Vfl Wolfsburg 0 – Bayern Munich 2

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Vfl Wolsburg’s Croatia international IVICA OLIC (11), the 33-year-old winger who scored 13 goals in 55 Bundesliga games over the course of three seasons with traditional giant Bayern Munich, observes his former professional colleague with the Bavarians, in-form Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER (right), battle for the ball during the top flight match match witnessed by 30,000 spectators at the sold-out Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony.
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02/15/13
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 22

0 – VFL WOLFSBURG
2 – BAYERN MUNICH ——— Mandzukic 36′, Robben 90+2′

A sensational overhead bicycle kick combined with another suffocating performance on the defensive side of the ball permitted visiting record German champions BAYERN MUNICH to whitewash host VLF WOLFSBURG 2-0 and continue barreling down the road towards yet another title in this historic 50th Bundesliga season.

Bayern Munich continued with the sort of stuff that saw the Bavarians contest nearly four hours worth of football before the stingy side of trainer JUPP HEYNCKES finally conceded a shot on target by Vfl Wolfsburg’s Brazil international midfielder DIEGO, who finally tested Germany first choice MANUEL NEUER with roughly a quarter of an hour to play at the Volkswagen Arena.

Returning for the first time to the old stomping grounds where he scored 20 goals in 54 Bundesliga games for Vfl Wolfsburg, in-form Croatia international MARIO MANDZUKIC marked the occasion by netting a spectacular overhead bicycle kick in the 36th minute. The 26-year-old striker, for whom Bayern Munich paid a transfer fee of 13.0 million Euros this past summer, struck after TONI KROOS floated a set piece to the back post that fellow Germany international midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER was able to nod backwards. With 15 goals in 19 Bundesliga games for the Bavarians this term, Mandzukic is tied with Bayer Leverkusen’s 2010 World Cup striker Stefan Kiessling for top spot in the German first division.

Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN closed out Bayern Munich’s fifth consecutive Bundesliga victory on the trot by scoring his first goal in the German top flight in almost ten whole months. After coming on as a substitute in the second half, the Dangerous Dutchman latched onto a lovely cross from influential Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER and lashed a vicious left-footer past Vfl Wolfsburg’s Switzerland international number one DIEGO BENAGLIO two minutes into injury time. Robben, who scored 12 goals in 24 Bundesliga games for the Bavarians last season, had not tallied in the German league since the 4-1 triumph over 1.FC Koeln early last May on the final day of the 2011/12 domestic campaign.

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Bayern Munich’s highly-experienced BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER (right), the 28-year-old midfielder who has earned 97 caps and scored 23 goals for Germany thus far in his career, fends off the challenge from Vfl Wolfsburg’s controversial Brazil international DIEGO, the 27-year-old former SV Werder Bremen and FC Juventus Turin midfielder with 33 caps who spent all of last season out on loan to Spanish La Liga club Atletico Madrid, during the Friday night Bundesliga match under the lights at the sold-out Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony.
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VFL WOLFSBURG : Benaglio – Hasebe, Naldo, Madlung, Schaefer – Traesch (Fagner 75′), Polak – Vieirinha (Helmes 75), Diego, Olic (Persic 65′) – Dost

BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Lahm, van Buyten, Dante, Alaba – Luiz Gustavo, Schweinsteiger – Mueller, Kroos (Tymoshchuk 79′), Ribery (Robben 78′) – Mandzukic (Gomez 83′)

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Bayern Munich 3 – Vfl Wolfsburg 0

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Austria international defender EMMANUEL POGATETZ (5) of Vfl Wolfsburg is about to chop down Bayern Munich’s back-in-form Croatia international MARIO MANDZUKIC, the 26-year-old striker facing his former employers for the very first time since being bought by the powerhouse Bavarian giant for the transfer fee of 12.0 million Euros just this summer, during the mid-week Bundesliga match at the always sold-out Allianz Arena in southern Germany.
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09/25/12
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 5

3 – BAYERN MUNICH ————— Schweinsteiger 24′, Mandzukic 57′, 65′
0 – VFL WOLFSBURG

Record German champions BAYERN MUNICH rolled to a fifth consecutive victory to start this historic 50th Bundesliga season with a convincing 3-0 triumph over visiting VFL WOLFSBURG to remain atop the domestic table.

