Kompany into second place, with Pablo Zabaleta in third.

Teenage striker Daniel Sturridge, who has still not signed a deal for next season, was named the young player of the year despite an injury-marred campaign.


[Soccernet]

German national team coach Joachim Löw has called-upon four novices for the upcoming trip to Asia. Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer (Schalke 04), Christian Träsch (VfB Stuttgart), Christian Gentner (VfL Wolfsburg) and Cacau (VfB Stuttgart) belong to a roster of 18 players that Joachim Löw presented on Tuesday. Germany face China in Shanghai on May 29 and the United Arab Emirates in Dubai on June 2.

Bayern München’s forward Miroslav Klose was not nominated. Klose (88 caps) has just recuperated from an ankle injury, that had him sidelined for two months. Löw and Klose agreed, that he needs further recovery time. “Following my injury, I just had one brief appearance in the Bundesliga. To play two internationals within a few days, I just don’t feel ready for that yet. I will focus on my rehabilitory program in Munich.”

For the first time since the 2006 FIFA World Cup, the 24-year old defender Robert Huth (FC Middlesbrough) could play for the German squad. “We never gave up on Robert. When we had him on the field at a tournament, he has always performed well. He has played a good season in the Premier League, so we look forward to his return”, said Löw.


[DFB.de]

VfL Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath has been around too long to just sit back and enjoy watching his players clinch their first Bundesliga title on Saturday with a win over Werder Bremen on the last matchday (1330 GMT).

With a two-point lead over record champions Bayern Munich and VfB Stuttgart going into the last match, a win will guarantee the Bundesliga title and even a draw or a defeat could be enough to clinch it.

Magath, used to success on the big stage as player and coach, is in no mood for early celebrations, however, demanding that his players keep their focus and close their eyes to the green-and-white decorations already on show in the city streets and squares.

"We are not yet sucking on the candy," Magath warned this week, after sending off Daniel Adlung during training for what the strict disciplinarian perceived as lack of commitment in practice.

"We must stay focused for another 90 minutes. If we play half as good as in the last two matches then it should be enough," Magath said.

It will be hard for Wolfsburg to actually lose the title in what has been the most gripping season finale in years.

With a near-perfect home record of 15 wins and a draw in 16 games, the match against Bremen, fresh from their UEFA Cup final defeat to Shakhtar Donetsk and ahead of the May 30 German Cup final, should be straightforward.

Even second-placed Bayern are now only hoping for a miracle, similar to the one in 2001 when a last-gasp goal against Hamburg SV won them the title as Schalke 04 were already celebrating.

This time, though, matters are not entirely in Bayern's hands.

The champions face Stuttgart (1330), direct competitors, who would be more than happy to settle for second place and win automatic Champions League qualification.

"I don't want to think about the title. Second spot is realistic even though we have a Herculean task," said Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel, a former Bayern player.

Stuttgart have salvaged what looked like a lost season, with Babbel taking over in late November and guiding them up the table. A win in Munich would be the crowning achievement of his first season as Bundesliga coach before even obtaining the proper coaching licence.

"The dice have been cast by 99.5 percent," Bayern General Manager Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said. "The title is in Wolfsburg's hands and I do not see them dropping it. If we are second after the game against Stuttgart we will be happy with the season."


[Reuters via Soccernet]

Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes has admitted defeat in his side's bid to defend their Bundesliga title this season.

With one game of the season remaining, Bayern trail Wolfsburg by two points and must beat Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena on Saturday to stand any chance of winning the title.

But Heynckes, who is unbeaten in four games in charge since replacing Jurgen Klinsmann last month, is being realistic.

"Wolfsburg are not going to let the title be taken from them," he said.

Bayern have yet to sit on top of the Bundesliga all season and Heynckes suggests he would have been able to take them there if he had replaced Klinsmann a little earlier.

"Our surge came too late," he told the Rheinische Post newspaper. "The team is working better all the time and is enjoying its football and is presenting itself well.

"Even if Stuttgart have a run going, I am convinced that we will beat them on Saturday."

A defeat for Bayern is almost inconceivable since it could mean another season in the UEFA Europa League rather than the Champions League.

Keeping hold of the likes of Franck Ribery and signing other big-name players would be compromised by such a scenario, leaving a lot riding on Saturday's final game of the season, even if the title is probably beyond Bayern.

• Axed Bayern Munich coach Juergen Klinsmann has blamed the club's powerful chiefs and his former players for his failed 10-month stint at the German champions.

"I hit the limits with my way of thought because I often had to deal with people who were unwilling to develop further. I wanted to take the next step," Klinsmann told stern TV on Wednesday.

"They are all alpha males and also need their space. They are all personalities you have to work with."

