Crucial clash

Despite talk of Bayern Munich potentially winning an unprecedented treble of league, Champions League and German Cup titles, Bayern coach Louis van Gaal is not allowing the hype surrounding his team's victory over Manchester United deflect him from his main goal this season: to win the Bundesliga.

His Bayern side may be eyeing a last four place in the Champions League for the first time since the club won the competition in 2001, but the domestic title remains the main focus for the Munich coach and his board of directors.

Supremacy at home in Germany has long been seen as the birthright of every Bayern Munich team and for van Gaal to be considered a success at Munich he needs to return the Bavarian giants to where the club and its fans believe they belong - on top of the Bundesliga. If they also manage to be crowned European Champions and pocket the German Cup on the way then, well, that's just an added bonus.

After a nightmare start to the season, one which saw them in eighth place as late as November, Bayern can now look up the table and see only Schalke. On the one hand, a laudable effort. On the other, it's means Bayern may have peaked too soon.

Until a fortnight ago, Bayern were unbeaten in 18 games and looked to be on an unstoppable charge towards title glory. Once they went top, van Gaal and his players were expected to stay there and build an insurmountable lead over their nearest rivals. Instead, they suffered two consecutive league defeats against Frankfurt and Stuttgart, leaving Schalke to capitalize and go two points clear.

Schalke, meanwhile, have also refused to revert to type. Traditionally, the Royal Blues begin to suffer from altitude sickness when they get too near the league's upper reaches at this point in the season. The Gelsenkirchen club's championship wobbles are the stuff of Bundesliga legend. But this year, Felix Magath appears to have found the right combination of tough love and therapy to ease Schalke's championship phobia.

Schalke coach looking to expose chinks in Bayern defense

Magath will have watched Bayern Munich's 2-1 victory over Manchester United on Tuesday night and may have wondered what he could possibly do to stop the Bavarians tearing his title hopefuls to pieces this weekend. His task will have been made even more difficult with the news that van Gaal will have a full strength squad to pick from, including a returning Arjen Robben – the player whose moment of magic ended Schalke's German Cup dream last week.

However, Magath is a shrewd and observant coach and will have taken heart from the fact that Bayern's defense - specifially Holger Badstuber - had a torrid and nervous time in the early stages against Man United. Employing Kevin Kuranyi as the attacking focal point with Jefferson Farfan attacking the Bayern defense with speed from the wings may cause the young Badstuber similar problems to those he suffered against Nani and Wayne Rooney on Tuesday night.

Magath will have also noted that it took Bayern until the last ten minutes to break Man United down. While Bavarians showed great strength to fight to end for their winner, Magath will look to his forwards to win the game for Schalke long before Bayern can find their second wind, and charge his defense with maintaining concentration throughout.

The Schalke coach will also be hoping that Tuesday night's exertions will have taken their toll on Bayern. However, with Robben returning from injury, Franck Ribery nearing full fitness and Mario Gomez looking hungry after some time on the sidelines, Bayern's front line are likely to be extremely fleet of foot.

Attack may be the best defense for speedy Bayern

All of which points to Saturday's match being a classic defense against attack game, with both teams bypassing any stodgy midfield battles in favor of end-to-end surges. Bayern proved against United that fast, long-range distribution from defenders such as Martin Demichelis and the deep lying Mark van Bommel could overcome the obstacle presented by a clogged midfield.

Similar tactics could see the Bayern defense directly feeding Robben and Ribery for streaking runs up the wings, allowing the speedy pair to terrorize Heiko Westermann, Marcel Bordon and the still somewhat green Benedikt Hoewedes.

With Gomez and possibly Ivica Olic or Miroslav Klose making supporting runs, ready to pounce on crosses - or rebounds from the two superstars' lashing shots from distance - Bayern may have the edge if van Gaal chooses to play a counter-attacking strategy away from home.

Saturday's match may not ultimately decide the destination of this season's Bundesliga title, but the outcome will certainly set the stage for whatever drama is to unfold in the remaining weeks.

Author: Nick Amies
Editor: Matt Hermann