[sportfriend]

it's still hard for me to believe HSV is a...."powerhouse"

[FC_Utreg]

told you....vdv

better believe it!

omg i love hsv :D

[FCK-Math]

If Hamburg win the league, and if we beat them, oh my...

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

So what?

Bundesliga and UEFA cup is two different things.

[sportfriend]

told you....vdv

better believe it!

omg i love hsv :D

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

i want you to name 5 other players on HSV....and don't go to the website :beer:

[FC_Utreg]

van buyten the belgian =D Lauth, Daniel, former schalke 04 player Emile Mpenza and Alexander Laas ...mwuah

[jay-c™]

lol.. everyone so happy at the first loss.. you would think something has been won :thumb:

congrats to HSV though :cool22:

the next game is real important... and cant allow this loss to start a bad run

expect a backlash at wolfsburg ;) :thumb:

[FC_Utreg]

any chance we can save you from supporting them....????

[sportfriend]

he won't support Bayern forever, i'm sure of that :thumb:

[FC_Utreg]

he grew up in the uk and has a german shirt with his name on hahaha

mind you, my bf who is dutch owns a german shirt with ballack on the back as he likes bayern......that WILL change ;)

[sportfriend]

a passionate and loyal HSV fan like you he will be? :eusa_think:

[jay-c™]

he won't support Bayern forever, i'm sure of that :thumb:

sure i wont :thumb:

he grew up in the uk and has a german shirt with his name on hahaha

not quite sure what your getting at there lol ... guessing its because ive been brought up in the UK... and i suppose am more english... i shouldnt be following the country i was born in

if that is... appreciate the opinion... but my reply can be summed up with just one smiley ----->

if i'm wrong... please correct me ;) :thumb:

mind you, my bf who is dutch owns a german shirt with ballack on the back as he likes bayern......that WILL change ;)

hope thats a joke lol... your boyfriend lets you dictate what he can and cant wear?

[jay-c™]

Hamburg 2 Bayern 0

Off-colour Reds stumble in Hamburg

Bayern's 15-game winning streak came to a shuddering stop on Saturday, as busy Hamburg registered a first win against the Bavarian giants in 18 attempts to move within a point of the leaders after a 2-0 success.

The 55,800 packed into the superbly appointed AOL Arena for the eagerly-awaited clash of second v first saw Munich's closest challengers take a 10th minute lead through Dutch shooting star Rafael van der Vaart in a tense and occasionally bad-tempered first period.

The Reds reverted to a 4-4-2 formation after the break and immediately looked more lively, but it was Munich old boy Piotr Trochowski who caught the eye on 62 minutes with a scintillating finish to register his first goal for home-town club Hamburg and double the advantage.

Lead cut to one point

The below-par champions were unable to correct the result, which sees Bayern remain top of the standings on 18 points, but now only one ahead of Hamburg and two clear of Werder Bremen, 2-1 winners over Leverkusen.

Felix Magath made two changes to the team which defeated Frankfurt 1-0 in midweek. Sebastian Deisler gave way to fit-again lynchpin Michael Ballack, with Zé Roberto taking over from Bastian Schweinsteiger on the left flank.

It meant another run out in a 4-5-1 "away" formation for the league leaders, despite manager Uli Hoeneß's well-publicised misgivings: club convention favours a classic 4-4-2, but both Paolo Guerrero and Roque Santa Cruz started on the bench with Roy Makaay again up front on his own.

Makaay starved of service

The Dutch goal-getter cut a lonesome figure in the first period as Bayern struggled to make inroads against a home back line expertly marshalled by Belgium colossus Daniel van Buyten and Holland international Khalid Boulahrouz.

Home keeper Stefan Wächter beat away Ballack's 13th minute free-kick, but otherwise the Reds' only real chance from open play took 35 minutes to arrive, and it was a half-chance at best as Wächter raced from his box to deny Zé.