Klinsmann also blamed players for neglecting the Bundesliga in favour of Champions League glory. Bayern were eliminated in the quarter-finals by Barcelona.

"They were very motivated for the Champions League. But there was lack of consistency (in the league). They thought the Bundesliga would run by itself. We dropped silly points."

The 44-year-old said he should have asked for three or four signings.

"It was a mistake to accept compromises because you are dealing with alpha males," he said.

"One of the mistakes was to take over the squad that was given to me. I should have been clear from the start and say 'I need three or four players'. I allowed myself to be convinced."

Bayern, who are in second place two points off the top with a match left to play, take on VfB Stuttgart on Saturday and need a slip-up by leaders Wolfsburg to clinch the title.


[Soccernet]

Eintracht Frankfurt and Friedhelm Funkel will part company at the end of the season, it was announced at a press conference.

Contrary to reports circulating on Wednesday, Funkel has not been sacked and he will remain on the bench for the final game of the season against Hamburg but then he will leave the club at the end of the month.

He revealed he himself had asked for his contract to be terminated.

"I spoke with (club chairman) Heribert Bruchhagen on Monday and requested that my contract be terminated on June 30," said Funkel.

After spending the afternoon in talks with his fellow board members, Bruchhagen then accepted his resignation, leaving Funkel out of a job next season while no new coach has yet been contacted to take over at the Bundesliga side.

"Of course I will do the last game of the season against Hamburg and then I will go on holiday and think about what to do," added Funkel.

The 55-year-old took over in charge of the club on July 1, 2004, and only recently put pen to paper on a new deal until 2010 after a difficult first half of the season in which he was under pressure.

Frankfurt were languishing at the foot of the table and Funkel was given an ultimatum to turn things around last December, which he did with a sequence of positive results.

However, a dip in form since signing that new deal in February has seen the club slip closer to the relegation zone and their safety has only just been mathematically confirmed.

Saturday's game at the Waldstadion will now be Funkel's 170th and last as coach of Frankfurt.

Former Bayer Leverkusen and Galatasaray coach Michael Skibbe is believed to be the number one candidate to take over next season with ex-Schalke boss Mirko Slomka also in the running.

However, Bruchhagen was unable to comment on who would be in charge of the club next season.


[Reuters via Soccernet]

Bayern Munich would have won the Bundesliga this season had Jurgen Klinsmann been given the chance to complete his first season in charge of the Bavarian giants.

Klinsmann only replaced Ottmar Hitzfeld in July 2008 but was sacked last month after suffering defeats to title rivals VfLWolfsburg and FC Schalke 04 and a humiliating Champions League quarter-final defeat against which included a 4-0 thumping in the Camp Nou.

Louis van Gaal, who led AZ Alkmaar to the Dutch title this season, has been confirmed as Bayern's coach for next season, but Klinsmann contends that he was harshly treated by the club he served as a player between 1995 and 1997.

''Many things were chalked up to me which I could do nothing about,'' he said in an interview with RTL programme stern TV.

He added: ''That was actually the most painful thing in the matter, that you had the feeling you would have been able to finish this job. I would have been able to lead the team to the championship.''

Bayern currently lie two points behind Wolfsburg with just one game remaining. If they are to retain the Bundesliga title, Bayern must beat VfB Stuttgart and hope the Wolves lose to Werder Bremen.

The former Germany national team coach was removed after the club's senior figures revealed they and the Bayern players had lost faith in his capabilities.

But Klinsmann is unrepentant and believes that his work at the club will bear fruit, saying: ''We have laid the foundation stone for the future.''

Meanwhile Bayern midfielders Ze Roberto and Hamit Altintop will be fit to play in the final match of the season against Stuttgart after the pair returned to training.


[Soccernet]

Shakhtar Donetsk became the last winners of the UEFA Cup by defeating Werder Bremen 2-1 in the final in Istanbul tonight.
Mircea Lucescu's team also became the first Ukrainian side to win a European trophy thanks to Jadson's winner in extra-time.

The final - the last to be played before the competition is rebranded as the Europa League next season - finished all square on 90 minutes after Naldo had equalised Luiz Adriano's opener.

Jadson made it a trio of Brazilian scorers when his weak effort trickled past Werder goalkeeper Tim Wiese in the 97th minute to give Shakhtar the trophy.

The Ukrainians should have gone ahead in the fifth minute when Luiz Adriano was allowed the time and space to turn on the edge of the box, but he fired just wide with the goal gaping.

He was almost made to pay for his profligacy a minute later as Shakhtar failed to clear Sebastian Boenisch's long throw but Frank Baumann miscued his effort and on 24 minutes the Brazilian striker made amends, seizing on a through-ball that had wrong-footed the Bremen defence and lifting a sumptuous chip over the onrushing Wiese.

