Fans Club Bayern Munich

Spoiler: Foto Tim 2011/2012

 

subscribe dulu kk
Bayern FTW

penampilan di awal musim menjanjikan, yakin bisa juara Bundesliga.
dan di LC juga diawali dengan baik.
moga2 nyampe minimal semifinal

 

Spoiler: Berita menjelang vs Schalke

For the first 20 minutes of Bayern’s meeting with Villarreal, Manuel Neuer was as underemployed as he has been for much of the season so far. But suddenly, he was called into action: striker Guiseppe Rossi found himself in a on-on-one with Neuer and blasted at goal. Neuer fisted clear, preventing the Italian netting the equaliser. It remained one of very few incidents involving the keeper in any meaningful sense on Wednesday. “I always thought I’d have less to do with Bayern than with Schalke. But I never thought it would be quite this little,” Manuel later admitted.

Sunday sees Neuer return to Schalke, the club where he grew up and frequently turned in match-winning performances. The summer signing used to watch the Royal Blues from the terraces, and played at every youth level for the Gelsenkirchen club. Neuer spent 20 years with Schalke, but became a Bavarian in the summer. “I’m looking forward to the match. I know all eyes will be on me,” the Germany keeper exclusively told FCB.tv on Friday.

Sunday sees Neuer return to Schalke, the club where he grew up and frequently turned in match-winning performances. The summer signing used to watch the Royal Blues from the terraces, and played at every youth level for the Gelsenkirchen club. Neuer spent 20 years with Schalke, but became a Bavarian in the summer. “I’m looking forward to the match. I know all eyes will be on me,” the Germany keeper exclusively told FCB.tv on Friday.

It will be a very special afternoon indeed for the shot-stopper. He remains in regular contact with many former team-mates, but they form the opposition on Sunday. However, Neuer is now committed to the FCB cause through and through, and is in no mood to hand out gifts at the weekend: “We wan to carry on as before, so we have to maintain our hunger. Hopefully we’ll come home with all three points,” said Neuer. That would ensure Bayern remain top of the Bundesliga, a position the Bavarians first occupied two games ago.

However, the keeper feels the trip to Gelsenkirchen is “a dangerous game,” as Schalke’s main strength is their forward line. “They press high up the field, recover possession quickly, and speed off in the direction of the opposing goal,” he said. Coach Ralf Rangnick’s side are up to sixth in the table, largely thanks to the potent threat posed by Raul, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Jefferson Farfan. “They’re all incredibly dangerous,” Neuer warned, speaking from personal experience.

658 minutes without conceding

However, the keeper and his FCB team-mates are riding high at present on the back of the midweek victory over Villarreal, their seventh straight win in all competitions – and all without conceding a goal. “We’re on a great run, but we have no intention of letting up,” announced Neuer. The 25-year-old has gone fully 658 minutes without picking the ball from the back of his net. “Manuel brings real stability to our defence. The other players are well aware of his ability,” enthused club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

For his part, Neuer is highly appreciative of the work put in by the back four: “In Villarreal, Rafinha suddenly had to take over from Van Buyten, but you never noticed the difference. That’s our trademark.” And with the entire team putting in valuable defensive work, Neuer has had very little to do – a stark contrast to recent years as Schalke keeper. “It’s not easy keeping your concentration when there’s so little going on in front of you. You have to keep talking to the guys in front of you, or you’ll drop out of the match,” Neuer revealed. It worked to perfection in Villarreal, and the plan is for it to work out again against his former club – preferably with another win and another clean sheet.

Dalam 3 pertandingan terakhir di Bundesliga, Bayern Munich mencetak 15 gol dan tidak kebobolan sama sekali, terbaik di Bundesliga, dari segi penyerangan dan pertahanan.