Hamburg had led for a full 25 minutes by this stage after Ali Karimi unluckily diverted the ever-dangerous Trochowski's 10th minute pass into the path of summer signing van der Vaart. The versatile midfielder, full of neat touches in the first 45 minutes, coolly fired right-footed across Olli Kahn to open the scoring.

Back to two-man front line

Magath reacted by reverting to a midfield diamond for the second half, Schweinsteiger taking over from Hasan Salihamidzic, with Guerrero replacing the out-of-sorts Karimi and operating alongside Makaay.

The champions immediately looked full of urgency and penned the home side back with a string of set pieces, although Trochowski provided a timely warning of HSV's potential on the break with a low drive into the side netting and Kahn blocked a rasping effort from former TSV 1860 starlet Benni Lauth in a carbon copy of a scene from the 30th minute.

Reds out-fought and out-thought

Still Bayern found no way through and Magath sacrificed Bixente Lizarazu for Mehmet Scholl on the hour, but the moment of magic came at the wrong end as Sergey Barbarez brilliantly released Trochowski for the Germany U-21 international to cut inside and unleash an unstoppable drive past Kahn and into the top corner.

Despite dominating possession, the leaders continued to struggle for inspiration from open play and came closest on 76 minutes as Zé whistled a free-kick just wide of the upright.

Scholl and home sub Emile Mpenza swapped chances in the closing phase, but symptomatic of a bad day at the office, Lucio blasted an 85th minute sitter miles wide on an afternoon when it was not fated to be for the out-fought, out of form visitors.

LINK

[Werder Bremen Yank]

BAYERN HAT VERLOREN!

just watched the game, amazing result for HSV

god i cant believe im cheering HSV....

lesser of two evil

*listening to bayern hat verloren*

[jay-c™]

Magath: Our Worst Display Of The Season

Bayern were unhappy with themselves after a first defeat in 15 Bundesliga fixtures. "Hamburg deserved the victory," Reds coach Felix Magath acknowledged. "The first half was the worst we've played this season. Hamburg were the better team."

"It wasn't our day," Oliver Kahn agreed afterwards, although the Bayern captain was relieved at one aspect of the reverse: "I'm glad we can put this winning run out of our minds now and get back to our normal routine."

Reaction to Hamburg v Bayern:

Felix Magath: "The opening goal gave Hamburg the confidence they needed, and it knocked us out of our stride. The first half was the worst we've played this season, we had no rhythm. That's a recipe for disaster against the side lying second. Hamburg deserved the victory today. Hamburg were the better team. It was probably time we lost after 15 straight wins. You're bound to lose again eventually."

Oliver Kahn: "We lacked the right kind of determination. We were careless, we weren't 100 percent there and we never came close to our potential. Obviously you're not going to beat Hamburg like that. We only got going the way we always wanted to after we were two goals down. It wasn't our day. I believe we were bound to trip up at some point. And somehow I'm glad we can put this winning run out of our minds now and get back to our normal routine."

Roy Makaay: "We slept our way through the first half, although at least we tried to get forward in the second period. But overall, Hamburg deserved to win."

Valérien Ismael: "They got a lucky deflection for the opener. We took more risks in the second 45 minutes. We've lost a game of football, it's nothing dramatic. We knew Hamburg are a good side, and they deserved to win."

Thomas Doll (HSV coach): "We were brimming with confidence. We're in the middle of a good run ourselves, and we've started well this season. We kept our discipline, we didn't allow them to hurt us on the break, and we kept pushing forward even after half-time. We deserved the points. But Bayern are in a class of their own. We managed to match them in a single game today. We have very different targets compared to Bayern."

Piotr Trochowski (HSV): "Let's not get carried away. We've beaten Bayern, but Bayern are a stronger team than we are. They weren't at their best today. We played brilliantly, kept it very tight at the back, and took our chances when they came along."

Rafael van der Vaart: "Bayern are a fantastic team, but we were superb today. We'll go away and enjoy it."

LINK

[jay-c™]

No Regrets At End To Winning Streak

Felix Magath was never likely to lose his sense of humour just because of Bayern's first defeat of the season. "Is the Oktoberfest closed today?" he quipped as he surveyed a heaving roomful of reporters at the news conference after Sunday training.