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Croatia international IVICA OLIC, the 33-year-old winger who scored 11 goals in his first Bundesliga campaign with Bayern Munich after transferring from SV Hamburg in the summer of 2009 but only struck twice more in the top flight over the course of the next two seasons, watches as former teammate and France international winger FRANCK RIBERY is fouled by veteran Brazil international defensive midfielder JOSUE (7) during the German top flight contest at the always sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Badstuber – Martinez, Schweinsteiger (Tymoshchuk 72′) – Robben (Kroos 68′), Shaqiri, Ribery – Mandzukic (Pizarro 79′)

VFL WOLFSBURG : Benaglio – Rodriguez, Naldo (Traesch 67′), Pogatetz, Fagner – Knoche, Josue – Olic, Diego, Kahlenberg (Vierinha 67′) – Dost (Joensson 81)

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Bayern Munich 2 – Vfl Wolfsburg 0

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Vfl Wolfsburg striker ASHKAN DEJAGAH (24), the former Germany U-21 international who once refused to play a match against Israel citing the fact “everybody knows I am half Iranian”, eyes the ball while Bayern Munich’s Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN does the same from the seat of his pants during the Bundesliga match at the sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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1/28/12
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 19

2 – BAYERN MUNICH ————— Gomez 59′, Robben 90+2′
0 – VFL WOLFSBURG

A decisive finish from the German top flight’s Torjaegermeister just before the hour and a fortunate strike in injury time allowed BAYERN MUNICH to dispatch visiting VFL WOLFSBURG 2-0 and remain on top of the Bundesliga table via goal-differential.

Trainer FELIX MAGATH’s Vfl Wolfsburg side arrived in Bavaria determined to defend and did a very nice job until Germany international midfielder TONI KROOS swung a free kick for Bayern Munich into the box. Two more players currently featuring in the German national team program, defender JEROME BOATENG and striker MARIO GOMEZ, rose in front hoping to connect with a header. And then Super Mario, who led the Bundesliga last season with 28 goals, showed why his instincts as a genuine poacher are, despite his detractors, truly top shelf as he swept a loose ball home for his 17th goal of this Bundesliga season in the 59th minute.

Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN received credit for his fifth goal of this Bundesliga season after the clearance of Vfl Wolfsburg’s sliding, Switzerland international defender RICARDO RODRIGUEZ rebounded off his mid-section and ricocheted into the net; veteran Croatia international IVICA OLIC, who had come on as a substitute for Gomez with a quarter of an hour to play, made the goal for Bayern Munich, really, with his textbook lob of Switzerland World Cup goalkeeper DIEGO BENAGLIO.

Back on the title track in Bavaria, then.

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Germany World Cup goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER, who was criticized publically by trainer Jupp Heynckes after having a disappointing match to start the second half of the Bundesliga season last week in North Rhine-Westphalia and responded by recording his 11th clean sheet in the German top flight this term, punches away a cross to stifle the Vfl Wolfsburg attack at the sold-out Allianz Arena in Bavaria.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm – Schweinsteiger, Kroos – Robben, Mueller (Luiz Gustavo 66′), Ribery (Alaba 89′) – Gomez (Olic 75′)

VFL WOLFSBURG : Benaglio – Traesch, Russ, Felipe Lopes, Rodriguez – Hasebe (Polter 82′), Chris (Koo 41′), Jiracek (Sio 66′), Schaefer – Mandzukic, Dejagah

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Vfl Wolfsburg 0 – Bayern Munich 1

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Germany World Cup defender and Bayern Munich club captain PHILIPP LAHM passes the ball ahead of trailing Vfl Wolfsburg midfielder PATRICK OCHS (2), the former Germany U-21 international who began his senior professional career during the 2003-04 campaign with the reserve team of Bayern Munich in the Regionalliga Sued before transferring to Eintracht Frankfurt after one season, during the closely-contested Bundesliga match at the ausverkauft (sold out) Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony.
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8/13/2011
Bundesliga
Spieltag # 2

0 – VFL WOLFSBURG
1 – BAYERN MUNICH ———— Luiz Gustavo 90+1′

In a match where bona fide opportunities were most definitely few and far between, it was a well-taken strike at the beginning of time added on that allowed the visiting Bundesliga champion from 2010, BAYERN MUNICH, to clip the 2009 titlist, VFL WOLFSBURG, 1-0 and claim full points in the second round of the German top flight.