 

Jadwal Minggu ini

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Schalke 04 VS Bayern Munich
MINGGU, 18 SEPTEMBER 2011, KICK OFF 22.30 WIB​

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Pertandingan terdekat melawan Schalke di kandang Schalke, semoga Bayern bisa menang

Spoiler: Hasil Pertandingan sampai tanggal 16 September 2011

07.08.2011 17.30 Bayern Munich - Borussia Mönchengladbach 0-1
13.08.2011 15.30 VfL Wolfsburg - Bayern Munich 0-1
20.08.2011 15.30 Bayern Munich - Hamburger SV 5-0
27.08.2011 15.30 1. FC Kaiserslautern - Bayern Munich 0-3
10.09.2011 15.30 Bayern Munich - SC Freiburg 7-0

 

Spoiler: Komentar Neuer Menjelang lawatan ke Schalke

“We’ve set off on a really good run, and we don’t want it to stop yet,” said keeper Manuel Neuer. Munich have won their last seven matches, scoring 21 goals and conceding none. The Germany goalkeeper makes a first return to the club where he spent fully 20 years as a youth and young pro, “and I’m really looking forward to seeing my family and friends,” he said. It is also a reunion for right-back Rafinha, who wore the Royal Blue jersey between 2005 and 2010.

Melawan mantan tim, semoga tampil bagus dan konsisten, tahan terhadap teror pendukung tuan rumah.

Spoiler: Kesempatan Nils Petersen

Mario Gomez (groin) and Daniel van Buyten (Achilles) both picked up injuries in Villarreal, and both remained doubtful for the Gelsenkirchen showdown after Saturday’s pre-match workout. The pair completed individual training programmes and will definitely travel to the Ruhr valley. “But we won’t take a decision until just before kick-off,” boss Jupp Heynckes informed fcbayern.de. If Gomez is deemed unfit, Nils Petersen is in line for his debut in the FCB starting line-up.

Semoga dia tampil bagus jika diturunkan menggantikan Gomez jadi starter.

Thread ini kok sepi ya, saya kira Bayern adalah klub yang lumayan terkenal, mungkin tidak banyak penggemarnya di idws. Saya akan tetap mengirimkan post berisi info-info terbaru dari Bayern, mungkin aja bermanfaat buat yang butuh infonya.

 

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VS
Schalke 04 VS Bayern Munich
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Spoiler: Starting line up

Schalke (4-2-3-1): Fahrmann; Uchida, Howedes, Matip, Fuchs; Papadopoulos, Kluge; Holtby, Farfan, Raul; Huntelaar
Bayern Munich (4-2-3-1): Neuer; Rafinha, Badstuber, Boateng, Lahm; Schweinsteiger, Luis Gustavo; Muller, Kroos, Ribery; Petersen

Benar-benar tanpa Gomez, lini depan tinggal Muller dan Petersen, di cadangan tidak ada stok striker.

 

Spoiler: Review Babak Pertama

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VS
Schalke 04 VS Bayern Munich
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Skor = 0:1 Gol : Nils Petersen (menit ke-21)
Pergantian pemain di menit ke-43 (Bayern) Luiz Gustavo keluar diganti Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
Shot on Goal = 4:8
Ofside = 1:1
Fouls = 9:7
Corner = 2:5
Kartu kuning = 1:1
Peer Kluge (Schalke) menit ke-6 dan Holger Badstuber (Bayern) menit ke -30​

 

Spoiler: Hasil Pertandingan

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VS
Schalke 04 VS Bayern Munich
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Skor = 0:2
Gol : Nils Petersen (menit ke-21), Thomas Muller (menit ke-75)
Pergantian pemain :
Menit ke-43 (Bayern) : Luiz Gustavo diganti Anatoliy Tymoshchuk
Menit ke-57 (Schalke) : Peer Kluge diganti Julian Draxler
Menit ke-66 (Schalke) : Klaas-Jan Huntelaar diganti Teemu Pukki
Menit ke-71 (Bayern) : Nils Petersen diganti David Alaba
Menit ke-84 (Schalke) : Lewis Holtby diganti Ciprian Marica
Menit ke-90+ (Bayern) : Toni Kroos diganti Diego Contento
Shot on Goal = 7:17
Ofside = 2:2
Fouls = 18:16
Corner = 2:5
Kartu kuning = 1:1 --> Peer Kluge (Schalke) menit ke-6 dan Holger Badstuber (Bayern) menit ke -30​

Akhirnya Bayern menduduki puncak klasemen Bundesliga, semoga terus jaya di puncak.

