Bayern are without Franck Ribéry and Holger Badstuber, but are brimming with utter determination to fulfil Karl-Heinz Rummenigge’s wish for a “rapid ascent” in the Bundesliga standings, starting with the visit to Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday (Live in English from 3.15 pm on FCB.tv Web Radio). “There’s a certain edge to it,” said Bastian Schweinsteiger on the eve of the clash with the side desperately battling to move off the bottom of the table. “It doesn’t make it any easier for us,” the FCB midefielder noted, “but we urgently need the three points too.”
A packed 54,057 capacity crowd will flock to Borussia Park between two sides who cannot realistically afford anything less than all three points. Louis van Gaal will again name a decimated squad of just 15 men, as his hopes of restoring Ribéry and Badstuber to the party were dashed on Friday when both failed fitness tests. “Neither is fit yet,” advised Van Gaal, “so there’s no point taking them to Gladbach. It’s better if they stay and train.”
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