Moments after his goal Luiz Adriano found himself on the corner of the box again but lashed the ball over the bar, and his compatriot Willian then broke purposefully into the box, only to produce a tame finish straight at Wiese.

But just as Shakhtar were threatening to extend their advantage, Bremen hit back in thunderous fashion through their own Brazilian, Naldo stepping up in the 34th minute to hammer a free-kick at Andrei Pyatov with such ferocity that the goalkeeper could only help it on its way into the net.

At the other end Wiese looked far more assured in denying Mariusz Lewandowski's powerful strike and the teams went in level at the end of an absorbing first half.

Wiese was back in action soon after the restart, doing well to punch away Darijo Srna's free-kick from the right and Jadson's strike from the left.

The lively Luiz Adriano turned in the box again on 65 minutes but his shot was blocked by Naldo and then Claudio Pizarro almost nicked it 13 minutes from time with a glancing header that Pyatov clawed away down to his left.

With the game petering out extra-time looked increasingly likely and once it got under way, it was almost inevitable that it would be an error that would finally settle the issue.

Less predictable was that Wiese would be the culprit, horribly misjudging Jadson's soft shot from 12 yards and undoing all his good work through the night by letting it bobble past him into the net.

Willian had a chance to seal victory seconds before the extra-time interval only to blaze his effort over the crossbar and Pizarro had a late strike ruled out for offside, but Shakhtar held on for the victory and the final UEFA Cup title.

The Bundesliga on Tuesday said they would take the original champion trophy to Wolfsburg, while a replica would be brought to Munich.

With one game to go, three teams can still win the championship.

VfL Wolfsburg have a two-point lead at the top of the table from Bayern Munich. VfB Stuttgart, who will face Bayern in Munich, are also two points behind.

The head of the Bundesliga Reinhard Rauball, accompanied by two other officials, will bring the original trophy to the northern City of Wolfsburg, where football fans are hoping for a first-ever Bundesliga title.

If Wolfsburg loses at home against Werder Bremen on Saturday the winner of the game between Bayern and Stuttgart would win the title. Former German internationals Andreas Brehme and Hansi Mueller will be in Munich to hand over a replica of the trophy in that case.


[Deutsche Presse Agentur via M&G]

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has called on the German Football Federation to take action against Jens Lehmann.

The veteran Stuttgart and former Germany goalkeeper has earned the wrath of Bayern after suggesting that they have been the beneficiaries of generous refereeing decisions at times this season.

Lehmann's comments have further stoked up the atmosphere ahead of Saturday's final-day meeting of the two sides after which Bayern could be crowned champions.

"Jens Lehmann is accusing referees of manipulation and deception. That is ridiculous," said Rummenigge.

"I am interested to see how the DFB react to the issue.

"Of course Jens has an agenda. He wants to turn the atmosphere against us."


[The Independent]

Werder Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf is assessing the walking wounded in his injury-hit squad ahead of Wednesday's UEFA Cup final against Shakhtar Donetsk.

"I do not know who is fit and who can play," Schaaf told a news conference on Tuesday an hour before his side were due to train at the Sukru Saracoglu stadium.

"I am not even thinking about a (team) formation yet."

Schaaf will definitely be without influential playmaker Diego and striker Hugo Almeida, who are suspended, while defender Per Mertesacker is injured and will not play.

Captain Frank Baumann is battling to shake off a muscle strain, as is Brazilian defender Naldo. Strikers Claudio Pizarro and Markus Rosenberg missed the home defeat by Karlsruhe on Saturday after picking up injuries.

Schaaf said Diego, Almeida and Mertesacker "cannot be replaced on a one-to-one basis" but he would still be able to field a strong team.

Brazilian Diego, who has scored six UEFA Cup goals in Werder's run to the final, has been heavily linked with a move to Juventus with German media reporting on Wednesday the deal was worth about 29 million euros ($39.5 million).

Werder general manager Klaus Allofs said a transfer was "still up in the air despite weeks of talks" while Schaaf told reporters Diego had not yet played his last game for the club.

"We still have an important league match against (Bundesliga leaders) Wolfsburg and then the German Cup final (against Bayer Leverkusen)," he said. "Diego will play a part in these games".

Werder have endured a disappointing league campaign and are in 10th place going into their final game but midfielder Torsten Frings said two Cup final appearances went some way to making up for their inconsistent season.

"If we win a trophy then the season will have been a success," he said. "We are not happy with our Bundesliga form but we have the chance to make up for that."


[Soccernet]

Bayern Munich general manager Uli Hoeness has revealed the club will invest heavily in new players this summer provided they qualify for the Champions League.

Hoeness told Bavarian television (BR) after a board meeting yesterday that his side "will get active" in the transfer market to strengthen the squad for new coach Louis van Gaal.

