Bayern look to end year on record high

BERLIN (AFP) –

Bayern Munich striker Mario Gomez misses a chance in the UEFA Champions League match against Bate Borisov on December 5, 2012. The German international says he is happy to continue his spell on the bench, providing Bayern finish up with a few more trophies in the cabinet

Bayern Munich will finish the first half of this season’s Bundesliga campaign with a record lead at the top of the table if they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.

Bayern are 11 points clear at the top ahead of their final league game of 2012.

Another victory would ensure they better Borussia Dortmund‘s 10-point record lead for the first half of a season, set in 2010, with the German league set to start the four-week winter break on Sunday.

Having finished the last two seasons without a trophy, Bayern are dominant in the Bundesliga at the halfway point, in the last 16 of the German Cup and have reached the knock-out phase of the Champions League.

German international striker Mario Gomez says he is happy to continue his spell on the bench, providing Bayern finish up with a few more trophies in the cabinet.

Bayern Munich striker Mario Mandzukic outjumps Dortmund defender Neven Subotic during the German Bundesliga match on December 1, 2012. Bayern will finish the first half of this season’s Bundesliga campaign with a record lead at the top of the table if they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.

Gomez has lost his place to Mario Mandzukic, who has nine goals in 14 games, after missing three months following ankle surgery, but has still managed two league goals in four games after coming on as a substitute.

“I really only have one big objective and that’s winning the Bundesliga title. Everything else is less important to me,” Gomez told German daily Bild.

“I will be more than happy if I have to come off the bench 10 more times or so this season as long as we end up winning the league title.

“It’s too soon to congratulate us with the title, though.

“We know that we have to remain focused during the second half of the season. We can only beat ourselves if we manage to do just that.”

Gomez has already won two German league titles, with Stuttgart in 2007 and with Bayern in 2010.

Goalkeeper Manuel Neuer and striker Claudio Pizarro both trained on Tuesday having shaken off an upset stomach and flu respectively and are fit to face ‘Gladbach.

Mainz striker Adam Szalai (R) and Dortmund defender Marcel Schmelzer tussle during their German Bundesliga match on November 24, 2012. Third-placed Borussia Dortmund will have Schmelzer in their team for their trip to face strugglers Hoffenheim on Sunday.

Defensive midfielder Javi Martinez is expected to be fit after a collision in training with Jerome Boateng on Tuesday, but chief medical officer Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt gave him the all-clear.

Second-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who slumped to a 3-2 defeat at Hanover last weekend, need a home win over Hamburg on Saturday to try and exert some pressure on Bayern.

Third-placed Borussia Dortmund will have defender Marcel Schmelzer in their team for their trip to face strugglers Hoffenheim on Sunday.

On Monday, the sports court of the German Football Federation (DFB) dropped its investigation and lifted the automatic suspension on him after he was shown a red card in the 3-2 defeat against Wolfsburg last Saturday.

The left-back was shown a red for an alleged handball on the line in the 35th minute while Wolfsburg were awarded a penalty, but television replays, however, showed the 24-year-old had blocked the ball with the knee.

After coach Markus Babbel was sacked by Hoffenheim, caretaker coach Frank Kramer looks to break the five-match losing streak with his team third from bottom and amongst the relegation places.

Friday

Bayern Munich v Borussia M’gladbach

Saturday

Bayer Leverkusen v Hamburg, VfL Wolfsburg v Eintracht Frankfurt, Mainz 05 v VfB Stuttgart, Greuther Furth v Augsburg, Fortuna Duesseldorf v Hanover 96, Schalke 04 v Freiburg

Sunday

Hoffenheim v Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen v Nuremberg