The beer continued to flow at Europe's biggest folk festival, and the mood remained upbeat at the Säbener Strasse, despite Saturday's reverse and the end of the club's record-breaking 15-game winning streak. There was even a feeling of relief in the air: "In one sense we're actually pleased the run has finally come to an end," Oliver Kahn inclined. "It was starting to get on our nerves, and it was the wrong kind of pressure."

A weight has certainly fallen from the team's shoulders after the 2-0 defeat in Hamburg. The personalities in Munich were almost grateful to long-term rivals HSV, who delighted most of a sell-out 55,800 crowd at the AOL Arena by preventing Bayern from winning for the first time since a 1-0 defeat away to Schalke on 12 March, some six months ago. A 10th minute Rafael van der Vaart effort and a superb second from Munich old boy Piotr Trochowski just after the hour made sure the points stayed in the north. "If it had to be anywhere, then I'm glad it's Hamburg," former HSV playmaker and coach Magath admitted.

Positive Side To Defeat

"We thoroughly deserved to lose," Uli Hoeneß accepted. "HSV were the better team. We weren't as determined as the home side." Magath concentrated on the positive aspects of the result. "We can get back to normality now," the boss declared in an echo of his captain's comments. "A run like that breeds complacency, it's only human," Kahn explained. "We needed a kick in the backside. We'll focus properly again now."

Another plus point was the return of Michael Ballack, in action again after missing three matches with an ankle injury. "He wasn't able to turn the game around, but the 90 minutes will have done him good," Magath reasoned. The coach remains confident his most important outfield player will have recovered peak form in time for Tuesday's meeting with Bruges.

Schweinsteiger Singled Out

The Reds coach also noted a dramatic improvement on the part of Bastian Schweinsteiger. The Germany international came on at half-time and earned words of special praise from the boss. "I was impressed. Bastian is back to his old form."

Naturally enough, Magath identified areas for improvement arising from the first defeat of term. He was especially disappointed with the way his men played in the first half: "That's where we lost the match," he moaned. "In the second half we showed what we could have done."

Bayern are determined to make amends in Tuesday's Champions League home encounter with Bruges. "We're aiming high in this year's Champions League, so you'll see a very different Bayern Munich," Kahn announced. "Saturday will help us remember what you really have to do to win," Ballack argued. Bruges may not know what has hit them at the Allianz Arena.

LINK

[jay-c™]

Karimi To Miss Brugge Game

Bayern Munich will be without Ali Karimi when they welcome Group A opponents Club Brugge for Tuesday’s UEFA Champions League encounter at the Allianz-Arena.

Bayern, who suffered their first Bundesliga defeat after 15 straight domestic wins during Saturday’s 2-0 loss at Hamburg, hope to build on their 1-0 away win over Rapid Vienna against the Belgian champions.

They will have to do so without the Asia’s Player of the Year, who has been an instant hit since his summer transfer from Al-Ahly of Dubai.

Karimi picked up a cold over the weekend and Bayern’s medical department decided to put the 26-year-old on antibiotics and rest for a minimum of three days.

This also makes him a doubt for the club's next Bundesliga home tie against Wolfsburg on Saturday.

However, the Iranian is not the only problem for coach Felix Magath as strikers Roque Santa Cruz (calf) and Claudio Pizarro (thigh) and English international midfielder Owen Hargreaves (groin) are all nursing injuries and remain doubtful for the game against Brugge.

LINK

[jay-c™]

Resolute Reds Seek Return To Winning Ways

UEFA staff have been busy at the Allianz Arena over the last few days, hanging the European governing body's logo in all the right places as the new temple of football in Munich prepares for its latest premiere: Bayern entertain Club Bruges on Tuesday evening in the first Champions League fixture at the stadium of the superlatives.