 

sepi bgt yah ini thread
ga apa2 deh, kita berdua aja dulu yang ngeramein.

yes, menang meyakinkan di kandang lawan.
Petersen sanggup gantikan Gomez.
masa depan cerah di hadapan Munchen

 

Iya masih sepi, tapi gpp, kan Munich musim lalu kurang bersinar, jadi mungkin kurang simpati.

Spoiler: Review Pertandingan

Bayern made it eight wins and eight clean sheets on the bounce with a deserved 2-0 victory away to Schalke on Sunday, ensuring a perfect return to his former stamping ground for Manuel Neuer, and opening up a two-point lead at the top of the Bundesliga by reversing the scoreline from the corresponding fixture last season.

The 61,673 full house at the magnificent Veltins Arena saw a cagey opening from both teams, before Mario Gomez’ deputy Nils Petersen marked his starting debut for Munich with the opening goal midway through the first half, a lead the Bavarians preserved through to half-time despite a spell of Schalke pressure. The visitors were much the better side after the restart and Thomas Müller stabbed home his first goal of the season with 15 minutes to play, leaving the league leaders to cruise to the finish.

Bayern’s fifth win in six league fixtures this term means Jupp Heynckes’ men move onto 15 points, two clear of Bremen and Mönchengladbach at the top of the standings. The next fixture is another tough one on paper, next Saturday’s home Bundesliga meeting with fellow Champions League hopefuls and coach Jupp Heynckes’ previous club, Bayer Leverkusen.

The FCB boss made three changes to the team which beat Villarreal 2-0 in the midweek Champions League fixture, bringing in former S04 favourite Rafinha for Daniel van Buyten (Achilles) and handing Petersen his first top flight start for the injured Gomez (groin), with Luiz Gustavo preferred in midfield to Anatoliy Tymoshchuk.

In front of Neuer, the back four comprised Rafinha, Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber and captain Philipp Lahm, with Gustavo alongside Bastian Schweinsteiger in the centre of the park, Franck Ribery and Müller on the flanks, and Toni Kroos operating behind lone striker Petersen.

Neuer was greeted by a deafening chorus of boos from the home faithful, who strung a number of provocative banners across the packed south terrace and jeered the keeper’s every touch, but once referee Florian Meyer whistled play underway on a sunny Sunday afternoon in the Ruhr valley, the former Schalke youth showed no trace of nerves with a decisive intervention to break up the Royal Blues’ first attack.

The teams felt each other out for a spell after that, before the home team’s Ralf Fährmann was the first of the keepers to make a meaningful save, tipping Badstuber’s bouncing free-kick into the corridor of uncertainty around his far post. At the other end, Christian Fuchs’ monstrous long throw caused a momentary scramble in the FCB box, but Boateng was on hand to hoof clear.

The league leaders broke the deadlock midway through the first period when Ribery hared clear from the edge of his own box following a Schalke free-kick. With Jefferson Farfan in half-hearted pursuit, the Frenchman released Petersen for a run at Fährmann. The keeper blocked the striker’s first effort, but the summer signing kept his head and tucked away the rebound.

Kroos and Lewis Holtby exchanged shots at either end, but the visitors inexplicably appeared to lose concentration for a while after the goal and the Royal Blues threatened for the first time in the match. Klaas-Jan Huntelaar twice whistled drives perilously close to Neuer’s right-hand post, the first after a wayward pass from Ribery, and the second following Boateng’s half-clearance from a header.