"We have, as has almost always been the case, received a relatively generous budget," he said. "But if we do not qualify for the Champions League, then our plans for investment will change."

Bayern have already secured the services of Ivica Olic, Anatoli Tymoschuk and Alexander Baumjohann for the coming season, but have not broken the bank since both Olic and Baumjohann will arrive on free transfers.

Another striker appears the priority since Lukas Podolski is heading back to Cologne, but Stuttgart's Mario Gomez is not a target.

"The name Gomez does not come into our plans at this moment in time," added Hoeness.

Bayern face Gomez and Stuttgart on the final day of the season on Saturday when even a win might not be enough to guarantee them the title.

Instead, they need Werder Bremen to become the first team this season to win away to Wolfsburg to stand any chance of successfully defending their title.

First up for Bremen is the UEFA Cup final, while they also have the DFB-Pokal final to look forward to, but Hoeness believes they will still give their all against the Wolves.

"We have all the faith in the management of Bremen and their coach Thomas Schaaf," said Hoeness.

"We know for certain that he will try to end the season fairly and we are not worried about there being another disaster like in Hannover."

Wolfsburg's 5-0 win at Hannover last Saturday took them to within touching distance of their first ever Bundesliga crown, meaning Bayern's clash upcoming with Stuttgart at the Allianz Arena is likely to be a battle for second place.


[Soccernet]

Jens Lehmann has caused a stir by claiming Stuttgart's title rivals have benefited from favourable refereeing decisions and his side would have already been crowned champions had it not been for the officials.

The 39-year-old former Germany goalkeeper believes Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg, who need only a point to be crowned champions for the first time in their history next weekend, get all the luck.

"Wolfsburg have also benefited from refereeing decisions," he said. "I have never seen them having to accept negative decisions."

Bayern Munich, who lie in a share of second place with Stuttgart, have also been on the receiving end of refereeing help according to Lehmann, who does not expect the best of welcomes when he goes to the Allianz Arena for the final game of the season on Saturday.

"Bayern get some decisions in their favour which would go against us but, as a player, you cannot do anything about such decisions," he added. "If the decisions were all normal, we would already be champions."

"We are hoping for a good referee's performance in Munich on Saturday. I am sure I am not going to get a fantastic reception there."

Saturday's clash could prove a play-off for Champions League football, with the loser potentially having to settle for the Europa League.

And Stuttgart midfielder Thomas Hitzlsperger has joined in on the mind games by increasing the pressure on Bayern.

"We want to get into the Champions League but for them it as an absolute must," he said.

Bayern lead Stuttgart only on goal difference with both sides two points behind Wolfsburg, who host Werder Bremen on Saturday and need only to extend their unbeaten home record for the season by one more game to be crowned champions.

Hertha Berlin are one point behind Bayern and Stuttgart and know a win would take them into the Champions League.


[Soccernet]

The German under 17 national team defeats the Netherlands 2-1 (1-1, 1-1) in extra-time and clinches the title in the European championships. The team coached by Marco Pezzaiouli won the European title in front of 22,000 fans in Magdeburg. Florian Trinks scored the decisive goal on a spectacular free kick, when he hit the triangle from 25 meters out.



Both teams needed but minutes to find their groove. In front of a record-crowd, which included DFB-President Dr. Theo Zwanziger, General Secretary Wolfgang Niersbach, Women’s World Cup LOC-President Steffi Jones and German coach Joachim Löw, the guests took the early lead. Capitalising on their very first opportunity, Isoufi Shabir passed the ball to Luc Castaignos, who scored from short distance.

Lennart Thy tied the game, when Kevin Scheidhauer’s header bounced back from the crossbar, and Thy pushed the ball over the line.

“They had the better beginning, but because of our effort before halftime, we deserved the tied score at that point. It’s a great game, with both teams very focused”, said Dr. Theo Zwanziger during the break.

Germany took the command early in the second half, yet without being able to create scoring opportunities. Dutch goalkeeper Jan ter Mate then parried a header by Robert Labus, then blocked a shot by Götze. An hour was played, when only Dutch player Stefan De Vrij prevented Götze from giving Germany the lead.

During extended time, Germany won their second major juniors title since 2008, when Horst Hrubesch had led the U-19 to the European championship. On Monday, all it took was a perfect shot by Florian Trinks.

More pictures:








[DFB.de]

Corinthians insist they have not had any contact with Bayern Munich midfielder Ze Roberto, who on Saturday claimed he was considering a move to the Brazilian club.

The 34-year-old told A Tribuna newspaper he was mulling over Corinthians' offer to join them when his contract in Bavaria expires on June 30.

"Bayern offered to extend the relationship for one year and Corinthians were the only side from Brazil who called me. They want me to be there in the year of their centenary (2010) and it is a very interesting project to play the Copa Libertadores with Ronaldo in the squad," Ze Roberto said.

