Bayern hopes to start new run against Wolfsburg

Soccer Betting Lines

01/27/2012 - Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - Bayern Munich opened the second half of the Bundesliga season the way it opened the first half, with a loss. But after the setback to Monchengladbach in August, Bayern became invincible.

Well, at least for a stretch of 13 matches.

Bayern turned its season-opening 1-0 loss to Gladbach into the spark for a big streak of 12 successive shutouts in all competitions, including a 2-0 win over Manchester City in the Champions League.

At the time, Bayern entered the conversation with Barcelona as one of the best club's in Europe. But since the unbeaten streak was snapped, Bayern has proven it is still mortal.

After its latest loss to Gladbach, 3-1, last weekend, the pressure is on for a second streak, and coach Jupp Heynckes admitted it was time for a new approach with its lead atop the standings only goal differential.

"I've told my team in no uncertain terms," Heynckes stated, "that I expect a very different approach, not just on Saturday, but right through to the end of the season."

Bayern hosts Wolfsburg at the Allianz Arena on Saturday, but while suspended winger Franck Ribery returns ("When Franck's in the team, our quality goes up another notch," Heynckes said.), injured center back Daniel van Buyten starts his spell on the sidelines with a foot injury.

Regardless, Bayern has no choice but to move on with the options it has at its disposal, even if those include Brazilian defender Breno, who has gone through a turbulent first half of the season off the field.

"We're wide awake now," said Bayern Munich's Bastian Schweinsteiger about the loss to Gladbach, "I'm very confident."

Wolfsburg has allowed 34 goals this season, third-worst in the league, and may play right into the hands of Bayern, which will look to get back on track this week to maintain its lead and build momentum for the Champions League last 16.

Defending champion Borussia Dortmund sits level on 37 points withe Bayern, and hosts Hoffenheim on Saturday. Third-place Schalke also has 37 points, and will visit Cologne on Saturday.

Gladbach has also remained in the race, as it's just one point off the pace in fourth ahead of its visit to Stuttgart on Sunday.

In Saturday's other games, Augsburg hosts Kaiserslautern, Hertha Berlin hosts Hamburg, and Werder Bremen hosts Bayer Leverkusen in a match-up of the fifth- and sixth-place teams, respectively. Also Sunday, Mainz hosts Freiburg in a clash of bottom-four sides.

Hannover hosts Nurnberg on Friday to open the week's matches.

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