BERLIN: They are the biggest name in Germany's Bundesliga and Bayern Munich
proved they have the spending might to rival Europe's biggest clubs as
they splashed the cash to buy success in 2007. According to the Chinese,
2007 was the year of the boar and the aggressive spending and ruthless
dismissals of the squad's under-achievers in the summer months - Owen
Hargreaves was off-loaded to Manchester United - was certainly boarish.
Bayern finish 2007 top of the German league, but it had all been a different
story at the start of the year. When the Bundesliga resumed in February
2007, Bayern were 11 points behind leaders Schalke 04 in fourth place
- the same league position the Munich club were to occupy when the season
ended in May. Bayern coach Felix Magath was sacked in February, to be
replaced by Ottmar Hitzfeld, the team exited the Champions League in the
quarter-finals at the hands of AC Milan in April and limped to the end
of the season. With Bayern out of the running for last season's Bundesliga
title, the Royal Blues of Schalke 04 held the league lead running into
the last few weekends of the season, only to lose to neighbours Borussia
Dortmund.
The defeat cost them the league and Werder Bremen's defeats
in the title race allowed VfB Stuttgart to hold their nerve to claim the
crown. But while the celebrations rang out at their Gottlieb-Daimler Stadium
in Stuttgart, the powers that be were already plotting revenge in Bayern.
That triggered a 69 million euros ($100 million) summer spending spree
as a host of top names were hand-picked from across Europe to spearhead
Bayern's charge at the title.
French midfielder Franck Ribery was recruited from Marseille along with
Italian World Cup winner Luca Toni from Fiorentina and Germany's hot-shot
striker Miroslav Klose, top-scorer at last year's World Cup, also arrived.
The other Bundesliga sides could only watch in awe as Bayern brought big-name
after big-name to Munich. Bayern began the new season with a hiss and
a roar, smashing Hansa Rostock and Werder Bremen in succession on the
opening weekends. In contrast, Germany's Champions League sides Schalke
04, Stuttgart and Bremen all began their league campaign slowly and Bayern
were six-points clear by mid-October.
With Bayern out of the Champions League due to their poor performance
the previous season, Germany's three teams struggled against top-class
opposition in Europe's elite competition. VfB Stuttgart and Werder Bremen
both lost to Spanish giants Barcelona and Real Madrid and fell off the
pace, but Schalke clung to their opportunity and after beating Norway's
Rosenborg in their final group game, they made the last 16. Schalke will
be Germany's only representatives in the first knock-out stage, while
Hamburg, led by Dutch star Rafael van der Vaart, are leading the way in
the UEFA Cup. But Bremen, who will join Stuttgart, in the last 32 of the
UEFA Cup next year, have emerged as Bayern's main domestic rivals in the
league and they join Munich on 36 points at the top of the table. Only
Bayern's superior goal difference keeps them top of the table and after
they were hammered 3-1 at Stuttgart on November 10, Bayern have struggled
for consistency and form.
With just two wins in their last seven league games before the winter
break, Bayern still have much to do if they are to pick up their 21st
crown as German champions when the league resumes on February 1. On the
international stage, Germany showed they will be serious contenders for
Euro 2008 next June in Austria and Switzerland. Joachim Loew's side were
the first team to qualify when they drew 0-0 with the Republic of Ireland
in Dublin in October and had looked unbeatable by dominating their group.
They went to Prague and managed a 2-1 win against the Czech Republic in
March and looked strong with Miroslav Klose, top-scorer at last year's
World Cup, and Lukas Podolski, voted the best young player of Germany
2006, in the squad. But their unbeaten record was blasted away when the
Czech's smashed the German's 3-0 in Munich last October and although the
home side bounced back in November with a crushing 4-0 win over minnows
Cyrpus, the confidence was damaged. However, with a crop of talented young
players they can expect to be amongst the top four sides at Euro 2008.
, December 19, 2007
Russian ladies dream about happy marriage.
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