But Bayern steadied the ship, and with half-time approaching, Ribery smacked a close-range effort against Joel Matip after a cleverly-worked routine, and Boateng’s near-post header skimmed the roof of the net from the resulting corner. The Reds were forced into a change before the break as Tymoshchuk replaced Gustavo, who had earlier required treatment following a collision with Benedikt Höwedes, before the sides turned round with Heynckes’ men a goal to the good.

The second period opened with Petersen curling a shot agonisingly wide of the far stick from Ribery’s superb burst and lay-off, before Neuer comfortably dealt with Fuchs’ deflected effort. Petersen squandered a golden opportunity on 51 minutes, miskicking horribly when a toe-poke over the line would have done after unselfish work by Ribery and Schweinsteiger, before Müller slid onto the end of a wonderful defence-splitting pass from Lahm but saw his effort drift wide.

Fährmann desperately clawed Kroos’ deflected free-kick off his line and later rushed from his line to hack clear from Ribery as Munich pressed for a second, but the goal failed to materialise and David Alaba came on in place of Petersen for the last 20 minutes, Müller taking up a central position. The switch paid off almost immediately as the Germany man doubled the score from close range on 75 minutes after Schalke miserably failed to clear their lines, the final lay-off coming from the boot of Kyriakos Papadopoulos.

The second goal killed off Schalke’s resistance as the home side visibly ran out of energy, clearly feeling the effects of an arduous Europa League trip to Romania on Thursday, and the Bavarians ran down the clock without undue effort, wrapping up the points with another effective and professional display.

Spoiler: Komentar mereka setelah pertandingan

Bayern’s superb early-season run continued on Sunday as Jupp Heynckes’ team beat Schalke 2-0 away from home to make it eight wins on the trot. “We were top class again,” the coach said, “that was our best second half of the season.” And on his return to his club of 20 years, Manuel Neuer kept yet another clean sheet. “We were totally focused and convincing in every respect,” summarised Christian Nerlinger.

Christian Nerlinger: “All credit to the team today, we were totally focused and convincing in every respect. Schalke had a couple of situations in the first half where they might have scored, but we completely controlled them after half-time. We fully deserved to win. The team is a really harmonious unit at the moment, and it’s very convincing.“

Jupp Heynckes: “We were top class again, and that was our best second half of the season. We have a good squad, and we’re in a position to compensate for the loss of key players, as we’ve seen again today. However, it’s important we get Mario Gomez and Arjen Robben back as soon as possible.“

Manuel Neuer: “I’m delighted we’ve won. Schalke came very close twice in the first half, they were a shade unlucky there. But we were very good in defence again today. We were rock solid, and that’s very important. I certainly had more to do when I played for Schalke last season. I’ve had to adapt my game, but you get used to it.“

Thomas Müller: “I think we’re earning respect from our opponents thanks to our excellent run. We’re dominant, in defence as well as attack, and it’s a good feeling.“

Ralf Rangnick: “We failed to take our chances in the first half. We had the chances to have scored two or at least one goal, and Bayern hardly created anything themselves. They couldn’t have complained if it had been 1-1 or 2-1 to us. In the second half, we ran out of energy, due to our game last Thursday.“

Benedikt Höwedes: “We didn’t take our chances in the first half. Bayern kept it tight after that and defended really well, all eleven of their players joined in. They showed all their class after the break. They’re extraordinarily good at letting the ball do the work and keeping possession. Bayern totally deserved to win.“

Ralf Fährmann: “Bayern were superior throughout. We probably had a chance or two more than them before half-time, but we didn’t take them. So you have to accept Bayern deserved to win.“

Kayaknya Jupp Heykes agak takut nih kehilangan Robben dan Gomez.

 

ikut rame2 disini ah

petersen baru pertama kali maen ya (apa penrah sekali jadi sub dulu, lupa)
langsung cetak gol

 

Petersen sudah pernah turun sebagai subs, cuma kayaknya baru kali ini dia turun jadi starter, bahkan dia sudah cetak 2 gol.
Musim lalu dia top skor di divisi 2.