But Corinthians issued a statement denying any contact has been made.

It read: "The Sport Club Corinthians Paulista are honoured by the quotes from midfielder Ze Roberto, a Bayern Munich player, expressing his interest in representing this club.

"However, Corinthians make clear that, for now, no contact with the player has been made."

Born in Ipiranga in the state of Sao Paulo, Ze Roberto made his professional debut at Portuguesa in 1994 before moving to Real Madrid in 1997.

A year later, he returned to Brazil to play for Flamengo before a four-year spell at Bayern Leverkusen.

He transferred to Bayern Munich in 2002 and was loaned to Santos for 10 months after the 2006 World Cup.

Ze Roberto has won four Bundesliga titles and three DFB-Pokals with Bayern, and two Copa America and two Confederations Cups with the national team.

General manager Uli Hoeness has placed most of the blame for Bayern Munich's disappointing season at the feet of former coach Jurgen Klinsmann.

The Bavarians risk failing to qualify for the Champions League if they lose to Stuttgart in their final game of the season - when a win could still be enough for them to rise to the summit of the table for the first time all year and clinch the title.

However, Hoeness remains disappointed with the way Klinsmann seemingly made his team worse than it was last season.

"We have never played as well in the Bundesliga this season as we did last year when we dominated the league with a team which was certainly no better than the one we had this year," he said.

"Therefore, there is certainly room for criticism when, one year later, you don't do the same again with the same or even slightly better team."

Last summer, Klinsmann took over from Ottmar Hitzfeld, who won a league and cup double in 2007-08 while leading Bayern to the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup.

Upon his arrival, he revolutionised the way the club was run, ordering changes to the training facilities and regime, but he was sacked last month after a defeat to Wolfsburg left them lagging behind in the race for the title.

Hoeness stopped short of pinning all of the blame on Klinsmann, but for the first time since telling him to pack his bags, he admitted he had made mistakes.

"Jurgen Klinsmann does not carry all of the blame, but one thing is clear - we cannot be happy with the work he has done," said Hoeness on ZDF television.

"We still feel that the material we gave him to work with as coach was better than what we got out of it in the end.

"We certainly expected more from the appointment of Klinsmann."

Caretaker coach Jupp Heynckes now has one game left to rescue the season and at least book Bayern a place in the Champions League next season.

Winning the title is no longer the target, according to Hoeness.

He said: "We are only looking at Stuttgart now and what happens in Wolfsburg doesn't play a role.

"We have got to concentrate on our direct rivals for second place.

"Thank god it is all in our own hands. A win will make this second place 100% ours.

"It is going to be a nervy game. Both teams can win the league, both can finish second to go into the Champions League directly, but both also risk falling down to fourth and that would be fatal."


[Soccernet]

Werder Bremen midfielder Diego has left no doubt that he will be leaving the German Bundesliga in favour of a move to Italy's Serie A by revealing: "I want to play at Juventus."

Diego has left all sorts of bodies in his wake during his time at Werder Bremen.
The Brazilian playmaker, who is under contract with the German outfit until June 2011, is being tipped as Pavel Nedved's replacement at the Turin giants.

A fee has already been agreed between the two clubs and Diego is optimistic the transfer is on the verge of being finalised.

''We are very close but there is one minor step that has yet to be taken,'' said Diego in an interview with Gazzetta dello Sport.

''I have already told (Juve sporting director Alessio) Secco that I want to play at Juventus. I believe Serie A is the most beautiful and most difficult league.

''Juventus have made a point to express how much they want me and in Italy there are great players.''

Diego helped Werder reach the UEFA Cup final against Shakhtar Donetsk but will miss the May 20 game in Istanbul through suspension.

He joined Werder in 2006 from FC Porto, after beginning his career with Robinho at Santos, and quickly became one of the Bundesliga's top players - counting Bayern Munich and Real Madrid amongst his admirers.


[Soccernet]

Bosnian striker Edin Dzeko scored a hat-trick as leaders VfL Wolfsburg crushed Hanover 96 5-0 away on Saturday to close in on their first Bundesliga title with one match left.

The league's leading striker Grafite added two more for Wolfsburg, who are top with 66 points, two more than Bayern Munich who were held to a 2-2 draw at Hoffenheim.

VfB Stuttgart climbed to third place, also on 64, with a 2-0 win over Energie Cottbus, leaving Hertha Berlin a point behind on 63 after they failed to beat Schalke 04 in a goalless draw.

Wolfsburg struck after only 14 minutes when Dzeko chested down a cross from Japan's Makoto Hasebe and unleashed an unstoppable shot into keeper Robert Enke's top corner.