Vfl Wolfsburg will look back in dismay after having a perfectly valid goal from Germany international PATRICK HELMES waved off as a result of an incorrect offsides decision in the 39th minute. The 27-year-old striker, who scored six goals in the Bundesliga for Bayer Leverkusen and die Woelfe combined last season, appeared at the back post to latch onto a free kick from Germany international defender MARCEL SCHAEFER that had been flicked on by summer signing MARCO RUSS. Replays cleared showed that Helmes had actually been kept onsides by Bayern Munich’s expensive off-season acquisition from English Premier League club Manchester City, Germany international defender JEROME BOATENG.

The lack of scoring chances in the match only served to magnify the mistake, which had, immediately and not surprisingly, enraged the trainer of the Lower Saxon club, FELIX MAGATH. For better or worse, the ruling stood as they always do without aid of technology. Indeed, Bayern Munich would manage to get just three balls on net all day whereas Germany international CHRISTIAN TRAESCH, officially, had the lone shot on target for Vfl Wolfsburg.

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A pair of Bayern Munich players on Germany’s World Cup squad in South Africa last summer, goalkeeper MANUEL NEUER and defender JEROME BOATENG (right), both caught a break on this particular play when the perfectly legitimate goal of Vfl Wolfsburg striker PATRICK HELMES (33), who has netted twice on 13 career appearances for Deutschland, was disallowed on account of a phantom offsides spotted by the linesman at the Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony.
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Switzerland World Cup goalkeeper DIEGO BENAGLIO of Vfl Wolfsburg shows his class and stretches out to stop Bayern Munich’s Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ (33), the Bundesliga Torjaegermeister last season with 28 goals who has struggled to find the back of the net so far this summer, during the second half of the, at this point, still scoreless match witnessed by 30,000 Zuschauer at the Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony.
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Despite the lack of shots the bookend World Cup goalkeepers standing between both pairs of sticks at either end, Germany’s MANUEL NEUER and Switzerland’s DIEGO BENAGLIO, each did well to deal with the balls coming into their respective boxes. Benaglio brought off a marvelous save in the second half to thwart the league’s top scorer from last season, Bayern Munich’s Gemany international striker MARIO GOMEZ. Neuer came off his line to smother a few dangerous balls and, with a little bit of luck courtesy the linesman, was able to register his first Bundesliga clean sheet at the second attempt since signing with the Bavarian club this summer.

Bayern Munich’s 19-year-old Japanese winger TAKASHI USAMI, on loan for the season fromo J-League side Gamba Osaka, made his Bundesliga debut in the 69th minute as a replacement for Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER while 31-year-old Croatia international attacker IVICA OLIC, who was out of action roughly eight months as a result of knee surgery, appeared in the German top flight with the Bavarians for the first time since late last October.

Olic and France World Cup winger FRANCK RIBERY were both directly involved in the dramatic, injury time game-winner of Brazil’s new international midfieler LUIZ GUSTAVO. Ribery and Olic, who made a penetrating run to the goalline on the left, exchanged passes with the Frenchman intelligently playing the ball back to the on-rushing Brazilian at the top of the box in the center. Luiz Gustavo, the defensive midfielder whose only other goal for Bayern Munich had come last spring against eventual Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund, made no mistake with a clincally low, left-footed shot that Vfl Wolfsburg’s diving goalkeeper Benaglio could get a hand to but not stop completely.

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A Suedamerika Zweikampf in Lower Saxony, then, as 24-year-old LUIZ GUSTAVO of Bayern Munich, who earned his very first cap as a substitute for the senior national team of Brazil in the friendly against Germany at the Mercedes Benz Arena in Stuttgart last Wednesday, sticks in a boot to tackle the ball away from Vfl Wolfsburg midfielder JOSUE, the 32-year-old veteran who has been selected 27 times by Brazil in his career, during the tight Bundesliga contest at the Volkswagen Arena in central northern Germany.
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BAYERN MUNICH : Neuer – Rafinha, Boateng, Badstuber, Lahm – Luiz Gustavo, Schweinsteiger – Mueller (Usami 69′, van Buyten 90+2′), Kroos (Olic 86′), Ribery – Gomez

VFL WOLFSBURG : Benaglio – Hasebe, Kjaer, Russ, Schaefer – Traesch, Josue – Ochs (Dejagah 46′), Salihamidzic (Koo 69′) – Helmes (Lakic 88′), Mandzukic

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Spieler Bericht : Vfl Wolfsburg 2011/12

