Bayern Learning from City Defeat
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SPORTS SATURDAY, DECEMBER 14, 2013 SPL PREVIEW Photo of the day Celtic desperate for striking impact GLASGOW: Kris Commons says Celtic are in need of a top quality striker after the Scottish champions crashed out of Europe following a record 6-1 defeat by Barcelona on Wednesday. The Hoops have been dominant domestically-scoring 12 in their past two matches-as they have made an unbeaten start to the defense of their title. However, the Parkhead club’s form in Europe has been less impressive with Neil Lennon’s side finishing bottom of Group H with just three points-their lowest ever tally in the Champions League. Celtic are runaway leaders in the Scottish Premiership and have found the net 35 times in 14 matches but Georgios Samaras’ consola- tion goal in the Nou Camp was just their third in six Champions League matches. Commons, who is Celtic’s top scorer with 12, says the Hoops are paying the price for not replacing striker Gary Hooper. Hooper scored 31 times last season as Celtic claimed a double before his transfer to Norwich while summer signings Amido Balde and Teemu Pukki have failed to make much of an impression. And as Celtic prepare to take on Hibernian at Parkhead today Commons says his side need to begin rebuilding for next season by bringing in a top quality striker to take the pressure off the midfield- ers. “I think when you are relying on people, midfield quality to get you goals then once they dry up you are looking for a striker,” Commons said. “In a Celtic team you are looking for a striker to get you 20-30 goals. At the minute, we haven’t quite got that. “I know people are working hard on and off the field to try and get us the goals but replacing someone like Gary Hooper is going to cost you between £6 million and £10 million and at the minute we are not willing to spend that. “We’ve been playing well in the league but not shown it in the Champions League. This is cut throat level football. “We need to rebuild for next year because the target is to qualify for this competition again.” Hibernian’s new manager, Terry Butcher, says he will be taking a cautious approach to the match against Celtic despite their heavy defeat to Barca. Butcher has won, drawn and lost on his previous three visits to Chiao jumps in Taipei, Taiwan on August 24, 2013. Celtic Park with previous club Inverness. However, despite enjoying a — www.redbullcontentpool.com relative degree of success he will not be lulled into a false sense of security. “Celtic have scored 12 goals on their opponents’ grounds so we are going into the lion’s den,” Butcher said. “But I have been at GERMAN LEAGUE PREVIEW Parkhead with Caley Thistle this season and that was 2-2. I lost 4-1 there last season and also won. “We want to be prepared for any chal- lenge Celtic throw at us, combat that then see how we go.”— AFP Bayern learning Juventus turn heat back on Serie A title defense from City defeat MILAN: Juventus return to the defence of their Serie A title tomorrow when they host Sassuolo looking to pull further ahead of Roma and BERLIN: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich host Hamburg Hoffenheim looking to close the ten-point gap to Bayern. Napoli and forget their Champions League misery. Antonio Conte’s today with coach Pep Guardiola hoping the champions Dortmund were three minutes from a Champions League side crashed out of the Champions’ League group stages on have learned from their shock midweek defeat at home to exit before Kevin Grosskreutz netted their winner for a 2-1 Wednesday after a 1-0 defeat to Galatasaray in Istanbul, although the Manchester City. Bayern had their record 10-match victory in Marseille on Wednesday to see them through to circumstances meant it was a bitter pill to swallow for the Italian Champions League winning streak abruptly halted when the last-16 as group winners. giants. The sides’ Group B fixture on Tuesday was stopped after 31 City hit back from two goals down to inflict a 3-2 defeat on Borussia have been crippled by recent injuries and minutes due to heavy snow. The remaining 59 minutes were played Guardiola’s side, who nonetheless still qualified for the last coach Jurgen Klopp will field another patched-up team at on Wednesday, but on a pitch that was virtually unplayable. 