Brazilian striker Grafite quickly added two more, the first on 33 minutes from close range and an almost identical goal three minutes later as Hanover, with the worst defence in the league, threw in the towel.

Dzeko netted his second when he headed in a Zvjezdan Misimovic cross before grabbing his 25th league goal 10 minutes before the end when he headed in another Hasebe cross.

Bayern Munich had something to cheer about when they struck after 16 minutes but from there on it was pure agony for the champions.

Hoffenheim failed to clear in the box allowing Franck Ribery, outstanding throughout the match, to fire home from eight metres.

The hosts quickly recovered, levelling five minutes later when midfielder Carlos Eduardo sent a perfect through ball for Demba Ba who raced past Martin Demichelis and slotted home despite a late challenge by Lucio.

Lukas Podolski and Demichelis missed big chances to score from two metres before Carlos Eduardo scored the hosts' second. Wellington's header bounced off the post and rolled into the path of his fellow Brazilian just inside the box.

Ribery continued to torment to the hosts' defence and his pinpoint cross found Luca Toni who headed in to level a minute before the break.

Seconds before halftime the Frenchman, who could leave at the end of the season, found Podolski with an amazing flick but the striker was again beaten by goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand.

Ribery saw his header in the 74th saved again by the keeper before Toni fired his shot from close range into the side netting.

Defending champions Bayern Munich will welcome striker Miroslav Klose back from injury this weekend as they prepare for the last two matches of a thrilling Bundesliga title scrap.

Bayern (63 points) sit behind leaders VfL Wolfsburg on goal difference and face a Hoffenheim side on Saturday who led the league at the halfway mark of their debut season in the top flight before dropping down the table after the winter break.

Klose returns to action after two months out with an ankle injury and Bayern will be hoping the striker can hit the ground running if they are to emerge on top of a titanic tussle where the top four sides are separated by a mere two points.

Hertha Berlin sit just behind the leading duo on 62 points with VfB Stuttgart a further point adrift in fourth place.

"Whoever loses a game now will probably play in the UEFA Cup (Europa League) next season," said Bayern interim coach Jupp Heynckes, who took over when Juergen Klinsmann was sacked with five matches remaining.

Heynckes was hired to salvage an automatic Champions League berth out of a disappointing season but has kept Bayern in the title race and believes anything could still happen.

"Calculation and speculation are totally out of place. We just have to concentrate on our next game," Heynckes said.

Hoffenheim could provide a stiff test if they can rediscover the early-season form that took the Bundesliga by storm at the end of last year.

However, a 12-match winless streak at the start of 2009 took the wind out of their sails and delighted a Bayern side that had accused their newly promoted rivals of arrogance in a bitter war-of-words that rumbled on for the first half of the season.

Seventh-placed Hoffenheim have since recovered with two wins and are eager to avenge their stoppage time defeat to Bayern in December.

Leaders Wolfsburg travel to Hanover 96 in what could be a high-scoring affair against a side that have just secured top flight soccer for next season.

Wolfsburg strikers Brazilian Grafite and Bosnian Edin Dzeko have been a formidable force with a combined 46 goals and are expected to flourish against the worst defence in the league.

Third-placed Hertha Berlin remain in the hunt for a first championship since 1931, and they take on a Schalke side eager to end a disappointing season as quickly as possible before current Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath takes over.

Stuttgart also welcome back leading striker Mario Gomez from a minor muscle injury and they should prove too strong for Energie Cottbus, who are battling to avoid relegation.


[Soccernet]

Werder Bremen's Diego has signed for Juventus in a €25m deal, according to the midfielder's agent.

Giacomo Petralito claims the 24-year-old Brazil international has agreed a five-year contract with the Italian giants and will complete the transfer at the end of the season.

Diego has been an integral part of Uefa Cup finalists Werder's side since arriving from Porto in 2006 and he has been linked with Bayern Munich in the past.

But the player's representative, Petralito, claims his client has opted to leave Germany in order to make a big-money move to Serie A.

Petralito told Kicker: "Diego has signed for Juventus. Everything happened last Wednesday."

Diego, who is suspended for the Uefa Cup final against Shakhtar Donetsk, has scored 33 goals in 87 matches. He has also won 38 caps for Brazil and scored seven times.


[Soccernet]

Wolfsburg coach Felix Magath knows his side have the potential to win the Bundesliga this season, just as long as they believe in their attacking style of play.

The Wolves bounced back from a 4-1 defeat at Stuttgart on Saturday to end Borussia Dortmund's seven-game winning streak last night with a 3-0 triumph at the VW-Arena and, although they were under pressure for much of the game, their top scorers Edin Dzeko and Grafite sprang from nowhere to decide it in their favour.