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Croatia international striker MARIO MANDZUKIC (18) of Vfl Wolfsburg, who signed last summer from Dinamo Zagreb for a transfer fee thought to be 8.0 million Euros and finished with eight goals his first season in the German top flight, dribbles away from the Dangerous Dutchman, Holland World Cup winger ARJEN ROBBEN of Bayern Munich, during the Bundesliga match last January at the Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony.
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VFL WOLFSBURG lifted the Meisterschale as the Bundesliga champions at the conclusion of the 2008-09 campaign but have been in decline ever since. The Lower Saxon club slumped badly last season, which prompted the board to sack STEVE MCLAREN — the first Englishman ever to train a Bundesliga team — by early February. Still, the top flight status of Vlf Wolfsburg was only assured on the very last day of the 2010-11 schedule.

Wily, old trainer FEIX MAGATH, the two-time World Cup midfielder who earned 43 caps in his career for West Germany, took over in mid-March after the one-time Bayern Munich boss had been shown the door by Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen and steered die Woelfe to safety. Vfl Wolfsburg were bounced out of the Deutscher Fussball Bund Pokal at the first hurde by fourth division side RB Leipzig to start this new 2011-12 season on July 29. But Magath’s charges did respond with a convincing 3-0 victory on the road at 1.FC Koeln to open the Bundesliga slate last Saturday.

Of course, Bosnia / Herzegovina international striker EDEN DZEKIC, who ended up leading Vfl Wolfsburg last season with 10 goals in the Bundesliga, was peddled to English Premier League club Manchester City for the lucrative sum of 27.0 million English pounds (roughly 31.625 million Euros) just after the New Year. 32-year-old veteran Brazil international attacker GRAFITE, who scored nine goals in the German top flight last term, has been sold for 3.0 million Euros to Al Ahli Dubai of the United Arab Emirates after four seasons in Lower Saxony. And Turkey international striker TUNCAY SANLI, the 29-year-old who was bought from E.P.L. side Stoke City for 5.2 million Euros at the end of last January but managed only four games with no goals in the Bundesliga, has been sent out on loan for this season to English outfit Bolton Wanderers.

27-year-old PATRICK HELMES, who has 13 caps and two goals for Germany, had a brace in the Bundesliga opener at 1.FC Koeln and will partner Croatia international attacker MARIO MANDZUKIC up front for Vfl Wolfsburg; arriving on a free transfer is 27-year-old Croatian striker SRDJAN LUKIC, who scored 16 goals in the Bundesliga for 1.FC Kaiserslautern a year ago.

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Germany international striker PATRICK HELMES, who totaled 12 goals in all competitions for Bayer Leverkusen last term before moving to Vfl Wolfsburg in exchange for 8.0 million Euros last January, jumps over 1.FC Koeln goalkeeper MICHAEL RENSING after opening his 2011-12 scoring account just seventeen minutes into the new season last week at the RheinEnergie Stadion in North Rhine-Westphalia.
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Vfl Wolfsburg bit the bullet with Algeria international KARIM ZIANI, the midfielder who was signed from French Lique 1 club Olympique Marseille for 10.0 million Euros in the summer of 2009 but finished last season out on loan with Turkish side Kayserispor and has now left for armed forces club Al Jaish of Qatar. However, Lower Saxons have landed highly-experienced veteran Bosnia / Herzegovina internatonal midfielder HASAN SALIHAMIDZIC from traditional Italian giant FC Juventus of Turin on a free transfer. Vfl Wolfsburg also sent Vfb Stuttgart roughly 9.0 million Euros for versatile midfielder CHRISTIAN TRAESCH, the 24-year-old who featured at fullback for Germany in the international friendly with Brazil this week.

Vfl Wolfsburg, who are owned by the famous automaker Volkswagen, also spent 3.0 million Euros each on a pair of players from Eintracht Frankfurt — former Germany U-21 international PATRICK OCHS and defender MARCO RUSS — as well as another 1.5 million Euros for 21-year-old Poland international MATEUSZ KLICH, the midfielder previously with MKS Cracovia.

32-year-old veteran international JOSUE, who has earned 27 caps over the course of his career for Brazil, will be back to anchor the middle of the park in Lower Saxony but his countryman, the 27-year-old midfielder CICERO, has returned to his native land and signed with FC Sao Paulo.