 

berbagi highlight kemenangan lawan schalke

[video=youtube;lvVqnRUvL-0]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lvVqnRUvL-0[/video]

 

Mantap gol-golnya, semoga Nils Petersen selalu bisa bikin bek2 lawan keder.

Spoiler: Sang Deputi Gomez

​

Mungkin belum banyak yang tahu siapa itu Nils Petersen meskipun pemiliknya adalah klub sebesar Bayern Munich. Ia sedang memperlihatkan kapasitasnya sebagai "deputi" Mario Gomez.

Memasuki pekan keenam Bundesliga, untuk pertama kalinya Petersen dimainkan sebagai starter oleh pelatih Juup Heynckes, menghadapi klub kuat Schalke di Veltins Arena, Minggu (18/9/2011) malam WIB.

Mengisi tempat Gomez yang sedang cedera, ia dipasangkan dengan Toni Kroos, ditopang oleh gelandang serang Thomas Mueller dan Franck Ribery. Hasilnya, Petersen-lah orang pertama yang mencetak gol di pertandingan tersebut.

Di menit 21, menerima umpan matang dari Ribery, ia melepaskan tembakan ke arah gawang Schalke, tapi masih bisa diblok kiper Ralf Fahrmann. Ia beruntung bisa mendapatkan rebound dan kali itu menuntaskannya menjadi gol.

Di akhir pertandingan Bayern tampil sebagai pemenang dengan skor 2-0. Gol kedua Hollywood FC diukir Mueller di pertengahan babak kedua.

Petersen adalah satu dari dua penyerang murni yang dimiliki Bayern saat ini, selain Gomez. Karakter mereka berbeda dengan Mueller, Kroos atau Ivica Olic, (juga Ribery), yang cenderung lebih sebagai gelandang serang.

Petersen dipilih Bayern setelah tampil gemilang bersama Energie Cottbus, yang dalam dua musim terakhir bermain di divisi dua Liga Jerman. Di musim lalu, pemain 22 tahun itu sangat subur dengan mengemas 25 gol dari 33 pertandingan, dan menjadi top skorer.

Oleh Bayern, pria setinggi 188 cm itu dikontrak tiga tahun dan diberi kostum bernomor sembilan, seperti yang pernah dikenakan Gerd Mueller, Giovani Elber, dan Luca Toni. Namun, statusnya memang baru sebagai pelapis Gomez.

Sebelum menjadi starter melawan Schalke, Petersen terlibat dalam empat partai liga, dan semuanya bermula dari bangku cadangan, hampir selalu sebagai pengganti Gomez.

Juga, sebelum mencetak gol ke gawang Schalke, Petersen membuka rekening golnya untuk Bayern di partai minggu lalu. Menjamu Freiburg di Allianz Arena, Bayern menang telak 7-0, dan Petersen membuat gol pamungkas di penghujung laga, setelah menjejak lapangan selama kurang lebih 17 menit sebagai pengganti Gomez.

 

anak2 bayern sedang pake baju untuk oktoberfest







ungkapan cinta kasih fans schalke untuk neuer

 

Spoiler: Kondisi terakhir pemain kunci yang cidera

The best news of the day came from Luiz Gustavo. The Brazilian was still limping slightly at the photo shoot, but he is confident of recovering by the weekend. “I don't think it'll be a problem," he informed fcbayern.de. Gustavo hobbled off shortly before half-time in Sunday's 2–0 victory over Schalke after turning an ankle in a tackle.

Fortunately, the MRI scan performed on Monday by Dr Hans-Wilhelm Müller-Wohlfahrt showed there was no serious damage, only bruising. “It's not that bad," a relieved Gustavo reported. There is no training scheduled for Tuesday and the defensive midfielder has been ordered only to jog on Wednesday, but he should be fit to resume the team programme after that.