16 as group winners. Hoffenheim after Nuri Sahin played with a torn ankle liga- Juventus, who tried in vain to have the match postponed further, Bayern can extend their record unbeaten run in the ment and 18-year-old centre-back Marian Sarr made his eventually succumbed to an 85th minute strike by Wesley Sneijder to Bundesliga to 41 games against Bert van Marwijk’s first-team debut in Marseille. “I haven’t heard that there finish third in the group and drop into the Europa League. With the Hamburg. “A defeat is never good but perhaps this club, are any new injuries, just the usual knocks and bruises,” 2014 final being played at Juventus Stadium in May, Conte admitted the coach and the team needed a defeat to know how said Klopp, with both first-choice centre-backs Mats they will soon turn their focus to Europe’s second tier club competi- hard it is to win games in the Bundesliga and in Europe,” Hummels and Neven Subotic, and midfielders Sven tion. But the immediate priority is to win the two games before said Guardiola. Bayern president Uli Hoeness said the Bender and Ilkay Gundogan injured. Christmas, against Sassuolo tomorrow and away to Atalanta next defeat had merely served to act as a wake-up call and “Nuri Sahin is still in pain, Sven Bender will not be back week. “We have to turn our focus back on Serie A and this disappoint- should halt any complacent ideas within the squad. “All and Marcel Schmelzer hasn’t trained at all and is not on ment-because it is a big disappointment-has to spur us on domesti- the eternal talk of record after record wasn’t good. Now the plan for Hoffenheim. “With so many injured players, cally,” Conte said. “We have another two games before the festive we can concentrate on football again,” said Hoeness. other teams would also have struggled to cope. “There is break and then we can start thinking about the Europa League. We’ll Hamburg, who have risen up from near the relegation only one who can, Bayern Munich, and we aren’t them.” do our best, just as we wanted to in the Champions League.” places under ex-Netherlands manager Van Marwijk, are Dortmund also have Greece centre-back Sokratis suspend- A Juventus win tomorrow would give them a six-point lead over hoping lightning strikes twice at the Allianz Arena. “It’s ed having been sent off in last Saturday’s 1-0 defeat at Roma and heap the pressure on Rudi Garcia’s men ahead of their trip unlikely that Bayern will lose twice in one week, but not home to second-placed Bayer Leverkusen. to Milan on Monday. Early season pacesetters Roma ended a streak of impossible,” said Hamburg midfielder Tolgay Arslan. Sami Hyypia’s Leverkusen, four points behind Bayern, four consecutive draws last week with a 2-1 win at home to Fiorentina Hamburg were humiliated 9-2 on their last Allianz Arena are at strugglers Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday having to close the gap to three points. visit in March and have conceded 20 goals in their last booked their place in the last 16 of the Champions League Roma playmaker Francesco Totti made his return to the bench at three games against Bayern, but Van Marwijk is in bullish with a 1-0 win at Real Sociedad. Schalke 04 host third- the Olympic Stadium last week following a lengthy injury lay-off and mood. from-bottom Freiburg, but despite steering his team into is being widely tipped to start against Milan. Milan have struggled for “Bayern are perhaps the best team in the world, a the last 16 in Europe, coach Jens Keller is still under pres- form all season and, having won only once in their last seven league defeat wouldn’t irritate me, but I don’t go to any game to sure with a decision on his future to be made over the games, sit in ninth, 22 points adrift of Juventus and 14 behind Napoli lose,” said the Dutchman. “We must be brave and ready to winter break. Keller will be without injured captain who occupy third and the final Champions League qualifying place. play some football.” Hamburg welcome back captain Benedikt Hoewedes, who is also suspended for the match, Despite their poor domestic form, Milan are Italy’s only remaining Rafael van der Vaart, but goalkeeper Rene Adler is out with and attacking midfielder Julian Draxler, who has a torn team in the Champions League. —AFP an ankle injury. Third-placed Borussia Dortmund go to hamstring.— AFP .