Vfl Wolfsburg welcome once again the Iranian-born former Germany U-21 international ASHKAN DEJAGAH, who was the second-highest scorer in midfield on the team with three Bundesliga goals last term. 22-year-old JA-CHEOL KOO, who has eight goals in 19 games for the senior national team of South Korea, enters his first full Bundesliga campaign. Also available to Magath are the experienced Czech international with 57 caps, JAN POLAK, in addition to the former AJ Auxerre midfielder, Denmark international THOMAS KAHLENBERG.

The future of Brazil international midfielder DIEGO with Vfl Wolfsburg is undecided at the moment. The 26-year-old with 33 caps for his country, who scored 38 Bundesliga goals in three years with Werder Bremen before leaving for Serie A and FC Juventus in the summer of 2009, is reportedly looking for a new club and does not figure in the plans of Magath. Diego, who did not feature in the opener against 1.FC Koeln, found the back of the net six times in 30 league contests for Vfl Wolfsburg last term.

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Vfl Wolfsburg goalkeeper DIEGO BENAGLIO, who has been capped 35 times so far by Switzerland and has spent time in Portugal with CD Nacional Funchal after starting his professional career with Vfb Stuttgart, is expected to make his 100th Bundesliga appearance opposite Bayern Munich on Saturday at the Volkswagen Arena in central northern Germany.
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Three of the five players comprising the Verteidigung of the Vfl Wolfsburg Startelf who appeared against 1.FC Koeln are veterans of the last FIFA World Cup.

MAKOTO HASEBE, the 27-year-old who captained the Japan contingent in South Africa last summer, featured at fullback for Vfl Wolfsburg in Cologne. Denmark central defender SIMON KJAER, who was reported to be unhappy in Lower Saxony last month, was signed from Italian Serie A side US Palermo for the considerable fee of 13.0 million Euros last summer. And goalkeeper DIEGO BENAGLIO of Switzerland is certainly one of the better shot-stoppers in the Bundesliga.

The regular left back is 27-year-old MARCEL SCHAEFER, who has been capped seven times by Germany. Also on the books with die Woelfe is Slovakia World Cup defender PETER PEKARIK, the 24-year-old right back added from MSK Zilina in January of 2009. Meanwhile, Germany international defender SASCHA RIETHER has been transferred by Vfl Wolfsburg to 1.FC Koeln in exchange for 2.0 million Euros and took the field against his former club in the opener at the RheinEnergie Stadion.

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FELIX MAGATH has returned to Lower Saxony for a second tour of duty with Vfl Wolfsburg, with whom the trainer won the Bundesliga title in 2009; the former West Germany international has also been in charge at SV Hamburg, 1.FC Nuremburg, Werder Bremen, Eintracht Frankfurt, Vfb Stuttgart, Bayern Munich and Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen in his career.
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VFL WOLFSBURG
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arriving
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df – Marco RUSS —————————————————– fr Eintracht Frankfurt
mf – Patrick OCHS – Germany int’l ————————– fr Eintracht Frankfurt
mf – Christian TRAESCH – Germany int’l —————- fr Vfb Stuttgart
mf – Mateusz KLICH – Poland int’l ————————– fr MKS Cracovia (Pol)
mf – Hasan SAHLIHAMIDZIC – Bosnia/Herz int’l — fr FC Juventus (Ita)
fw – Srdjan LAKIC – Croatia ———————————— fr 1.FC Kaiserslautern

departing
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df – Sacha RIETHER – Germany int’l —————- to 1.FC Koeln
df – Fabian JOHNSON ————————————— to TSG 1899 Hoffenheim
mf – CICERO – Brazil —————————————- to FC Sao Paulo (Brz)
mf – Karim ZIANI – Algeria int’l ———————— to Al Jaish (Qatar)
mf – Nassin BEN KHALIFA – Switz int’l ————- to SC Young Boys Bern (Switz)
fw – GRAFITE – Brazil int’l ——————————– to Al Ahli Dubai (U.A.E.)
fw – Tuncay SANLI – Turkey int’l ———————- to Bolton Wanderers (Eng)
fw – Dieumerci MBOKANI – Congo D.R. int’l —– to RSC Anderlecht (Bel)

(Cierco had been on loan from Brazilian club FC Tombense, Mbokani had been on loan from French side AS Monaco; Ben Khalifa and Sanli are out on loan for this season)

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Bosnia / Herzegovina midfielder HASAN SALIHAMIDZIC is no stranger to Bayern Munich having contested 234 Bundesliga matches for the Bavarian club before moving to Italy in the summer of 2007. Including his time with SV Hamburg, the 34-year-old veteran has appeared in over 300 games in the German first division. Salihamidzic is currently wearing a cast to protect the left arm broken in the first Testspiel of the new season for Vfl Wolfsburg last month.

