Bundesliga

FC Schalke 3 - 1 Stuttgart

Schalke's Benedikt Howedes to undergo surgery on fractured cheekbone

The Germany international will have to go under the knife and spend a spell on the sidelines after sustaining a facial injury during the club's 3-1 win over Stuttgart

Schalke have received news that defender Benedikt Howedes suffered a fractured cheekbone during their 3-1 league win over Stuttgart on Saturday and will require surgery.

The centre-back was forced to leave the pitch shortly before the half-time whistle after an unfortunate collision with Marco Hoger and was immediately taken to hospital to determine the extent of the facial injury.

Schalke have now announced on their official website that the 23-year-old has fractured his cheekbone and will go under the knife on Monday.

It is not yet known exactly for how long Howedes will be out of action, but Schalke fear that their captain could be unavailable for up to six weeks.

Schalke have climbed to joint first spot in the Bundesliga table following Saturday's results.


Source: goal.com

Monchengladbach 3 - 1 Bayern Munchen

Bayern suffer Van Buyten blow

There was more bad news for Bayern Munich on Saturday as it emerged defender Daniel van Buyten is out for up to eight weeks after injuring his foot during the 3-1 upset defeat at Borussia Moenchengladbach.
The Belgium centre-back broke the metatarsal bone in his foot during a collision with 'Gladbach goal-scorer Marco Reus and after an operation on Saturday, he is expected to be out for between six to eight weeks.
Friday's defeat at 'Gladbach blew the German league title race wide open as both defending champions Borussia Dortmund, who play Hamburg on Sunday, and Schalke 04, who host Stuttgart on Saturday, have the chance to close the three-point gap behind Bayern.
Bayern's stars were highly self-critical after the defeat, but they will finish the weekend top of the table regardless of other results as they have a superior goal difference, while 'Gladbach are second and just one point behind.
"We're not yet where we need to be," said Dutch winger Arjen Robben, with Bayern set to face Swiss side Basel in the Champions League's Round of 16 next month.
Munich welcomed back Germany star Bastian Schweinsteiger for the first time in 11 weeks since he broke his collarbone, but Bayern's vice-captain was far from impressed with his team's performance.
"We have seen that we must do something. We need to flick the switch quickly. We are simply committing too many faults in our game," said Schweinsteiger, who scored the consolation goal with 20 minutes left.
Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer made an uncharacteristic mistake to gift 'Gladbach the opening goal by Reus and the star shot-stopper had to shoulder some criticism.
"He tried to get the ball really fast back into the game, but he should have taken some of the pace out of their attack, that was his mistake," said Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes.
Neuer's mis-timed clearance was pounced on by Reus who fired home from 30 yards after 11 minutes.
"I wanted to hit the ball long down the right flank towards Arjen Robben and Thomas Muller, but I mistimed it and gave Reus an easy chance," admitted Neuer.
"Because of my bad pass, I have to take some blame for the defeat, that is obviously very disappointing."
After Reus had put 'Gladbach ahead, winger Patrick Herrmann was Borussia's match winner as he scored just before half-time and then added a second after the break to put 'Gladbach 3-0 up before Munich's consolation goal.
Heynckes refused to blame Neuer's early blunder for the defeat and said his team must raise their game for their next league match at home to Wolfsburg next Saturday.
"The sticking point for us was when we went 2-0 down just before the break," said Heynckes.
"I don't think my team understood how important it was to not give the ball away at that point."

Source: football.co.uk

Bayern Munich 4-1 Werder Bremen

Ribery & Robben each net brace as hosts move first

Bavarian giants advanced two spots to the Bundesliga summit as a late flurry of goals saw them to victory against 10-man Werder

Arjen Robben grabbed his first two goals since September as Bayern Munich reclaimed first place in the Bundesliga following a 4-1 win over Werder Bremen at the Allianz Arena.

Franck Ribery opened the scoring on 22 minutes, but substitute Markus Rosenberg drew the visitors level seven minutes into the second half. Robben, who also began the match on the bench, made it 2-1 from the penalty spot with 21 minutes to go, and Ribery put the game out of reach on 77 minutes as he completed his brace. 

Robben rounded off his brace on 83 minutes as he slotted home a second penalty, won by his left-sided opposite, Ribery.

Early on, the game was played tightly through the midfield, with chances hard to come by. The hosts used the counter-attack to their advantage, though, and had a couple looks at goal in the first half. The Frenchman nearly assisted Philipp Lahm with a glorious ball, butRibery eventually made it 1-0 as he latched onto an inch-perfect ball from David Alaba, took a touch and blasted home off the inside of the left post.

The hosts' lead was never safe at 1-0, though, and Bremen found their way back on level terms on 52 minutes as Rosenberg latched onto a clever ball from Claudio Pizarro, and blasted a low strike into the lower-left corner.

Bayern finally hit their stride late in the game, and after Andreas Wolf was penalised for a foul on Thomas Muller, Robben slotted home the resulting spot kick.

The hosts pressed on, and Mario Gomez had a seemingly onside goal called back before Ribery was felled by Sokratis in the box, and Robben made it 4-1 as he fired a low strike into the net from 11 metres.

To make matters worse for Bremen, midfielder Aaron Hunt was sent off for a straight red card on 81 minutes after he committed a dangerous challenge on Toni Kroos.

The result sees Bayern leapfrog Borussia Monchengladbach and Dortmund to move into first place, after the top two sides drew 1-1. Bremen remain fourth, four points behind the Borussias and a single point ahead of Schalke, who have a game in hand.

source: goal.com