The home side are eager for a continuation of the run which has see them win their first three domestic home fixtures without conceding a goal. "We need the three points as the basis for a relatively comfortable group stage campaign. Two victories from the first two matches would be a superb going-In position," coach Felix Magath commented ahead of the meeting with the Belgian champions.

Defeat In Hamburg "A Blip"

The match represents Bayern's 50th home game in the Champions League and their 200th outing in the European Cup and Champions League combined. The German league leaders are determined to bounce back from Saturday's first defeat of the season in Hamburg. "I want us to prove we can take a single defeat in our stride. And I have no doubt we will prove it," Magath told Monday's news conference.

"The defeat has done us good," the coach insisted, although that will only be the case if the Reds immediately return to winning ways. "We're aiming high in the Champions League, so you'll see a very different Bayern Munich on Tuesday," captain Oliver Kahn declared. "The Champions League is always a bigger event than the Bundesliga," Magath added, warning his men not to underestimate the visitors. "We can't expect Bruges to come here and cave in."

Return To Two-Man Forward Line

"None of us is stupid. We know we can't beat Bruges just by turning up," Kahn responded. Magath is expecting Tuesday's opponents to defend in depth, but the coach is running short of options in a forward line which has in any case only struck three times in the last four matches. Claudio Pizarro (hamstring) and Roque Santa Cruz (muscle stiffness) both took part in final training, but neither will feature in the starting line-up, Magath reported.

The boss said he was "extremely likely" to restore his normal two-man forward line, which means Roy Makaay will go looking for a first goal in five matches alongside Paolo Guerrero, more effective as a super-sub recently. "Makaay leads the line. Paolo can do his thing alongside Roy," the coach commented.

Fanatical Home Support

Bastian Schweinsteiger appears set for a start, but otherwise Magath declined to reveal his selection hand. "A number of players are in contention," was all he would say. One name definitely on the team-sheet is Michael Ballack. "I reckon he'll be back to the kind of form he expects from himself," Kahn predicted.

The setting will certainly more than match the occasion. Vast acres of empty seats were the depressing norm for certain Champions League matches at the Olympic stadium, but the Allianz Arena will again boast a passionate 66,000 sell-out crowd for the Bruges clash. "The crowd will help us along," Ballack declared.

LINK

---- ------

Probable Line Ups

Bayern Munich

Kahn

Sagnol
Lucio
Ismael
Lizarazu

Demichelis
Schweinsteiger
Ballack
Zé Roberto

Makaay
Guerrero

Club Bruges

Butina

de Cock
Maertens
Spilar
Roelandts

Verheyen
Vermant
Englebert
Leko

Portillo
Balaban

---------

preview ahead of tonights game against Brugge... my prediction is another bayern victory... but think that Brugge will get a goal against us... going for a 2-1 win :thumb:

really need a win here with next two juventus games coming up

[sportfriend]

not sure who i want to win :eusa_think:

[FC_Utreg]

he won't support Bayern forever, i'm sure of that :thumb:

sure i wont :thumb:

he grew up in the uk and has a german shirt with his name on hahaha

not quite sure what your getting at there lol ... guessing its because ive been brought up in the UK... and i suppose am more english... i shouldnt be following the country i was born in

if that is... appreciate the opinion... but my reply can be summed up with just one smiley ----->

if i'm wrong... please correct me ;) :thumb:

mind you, my bf who is dutch owns a german shirt with ballack on the back as he likes bayern......that WILL change ;)

hope thats a joke lol... your boyfriend lets you dictate what he can and cant wear?

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Im "English" but support the "otherside"...The netherlands , so yea i respect germany :cardR:

[KezWOman]

Magath: Our Worst Display Of The Season

Bayern were unhappy with themselves after a first defeat in 15 Bundesliga fixtures. "Hamburg deserved the victory," Reds coach Felix Magath acknowledged. "The first half was the worst we've played this season. Hamburg were the better team."

LINK

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

ah don't worry, the season is still young, you'll get to display yourself more worse again :naughty:
wow Maykaay, really was Das Phantom that match wasnt he? didnt even notice him.