Vfl Wolfsburg 1 – Bayern Munich 1

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Ukraine international midfielder ANATOLI TYMOSHCHUK of Bayern Munich and Vfl Wolfsburg’s Brazil international DIEGO (28), the former Werder Bremen midfielder who was a summer purchase of 15.0 million Euros from Italian Serie A side FC Juventus of Turin, follow the ball after an aerial duel at the Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony, Germany. (Christian Charisius/Reuters)
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BUNDESLIGA
Spieltag # 18
1/15/2010

1 – Vfl Wolfsburg —————– Riether 86′
1 – Bayern Munich ————— Mueller 7′

Both teams shared frustration from the penalty spot while splitting a pair of goals on either side of the halftime whistle as visiting BAYERN MUNICH and VFL WOLFSBURG battled to a 1-1 deadlock in the re-start to the 2010-11 Bundesliga season.

Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ, who leads Bayern Munich with a dozen strikes in the Bundesliga and 20 goals in all competitions so far this season, struck the underside of the crossbar in just the fifth minute of play. The luck of the Bavarians, however, would change very shortly thereafter. The Bundesliga debutant goalkeeper, THOMAS KRAFT, launched a goal kick down the middle which Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER galloped after.

Out of the box came Vfl Wolfsburg goalkeeper DIEGO BENAGLIO, who actually reached the ball ahead of the on-rushing Mueller. Unfortunately for the Switzerland World Cup goalkeeper, however, his attempted clearance smashed straight into the 21-year-old winger. In the wake of the riccochet, the ball rolled all the back into the unguarded net for a 1-0 Bayern Munich result.

The Bavarians had a golden opportunity to double their advantage in the 22nd minute, but Germany World Cup defender PHILIPP LAHM smacked his penalty kick off the goalpost to waste the chance.

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A pair of Brazilians for each side, Vfl Wolfsburg international striker GRAFITE (23) and Bayern Munich defender BRENO (2), observe as 22-year-old Bundesliga debutant THOMAS KRAFT adequately deals with a high ball in front the Bavarians’ goal at the Volkswagen Arena. (Michael Sohn/AP)
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Vfl Wolfsburg also had a glorious opportunity from the penalty spot during time added at the end of the first half. In the wake of the recent sale of Bosnia / Herzegovina international striker EDIN DZEKO — the Bundesliga’s top scorer with 22 goals last season — to Manchester City for 27.0 million English pounds, Vfl Wolfsburg selected Brazil international striker GRAFITE to take the kick. With seven goals in the German top flight this season and 57 goals in 93 career Bundesliga games heading into the match, the 31-year-old striker still posed a formidable threat.

But the 22-year-old rookie Kraft, who had only ever appeared with the first team of Bayern Munich twice before in his entire career, was not cowed and turned aside the penalty convincingly.

Later in the match, the young shot-stopper produced a sharp save when turning the header of Vfl Wolfsburg’s Croatia international striker MARIO MANDZUKIC over the crossbar. On his Bundesliga debut, Kraft did not benefit from a high-powered offense in front of him. The Bavarians, despite enough chances, never did add a second goal and would pay dearly for this glaring inability with a further loss of points in the Bundesliga standings.

Four minutes from full time, Bayern Munich’s Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER was stripped of the ball on the edge of his own area by Vfl Wolfsburg defender MARCEL SCHAEFER; the rearguard who has earned seven caps for Germany in his career quickly sent a low cross into the box that attacking fullback SASCHA RIETHER was able to stab home from three yards out.

