BERLIN, March 7 — With more than two thirds of the season played, in-form Bayern Munich are eight points clear atop the table and have their sights set on winning back the Bundesliga title.
The Bavarians host lowly Bochum in Munich on Saturday, with 10 games remaining in the Bundesliga season.
Bayern’s streak of 11 straight title wins was broken by a rampant Bayer Leverkusen last season, who became the first team in history to win the Bundesliga unbeaten.
But with Leverkusen well back in second — and with Vincent Kompany’s charges having thumped Xabi Alonso’s men 3-0 in the Champions League last 16 first leg on Wednesday — Bayern look set to re-establish domestic supremacy.
Saturday’s home match against their relegation-threatened opponents may look like a formality for a Bayern side who have won nine of their past 10, but Bochum have been deceptively strong in recent weeks.
Since veteran Dieter Hecking was given the job of salvaging first-division football for the then last-placed team in November, Bochum have kick-started an unlikely redemption story of their own.
Bochum have since beaten Borussia Dortmund and drawn with Leverkusen and RB Leipzig, and now sit in the relegation playoff spot on 17 points — 16 of which have been picked up under Hecking.
Speaking Thursday, the grizzled veteran Hecking said his side needed to chart a course in between brash arrogance and humble acceptance against the German giants.
“I’m not going to act like a smart ass and say ‘We’ll win’,” Hecking told reporters.
“We know where we stand in the pecking order. I’m only concerned about our own performance.
“I’m a realist. But we must not be too humble or make ourselves small. We must play actively and not just roll over.”
Leverkusen host struggling Werder Bremen on Saturday as they try and keep their slim hopes alive of chasing down Bayern.
Still licking their wounds from Wednesday’s thrashing in Munich, Leverkusen face a Bremen side who have lost five games in a row to slide out of European contention. — AFP
