Convincing warm-up win against Basel

Bayern have warmed up for the resumption of Bundesliga hostilities this coming Friday in convincing fashion. Three days ahead of the crucial home meeting with Hoffenheim, the men from Munich travelled to Swiss top flight outfit Basel for their solitary friendly fixture of the mid-season period and won 3-1 thanks to a strong closing quarter of an hour.

The 20,087 crowd at St. Jakob Park saw former Cologne striker Marco Streller hand the home side a tenth-minute lead. A Bayern line-up showing ten changes for the second half turned the match on its head by the end courtesy of goals from Hamit Altintop (73) and a Miroslav Klose brace (85, 87).

The meeting against the Swiss outfit was also a chance to renew acquaintances with a number of Bayern old boys. Basel are coached by Champions League winner Thorsten Fink, while the man between the sticks was Stefan Wessels. The 30-year-old spent the years from 1998 to 2003 in Munich as Oliver Kahn’s understudy. And Switzerland boss and former Bayern coach Ottmar Hitzfeld took a seat in the stands.