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Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIAN SCHWEINSTEIGER, who scored a dramatic injury-time winner against Vfl Wolfsburg at the Allianz Arena to start the 2010-11 season for Bayern Munich, wrestles with Vfl Wolfsburg’s Germany international defender MARCEL SCHAEFER, who began his senior professional career in Bavaria with TSV 1860 Munich before transferring to the Lower Saxon side in 2007, at the Volkswagen Arena. (Christian Charisius/Reuters)
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VFL WOLFSBURG : Benaglio – Riether, Kjaer, Friedrich, Schaefer – Josue (Pekarik 69′), Cicero (Cigerci 46′) – Dejagah, Diego (Kahlenberg 88′), Mandzukic – Grafite

BAYERN MUNICH : Kraft – Lahm, Breno, Badstuber, Pranjic (Ottl 82′) – van Bommel, Tymoshchuk (Luiz Gustavo 69′) – Mueller, Schweinsteiger, Ribery (Robben 25′) – Gomez

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(Nigel Treblin/DAPD)
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(Christian Charisius/Reuters)
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(Christian Charisius/Reuters)
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MATCH HIGHLIGHTS

Manchester City Take Torjaeger Edin Dzeko From Vfl Wolfsburg In Record Deal

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24-year-old Bosnia international striker EDEN DZEKO, the reigning two-time Bosnian Footballer of the Year, was the top Torjaeger in all the German Bundesliga last season with 22 goals for Vfl Wolfsburg and has scored 10 goals in 17 league games for the Lower Saxony club this term. (Alexander Hassenstein / Bongarts / Getty Images)
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The German outlets have begun to offer confirmation, but England’s THE SUN was among the first to report that MANCHESTER CITY’s eighteen month-long chase of Bosnia international striker EDEN DZEKO of Bundesliga side VFL WOLFSBURG has finally come to a satisfactory conclusion for the Eastlands club.

A transfer fee believed by The Sun to be 27.0 million English pounds has, apparently, been agreed between the Premier League outfit backed by the cash of the ABU DHABI UNITED GROUP FOR DEVELOPMENT AND INVESTMENT and the German club. Manchester City’s Italian manager ROBERTO MANCINI has publically stated that the Dzeko deal is done and all that is lacking is the player’s signature on a contract with respect to personal terms. Some reports have it that the Bosnia will be offered a paypack of 100,000 English pounds per week.

The 24-year-old Dzeko, who has scored 17 goals in 31 internationals for Bosnia thus far in his career, totaled 66 goals in 111 Bundesliga games in his time with Vfl Wolfsburg after arriving from Czech Republic team FK Teplice to begin the 2007-08 campaign.

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Bosnia international striker EDEN DZEKO of Vfl Wolfburg shoots past Energie Cottbus’ Germany U-21 international goalkeeper THORSTEN KIRSCHBAUM to score his side’s only goal in the 3-1 loss to the 2.Bundesliga side in the DFB Pokal match at the Volkswagen Arena in Lower Saxony on December 22, 2010. (Christian Charisius/Reuters)
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The Bosnia international attacker joins a Manchester City side already well stocked with a boatload of high-priced strikers on the books. Just this past summer, 20-year-old Italy international MARIO BALOTELLI was brought in by the Eastlands club for a mere 24.0 million English pounds. Dzeko’s arrival surely must signal the long-awaited departure of three-time Paraguay World Cup striker ROQUE SANTA CRUZ.

Out-of-favor Togo international striker EMMANUEL ADEBAYOR, who reportedly had a good training tussle with Ivory Coast World Cup defender KOLO TOURE today, is another who could be on his way from Manchester City soon.

Meanwhile, a transfer fee of 27.0 million English pounds will present Vfl Wolfsburg with a fantastic profit from their investment in Dzeko. After leading the Czech league with 13 goals for the 2006-07 season, the Bosnia was bought by then-Vfl Wolfsburg manager FELIX MAGATH for just 4.0 million Euros. The transfer reportedly agreed to for Dzeko works out roughly to a fee of 31.625 Euros that Manchester City will be paying the German club, who are a wholly owned subsidiary of German automobile manufacturers VOLKSWAGEN GROUP.

The existing Bundesliga record transfer is the 30.0 million Euro fee Bayern Munich paid to Vfb Stuttgart for Germany international striker MARIO GOMEZ in the summer of 2009.

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(Christian Charisius/Reuters)
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EDIN DZEKO
German record

BUNDESLIGA
————————
2007/08 — 28 games —- 8 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2008/09 — 32 games – 26 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2009/10 — 34 games – 22 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2010/11 —- 17 games – 10 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg

DFB POKAL
——————–
2007/08 — 5 games – 2 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2008/09 — 2 games – 6 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2009/10 — 2 games – 2 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2010/11 —- 2 games – 1 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg

EUROPE
—————
2008/09 —- 8 games – 4 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg
2009/10 — 12 games – 5 goals — Vfl Wolfsburg

Juventus Deal Diego To Wolfsburg

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After just a single season in Italy’s Serie A with FC Juventus of Turin, Brazilian midfielder DIEGO is returning to the Bundesliga in Germany. (Claudio Villa/Getty Images Europe)
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After much haggling, an agreement has apparently been reached.