Dzeko took his tally for the season to 22 with his two goals while Grafite added his 24th goal of the season to move out alone at the top of the league's scoring charts.

And Magath believes this strength in attack can earn the Wolves their first ever Bundesliga crown.

"The decisive thing is that we attacked, which we did not do in Stuttgart where we were too passive," he said. "We have quality in our attack and, over time, that always shines through."

And this goalscoring potential may be what ultimately decides the title with Wolfsburg currently ahead of Bayern Munich only on goal difference.

Dzeko's second goal of the night in the 85th minute was therefore crucial as it restored the northern Germany side's two-goal advantage over Bayern, who almost simultaneously missed the chance to go 4-0 up against Bayer Leverkusen with Luca Toni missing a gilt-edged opportunity.

Should both Bayern and Wolfsburg win their last two games, the amount of goals they score could be decisive.

Wolfsburg have found the back of the net 70 times this season, conceding 40, while Bayern have scored 67 and let in 39.

Bayern Munich have appointed Louis van Gaal as their new coach after he was released from his contract with newly-crowned Dutch champions AZ Alkmaar, the Bundesliga club confirmed tonight.

Van Gaal was given the green light to join the Bavarian side after a meeting between Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, general manager Uli Hoeness and AZ president Dirk Scheringa, general manager Toon Gerbrands and director of sport Marcel Brands in Alkmaar today.

The two clubs reached an amicable agreement without any conditions for Van Gaal to leave AZ one year before his contract was due to expire, according to a press release from Bayern.

Bayern have agreed to travel to Alkmaar for a friendly match free of charge to thank the Dutch club for accommodating their wishes in appointing Van Gaal, who had been their number one target since Jurgen Klinsmann was sacked last month.

Van Gaal has signed a two-year contract with Bayern and will assume his responsibilities on July 1, exactly one year after Klinsmann's ill-fated reign commenced.

``We are delighted to have been able to gain an experienced and successful coach for FC Bayern Munich,'' said Rummenigge.

After taking a gamble on the inexperienced Klinsmann last year, the record German champions have opted for a more seasoned coach with the much-travelled 57-year-old fresh from his Eredivisie triumph.

Van Gaal famously led Ajax to the Champions League trophy in 1995 while he won the Spanish Primera Division twice with Barcelona and also has four Dutch titles to his name.

The expectations at Bayern will be equally high with success in Europe the priority next season.

Klinsmann ultimately paid the price for an embarrassing 4-0 defeat at Barcelona in the quarter-final of the Champions League this season, while he was never able to take Bayern to the summit of the Bundesliga during his 10 months in charge.

With two games remaining, Bayern are second in the table although they have won their last three matches under caretaker coach Jupp Heynckes and are in the thick of the battle for the title in what promises to be a close finish to the campaign.

Heynckes, who made it clear when he arrived he was only taking charge as a favour to his friend Hoeness, now knows for certain his employment will end on May 23 when Bayern host Stuttgart in their final Bundesliga fixture of the season.


[Soccernet]

VfB Stuttgart snatched a 2-1 win at Schalke 04 on Wednesday to move back within two points of the lead with two games to play in a gripping finale to the Bundesliga season.

Goals from Cacau and Ciprian Marica, either side of a curling free kick equaliser from Ivan Rakitic, saw Stuttgart to a victory that leaves them still with a fighting chance.

VfL Wolfsburg lead on goal difference from champions Bayern Munich, with both on 63 points from 32 matches.

Hertha Berlin are third on 62 with Stuttgart a point and a place further back.

"This was hugely important because now we can play without any pressure," said Stuttgart coach Markus Babbel, whose team have only lost one league match since he took over last November and face Bayern on the final day of the season.

"We will play like that against Cottbus and see what we can get in our last match against Bayern Munich," he told reporters.

Two goals from Ivica Olic and another from Paolo Guerrero gave Hamburg a 3-1 win over VfL Bochum to lift them to 58 points in fifth place, still with hopes of a European spot after a disappointing few weeks.

Werder Bremen, who eliminated Hamburg from the UEFA Cup and German Cup semi-finals, continued their recent good run with a 5-0 demolition of 10-man hosts Eintracht Frankfurt.

Torsten Frings scored twice in five minutes, the first from a penalty after Patrick Ochs was sent off, and the second from long range. Alexandros Tziolis headed in their third before strikers Claudio Pizarro and Hugo Almeida completed the rout.

Borussia Moenchengladbach needed a stoppage time goal from Dante to beat relegation rivals Energie Cottbus 1-0 and go a long way towards securing their spot in the Bundesliga next season.

It was their second last-gasp win in a row after beating Schalke with a 90th minute strike last week.

Stuttgart made light of the absence of injured top scorer Mario Gomez against Schalke, taking an early lead with a thundering 18-metre drive from Cacau before Croatian Rakitic levelled shortly before the break.