Daniel van Buyten is also on the mend. The Belgian was forced out of the action in the first half of last Wednesday's Champions League victory over Villarreal with an Achilles injury, but was back training with the team on Monday. “It's not completely gone, but I'm definitely much better," the defender reported, hoping to be in contention for the Leverkusen clash.

Arjen Robben, who has missed Bayern's last five matches with a pelvic inflammation, was fit enough to train with the ball on the practice ground. “I hope he can be involved next Saturday against Leverkusen, or against Manchester City [the following Tuesday] at the latest," Jupp Heynckes commented.

Mario Gomez, ruled out of the Schalke trip with groin pain, went for a run on Monday but remains doubtful for the weekend. He was joined by Breno (knee), who faces a little longer on the sidelines, and by Ivica Olic (hip), who returned to the training ground for the first time since incurring the injury four weeks ago. The Croats first jog lasted some 25 minutes. “It was very good and there's been no reaction," he reported. He will up his training workload over the next few days and resume the team workouts as soon as possible. “And once we have our injured players back, we’ll have even more quality in the squad," Heynckes summarised.

Kabar bagus nih, pemain-pemain kunci yang cidera sudah mulai turun lagi.

 

Romor seputar Gomez

Spoiler: Rumor terbaru untuk Gomez

Chelsea are launching a mega bucks January bid for Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez.

The Daily Star says Chelsea will make a £34m bid for Germany and Bayern star Gomez - to replace Fernando Torres in January.

Blues boss André Villas-Boas is hoping to make highly-rated striker Gomez his number one target, if Torres keeps on misfiring.

Gomez, who joined Bayern for £26m in 2009 from rivals Stuttgart, has scored eight goals in fives matches so far this season.

Walah sudah tinggal sedikit stok striker, malah diincar
Tapi dengan uang segitu (jika rumor ini benar) akan bisa dibelanjakan striker baru

 

Spoiler: Keadaan Tim Menjelang vs Leverkusen

Jupp Heynckes has been without six of his players for a couple of weeks, but he finally supervised a near-complete squad again on Wednesday. The only men missing were Ivica Olic, who worked out separately on his sports rehab program, and Breno, whose house was gutted by fire on Tuesday night. “Naturally, it was a huge shock, but he's being well cared for," the coach reported, “I hope he gets over it as well as possible."

Otherwise, it was all positive news for the boss on Wednesday. Arjen Robben (pelvic inflammation), Mario Gomez (groin) and Luiz Gustavo (ankle) all completed most of the squad programme. The trio took part in the warm-up routine and passing exercises, but sat out the end-of-session practice match, heading off to jog instead.

“It looked very good indeed," said Heynckes after observing Robben back amongst his team-mates for the first time in four weeks. The boss reckoned it was too early to say whether the Netherlands international might feature in the squad for Saturday's home meeting with Leverkusen: “We'll have to wait and see how it goes over the next few days."

By contrast, Heynckes is all but certain that Gomez will feature at the Allianz Arena. “I think he'll be capable of the full training programme tomorrow, so he's extremely likely to start on Saturday," the coach said. Luiz Gustavo expects to be fit by the weekend, and Daniel van Buyten (Achilles) already resumed the squad sessions on Monday.

An improved selection situation was not the only reason for the smile on Heynckes’ face this Wednesday. “It was a top-class training session today," he reported, “since the start of the season, the players have been following our instructions in training very carefully, with great discipline, and with lots of enthusiasm. The enthusiasm and the excellent teamwork then comes across in matches."

Heynckes himself is in good spirits as he prepares his current troops to face his former club. “I had two intense and very harmonious years in Leverkusen, and I've not forgotten that in the space of three months. I'm looking forward to the reunion," he remarked.

The boss used the day away from the training ground on Tuesday for a detailed video analysis of Saturday's opponents. Not too much should be read into Leverkusen's 4–1 defeat at home to neighbours FC Köln, he insisted: “It was a slip-up. I'm assuming Leverkusen will put in a very different display here in Munich compared to what happened against Köln, more like their performance against Chelsea, where they let in two goals, but were otherwise excellent."