Italian Serie A side FC Juventus of Turn reportedly have sold Brazilian midfielder DIEGO RIBAS DA CUNHA to German Bundesliga club Vfl Wolfsburg at the reduced rate of 15.0 million Euros, according to KRONEN ZEITUNG, Austria’s largest newspaper.

Five million Euros less than the original asking price then, however, the transfer fee could increase one or two million Euros contingent upon future performance; still, the purchase makes the Brazilian midfielder the Bundesliga’s most expensive signing yet this summer.

The annual salary for Diego, who signed a four-year contract with Vfl Wolfsburg, is said to be six million Euros per season.

So, it is back to the Bundesliga for the 25-year-old, who spent three seasons with Werder Bremen before being sold to Juventus for a reported 24.5 million Euros in May of 2009; Diego first arrived on the European professional scene in July of 2004 after signing with Portuguese club FC Porto from the well-known Sao Paulo side, FC Santos.

Diego did start in midfield for all three of Juventus’ Europa League matches this summer.

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DIEGO Ribas da Cunha
league record

2004-05 — 30 app —- 3 goals — FC Porto (Portgual)
2005-06 — 19 app —- 1 goals — FC Porto (Portugal)
2006-07 — 33 app – 13 goals — SV Werder Bremen (Germany)
2007-08 — 30 app – 13 goals — SV Werder Bremen (Germany)
2008-09 — 21 app – 12 goals — SV Werder Bremen (Germany)
2009-10 — 33 app —- 5 goals — FC Juventus (Italy)

Europe record

2004-05 —– 6 app – 1 goals — FC Porto
2005-06 —– 4 app – 1 goals — FC Porto
2006-07 — 14 app – 2 goals — SV Werder Bremen
2007-08 —– 8 app – 2 goals — SV Werder Bremen
2008-09 — 13 app – 7 goals — SV Werder Bremen
2009-10 —– 9 app – 0 goals — FC Juventus
2010-11 —— 3 app – 0 goals — FC Juventus

Bayern Munich 2 – Vfl Wolfsburg 1

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Germany World Cup winger THOMAS MUELLER of Bayern Munich skips over the sliding challenge of Vfl Wolfsburg’s Croatia international winger MARIO MANDZUKIC, a summer signing from NK Dinamo Zagreb, at the Allianz Arena in Bavaria. (Christof Stache/AFP)
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BUNDESLIGA
Spieltag # 1
8/20/2010

2 – FC Bayern Munich —— Mueller 9′, Schweinsteiger 90+1′
1 – Vfl Wolfsburg ————- Dzeko 55′

Germany World Cup midfielder BASTIEN SCHWEINSTEIGER, who scored just two goals in 33 league games and only three goals from 48 matches in all club competitions last season, struck in injury time to lift BAYERN MUNICH to a 2-1 victory over VFL WOLFSBURG at home in the 2010-11 Bundesliga season-opener for both teams.

Germany national team winger THOMAS MUELLER, who led all players in South Africa at the 2010 World Cup final tournament this summer with eight points (five goals, three assists), grabbed the very first goal of the new Bundesliga season for Bayern Munich.

Bosnia / Herzegovina international striker EDIN DZEKO, who scored 22 goals to lead the German elite league last term, equalized for Vfl Wolfsburg roughly ten minutes into the second half.

Argentina World Cup defender MARTIN DEMICHELIS, after being dropped from the first team in favor of Belgian international DANIEL VAN BUYTEN, caused controversy for Bayern Munich by refusing to sit on the substitute’s bench for the match.

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FC BAYERN MUNICH : Butt – Lahm, van Buyten, Badstuber, Contento – van Bommel, Schweinsteiger – Mueller, Kroos (Pranjic 73′), Ribery – Klose (Gomez 73′)

VFL WOLFSBURG : Benaglio – Pekarik (Misimovic 46′), Kjaer, Barzagli, Schaefer – Josue – Riether, Cicero – Ziani (Dejagah 77′), Mandzukic (Grafite 88′) – Dzeko