Bayern eye 40th match unbeaten milestone
Berlin (AFP) - Bayern Munich can reach the milestone of 40 league games unbeaten by extending their Bundesliga record at Werder Bremen on Saturday but they will be without winger Arjen Robben who is out for six weeks.
A knee injury means the Dutch winger will miss the Bremen trip, Tuesday's final Champions League group match at home to Manchester City plus the Club World Cup in Morocco.
Bayern already have injury concerns with captain Philipp Lahm and star midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger both out, but France winger Franck Ribery should be back in Bremen after a rib injury.
Robben was left with a cut to the bone on his right knee having been stretchered off after scoring in Wednesday's 2-0 German Cup win at Augsburg which put Bayern in the quarter-finals.
After scoring in each of his last four games for Bayern, Robben's injury is a blow, but Pep Guardiola's side show no signs of slowing down in their quest for more silverware.
The European champions last lost in the Bundesliga in October 2012 and are already in the last 16 of the Champions League, have booked their quarter-final berth in the German Cup on Wednesday and are four points clear in the league.
But the Bavarians are refusing to rest on their laurels with director of sport Matthias Sammer inisting there is plenty more to come.
"We have only been German champions once in the last three years," said Sammer.
"There is this stupid debate about how dominant we are, which is superficial and implies we should win games like this, just by turning up."
But Bayern are certainly able to see off most of their Bundesliga rivals without too much effort, as they proved in last Saturday's 2-0 lacklustre win at home to bottom side Eintracht Braunschweig.
Bayern are used to around 75 percent possession in league games and Werder coach Robin Dutt said there is no secret to beating the Bavarians.
"The first trick is to run, the second is to run some more and the third is to keep running," he quipped.
Having dropped to third after losing back-to-back league matches, Dortmund can regain second place by beating Bayer Leverkusen at home in Saturday's key game.
The hosts are waiting on the fitness of midfielders Sven Bender, who broke his nose against Napoli, and Nuri Sahin, who has a leg injury.
Germany winger Marco Reus, who has a bruised calf, is improving, with a decision to be made after the final training session.
"There will be no excuses on Saturday," said Klopp, whose side will also need to win at Marseille on Wednesday to reach the last 16 of the Champions League.
"This is a difficult game for both teams.
"We have now got used to having a few players missing and we have adjusted well."
Schalke are at fourth-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday with coach Jens Keller needing a win having been told his job is only guaranteed until Christmas.
Schalke were dumped out of the German Cup with a 3-1 defeat at home to Hoffenheim and must beat Swiss champions FC Basel at home on Wednesday to go through to the last 16 of the Champions League.
"We will be making every effort of be successful and we will see how the situation is after the Nuremberg game (on December 21)," said Schalke's general manager Horst Heldt.
Saturday
Borussia Moenchengladbach v Schalke, VfB Stuttgart v Hnaover 96, Werder Bremen v Bayern Munich, Hamburg v Augsburg, Eintracht Frankfurt v Hoffenheim, Borussia Dortmund v Bayer Leverkusen (1630)
Sunday
Freiburg v VfL Wolfsburg, Eintracht Braunschweig v Hertha Berlin