 

Spoiler: Interview dengan Ribery

Things are going well for Franck Ribéry at the moment. The France star has been in scintillating form for weeks, turning in a string of gala performances. The 28-year-old is a happy man off the field too, as he became a father for the third time last week with the birth of his first son. In the build-up to the home meetings with Leverkusen and Manchester City, Ribéry spoke exclusively to fcbayern.de.

fcbayern.de: Franck, you’re having a good time of it at present: you're in fine form professionally, and the birth of your son last week was a private highlight. Could you be any happier, do you think?
Franck Ribéry: It's true, I'm really happy at the moment. It's a long time since I've felt as good as this, but even as early as the training camp in July, I had a feeling the months ahead could be fantastic, and I was totally motivated for the new season. And obviously, the birth of my son is a genuine highlight. My wife and the baby are doing well and everything’s fine.

Is private happiness the source of your strength?
I derive a lot of power and energy from my kids. They're the most important thing in my life and a real support to me professionally.

How much has new boss Jupp Heynckes contributed to your current good form?
It's no secret that Louis van Gaal and I didn't get on. But for me personally, the matter is closed and forgotten. I'm feeling mentally free again and really enjoying my football. I'm delighted Jupp Heynckes has returned to the club because we have a great relationship.

Heynckes requires his attacking players to help out in defence, but you've surprised everyone with the way you’ve gone about the task. Is the ball-artist Franck Ribéry turning into an enforcer?
I do what the coach instructs me to do, and I'm happy to do it too. Naturally, I appreciate how well we're playing at the moment. And if I'm properly fit, like I am now, I'm happy to do my defensive job, because I still have enough power for our attacking moves.

How important is it to have Philipp Lahm as a permanent fixture behind you? Last season, you had a new partner on your side of the field for practically every match.
Philipp is a real help to me. I already have two full seasons under my belt with him as my partner and we understand each other perfectly. It’s obviously a lot easier for both of us compared to the time when I kept playing with new guys. Last season, the man at left-back was sometimes Holger, sometimes Diego, Danijel Pranjic, Luiz Gustavo etc. It was tricky, because you couldn't learn and adapt to a single partner. But it's perfect now.

You've become a very good communicator in the dressing room, and out on the field, you’re talking and cajoling your team-mates more than ever before. Are you the boss of the forward line?
I think all it shows is that I've recovered my earlier self-confidence, a lot of which I lost over the last couple of years. But I'm very determined, and I'm aiming high with Bayern Munich. That's why I give everything I have in every match.

And these days, your German is outstanding.
Why thank you. Speech is very important to me, because I'm very approachable and a communicative sort of person. When I arrived in Munich four years ago, I wanted to talk to everyone and enjoy myself straight away, but in fact it obviously required some time.

You’re comfortably top of the Bundesliga and have made a good start in the Champions League. Did you expect this excellent early-season form?
Yes, I did. It's because the coach clearly said what he wanted right from the start. Defensive discipline is vital, and we’re all playing our part in that. Everyone’s working hard for everyone else, there's a fantastic mood in the dressing room, and we laugh a lot together too. That's our strength.

You missed the 2010 Champions League final in Madrid with suspension, so are you even more determined to make next year's final at the Allianz Arena?
Obviously, it's the biggest target for all of us, and especially for me. But we shouldn't put ourselves under too much pressure. There's a long way to go this season, and we should take it one step at a time. We’ve made a very good and successful start, and we have to build on that.

Last question: your fellow countrymen Bixente Lizarazu and Willy Sagnol came to Bayern many years ago, both intending to stay a couple of years at most. Ultimately, both ended their illustrious careers here at the club. Might that happen to you as well?
Of course, why not? I'm very happy in Munich and my family is totally settled – and now I have a son who’s a genuine Bavarian. What is it that Franz Beckenbauer always says?