Kevin Kuranyi and Jefferson Farfan missed from close range for Schalke before Kuranyi went closer still with a header that hit the post.

Schalke were punished in the 57th minute when Marica, who started in place of Gomez, grabbed the winner from close range after keeper Manuel Neuer failed to clear a Thomas Hitzlsperger shot.

The top three teams in the Bundesliga each posted vital wins as the battle for the title continued at breakneck pace.

Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich and Hertha Berlin all registered maximum points to leave the order unchanged at the summit with just two games remaining.

Leaders Wolfsburg recorded a convincing 3-0 win over Borussia Dortmund, whose own outside hopes of the title were extinguished with this loss.

Edin Dzeko was the two-goal hero for the Wolves, his strikes after 15 and 85 minutes bookending Grafite's 47th-minute effort.

Dortmund's misery was compounded when substitute Kevin-Prince Boateng was sent off 15 minutes from time for a high tackle on Makoto Hasebe.

Bayern also won 3-0 in their match against Bayer Leverkusen to ensure they remain just two goals behind Wolfsburg, with whom they are tied on 63 points.

All the hosts' goals arrived in the second period at the Allianz Arena, the star triumvirate of Luca Toni (47), Franck Ribery (58) and Lukas Podolski (70) doing the damage.

Hertha remain on the coat-tails of the leaders thanks to a 2-1 win at Cologne.

Santos Cicero (42) and Patrick Ebert (53) scored the goals which ensured Hertha remain just a point behind the top two. Adil Chihi pulled one back for the hosts in stoppage time.

At the other end of the standings, bottom side Karlsruhe threw away a two-goal lead in their 3-2 loss against Hannover.

Karlsruhe appeared to be cruising to a win which would have moved them to within a point of safety after goals from Alexander Iashvili (11) and Lars Stindl (32), but Hannover hit back with a two-goal salvo just before the break from Sergio Pinto and Mikael Forssell.

Hanno Balitsch completed the Hannover fightback after 64 minutes to condemn Karlsruhe to their 21st loss in 32 league games this season.

Hamburg - SC Freiburg returned into the German football Bundesliga with a 5-2 victory at TuS Koblenz on Sunday.

Freiburg have 64 points with three matches left in the second-division season and can't finish worse than second. Mainz (54) Nuremberg (53) Greuther Fuerth and Kaiserslautern (52 each) fight for the second direct entry and third place for a playoff match.

Freiburg are back in the top flight four years after being relegated, then still under long-time coach Volker Finke. They are now trained by Robin Dutt.

'We deserve it. The team, the coach and everyone involved worked hard for success,' said midfielder Ivica Banovic.


[Deutsche Presse Agentur via M&G]

Portuguese striker Hugo Almeida struck twice from close range to give hosts Werder Bremen a deserved 2-0 win over Hamburg SV on Sunday and all but end their rivals' title hopes.

Hamburg, also eliminated by Werder in the UEFA Cup and German Cup semi-finals in recent weeks, are in sixth place on 55 points, five off the top with three matches left.

Werder, without playmaker Diego and defender Per Mertesacker, struck in the 34th minute when Almeida tapped in a low cross from Markus Rosenberg. He added another four minutes after the break when he fired in a Mesut Ozil cross.

VfL Wolfsburg lead on 60 points, ahead of Bayern Munich on goal difference. Hertha Berlin are one point off the pace with fourth-placed VfB Stuttgart on 58.

Werder dominated for most of the match and if it had not been for Hamburg keeper Frank Rost, who saved about half a dozen clear scoring chances, and the woodwork, they could have piled more misery on their fellow northern rivals.

"We tried everything but we were just not efficient and that is why Bremen are the deserved winners," said Hamburg coach Martin Jol, whose team played four matches against 10th-placed Werder in just 19 days.

"We had to come back from being behind and that is always difficult away from home."

Almeida, starting in the place of Claudio Pizarro, had little trouble finding a way through a shaky Hamburg defence, scoring his first goal from close range with Rosenberg, who had earlier hit the post, providing the pass.

Hamburg came agonisingly close to an equaliser before the break but Bremen keeper Tim Wiese palmed away a Paolo Guerrero shot from five metres.

Almeida then scored from seven metres in the 49th minute, firing in Ozil's cross before Werder launched a barrage of attacks on the Hamburg defence.

Rost twice denied Pizarro and Peter Niemeyer as well as Torsten Frings and Almeida, before substitute Torsten Oehrl hit the post again for Bremen.

Borussia Moenchengladbach stunned Schalke 04 with a last-gasp goal through Roberto Colautti to win 1-0 and keep alive their hopes of staying up, moving up to 15th place on 27 points.


[Soccernet]