Mark
Sep 13 2002, 07:15 PM
German legend Karl-Heinz Rummenigge has warned Bayern Munich's Bundesliga title rivals that his team has hit peak form as they set their sights on taking over at the top of the table.
Currently locked together with VfL Bochum with 10 points from four matches and with identical records, Bayern can snatch sole possession of top place on Saturday with a win at third-from-bottom Nuremburg while Bochum don't play until Sunday against third-placed Hansa Rostock.
Rummenigge, now the chairman of Bayern, was fullsome in his praise of the side after they came back from a goal down on Tuesday to defeat city rivals 1860 Munich 3-1.
"We thoroughly deserved to win with some state-of-the-art football from our team," said Rummenigge.
"If we can keep on turning on the style up front, I don't mind if we let in a goal or two. It's very simply great fun to watch. The team is in sensational shape."
Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was also impressed by his team's fightback.
"We were asleep in the first quarter of an hour, and then unfortunately let too many chances go in the first half, but the equaliser just before the half-time whistle came just at the right time and the game calmed down a lot.
"You have to be satisfied after winning a derby."
Bayer Leverkusen, who were runners-up in the German league and cup as well as the Champions League final last season, seemed to be suffering a hangover from those disappointments in the first four matches of the new campaign with a defeat and two draws.
But Klaus Toppmoller's men finally picked up their first win of the season in midweek with a 3-1 success at Hansa Rostock.
"I think we're going into an upward curve now - I knew the start of this season would be tough," said Toppmoller, whose side lost several stars including new Bayern star Michael Ballack in the summer.
Champions Borussia Dortmund, who drew their third match out of four in a 0-0 stalemate at Bochum on Wednesday, are in seventh spot and have a tough home assigment against fourth-placed Schalke 04 who drew 1-1 at VfB Stuttgart in midweek to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Schalke goalkeeper Frank Rost said that the point on Wednesday, courtesy of a late penalty from Tomasz Hajto, has given the team a boost for their match with the champions.
"Even though we didn't play all that well, the point was important for our morale. We kept on going and got our reward in the end," said the keeper.
Saturday
Energie Cottbus v Werder Bremen, FC Nuremburg v Bayern Munich, 1860 Munich v VfL Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Hertha Berlin, Borussia Monchengladbach v VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen v Hanover 96, Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 04
Sunday
SV Hamburg v Kaiserslautern, VfL Bochum v Hansa Rostock
Currently locked together with VfL Bochum with 10 points from four matches and with identical records, Bayern can snatch sole possession of top place on Saturday with a win at third-from-bottom Nuremburg while Bochum don't play until Sunday against third-placed Hansa Rostock.
Rummenigge, now the chairman of Bayern, was fullsome in his praise of the side after they came back from a goal down on Tuesday to defeat city rivals 1860 Munich 3-1.
"We thoroughly deserved to win with some state-of-the-art football from our team," said Rummenigge.
"If we can keep on turning on the style up front, I don't mind if we let in a goal or two. It's very simply great fun to watch. The team is in sensational shape."
Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld was also impressed by his team's fightback.
"We were asleep in the first quarter of an hour, and then unfortunately let too many chances go in the first half, but the equaliser just before the half-time whistle came just at the right time and the game calmed down a lot.
"You have to be satisfied after winning a derby."
Bayer Leverkusen, who were runners-up in the German league and cup as well as the Champions League final last season, seemed to be suffering a hangover from those disappointments in the first four matches of the new campaign with a defeat and two draws.
But Klaus Toppmoller's men finally picked up their first win of the season in midweek with a 3-1 success at Hansa Rostock.
"I think we're going into an upward curve now - I knew the start of this season would be tough," said Toppmoller, whose side lost several stars including new Bayern star Michael Ballack in the summer.
Champions Borussia Dortmund, who drew their third match out of four in a 0-0 stalemate at Bochum on Wednesday, are in seventh spot and have a tough home assigment against fourth-placed Schalke 04 who drew 1-1 at VfB Stuttgart in midweek to maintain their unbeaten start to the season.
Schalke goalkeeper Frank Rost said that the point on Wednesday, courtesy of a late penalty from Tomasz Hajto, has given the team a boost for their match with the champions.
"Even though we didn't play all that well, the point was important for our morale. We kept on going and got our reward in the end," said the keeper.
Saturday
Energie Cottbus v Werder Bremen, FC Nuremburg v Bayern Munich, 1860 Munich v VfL Wolfsburg, Arminia Bielefeld v Hertha Berlin, Borussia Monchengladbach v VfB Stuttgart, Bayer Leverkusen v Hanover 96, Borussia Dortmund v Schalke 04
Sunday
SV Hamburg v Kaiserslautern, VfL Bochum v Hansa Rostock