Bundesliga: Bayern Munich aim to turn words into actions

A series of internal meetings, a couple of tactical adjustments, qualification for the knockout stage of the Champions League and some public statements of support for Niko Kovac from key players – Bayern Munich are back on track.

That, at least, is the impression the Bavarian giants want to convey as they go into their final five Bundesliga games of the year, starting with a trip to Werder Bremen on Saturday - five games that striker Robert Lewandowski  believes the team must win in order to stay in touch in 2019.

"I hope it will have a liberating effect," said Kovac, referring to Tuesday's 5-1 hammering of Benfica. "I hope the players see that the instructions we give them make sense. Now my team needs to dig as deep as they can."

As far as the Croatian coach is concerned, the pressure is on his players to perform. He himself still feels secure in his position, a confidence which may have been dented by president Uli Hoeness' emotional comments after the 3-3 draw against Fortuna Düsseldorf but appears to have been restored by a series of meetings between key protagonists on Säbener Strasse.

Time to talk

On Monday, reports German magazine kicker, Hoeness, together with CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and sporting director Hasan Salihamidzic, met with Lewandowski, Thomas Müller, Manuel Neuer and Franck Ribery.

After assuring the bosses that they were still 100 per cent behind their coach, the senior players and Salihamidzic then met with Kovac himself, during which decisions were taken to improve internal communications and make small tactical adjustments.

One of them, the decision to drop Leon Goretzka slightly deeper to form a double pivot alongside holding midfielder Joshua Kimmich, proved instrumental against Benfica. That could be "a good idea for the future," admitted Kovac, whose position was also bolstered by clear pronouncements of support from the dressing room.

"I'm particularly happy for the boss," said two-goal Arjen Robben. "He deserved that as a person."

"I stand behind our coach," said Lewandowski, who also scored two. "We know what we've done wrong [as players]. It's down to us."

"It's too easy just to say the coach is solely responsible," said goalkeeper Neuer. "We're all in the same boat."

- Read more: Bayern Munich won't buy in January – but should they?

Critics remain

Naturally, however, Kovac has his critics too. Although it should be pointed out that some of those critics are hardly blameless themselves.

Mats Hummels has had a difficult relationship with Kovac ever since the Croatian expressed doubts over the defender's agility in the summer – doubts which seemingly weren't wide of the mark considering some of the 29-year-old's performances this season. Hummels also upset teammates when he blamed illness for his poor display in the defeat to Borussia Dortmund and also dropped out of the squad for the Benfica game with a stomach bug.

Bench-warmer Sandro Wagner has also been critical. "Lots of things aren't working at the moment," he told tabloid Bild earlier this week, adding conspiratorially: "But those in charge have been in the business long enough – they know what to do."

Colombian playmaker James Rodriguez, who blossomed under Spanish-speaker Jupp Heynckes last season, has also crossed swords with Kovac, having only started five Bundesliga games this season.

"There was talk of four players who are against me," said Kovac. "But nothing about those who are on my side. We're going along this path together."

Werder's 'villagers' face Bayern 'troops'

That path first leads north to Bremen, where Florian Kohfeldt's Werder side ended a run of three straight defeats with a late draw away at Freiburg last week.

After an impressive start which saw them go third after Matchday 5, the Green and Whites still haven't won since October and, with Dortmund, Hoffenheim and a trip to Red Bull in Leipzig still to come before Christmas, the winter schedule isn't an easy one.

But, as goalkeeper Juri Pavlenka, who excelled in the 1-1 draw in Freiburg, pointed out: "Bayern haven't started as well as in the past." So Saturday could be a good opportunity for Bremen to record a first win over the Bavarians since a 5-2 triumph in Munich in 2008.

"We're like the famous Gallic village which can cause trouble for the Roman troops," said sporting director Frank Baumann at Werder's AGM on Monday. "We will have a good plan."

Philipp Bargfrede and Finn Bartels remain long-term absentees for the Northerners but Kohfeldt could opt for the pace of Milot Rashica up front.

For Bremen, a victory would be a surprise but welcome early Christmas present, while another setback for Bayern would pile the pressure back on Kovac – despite all the positive talk in public.

Elsewhere on Matchday 13:

- With two of their closest challengers playing each other (see below), unbeaten Borussia Dortmund have a chance to extend their lead at the top of the table when they welcome Freiburg to the Westfalenstadion on Saturday. But after the goalless draw against Club Brugge on Wednesday, the Black and Yellows will need to be more clinical against Christian Streich's men.

- Fourth-place RB Leipzig host second-place Borussia Mönchengladbach on Sunday – a meeting of two of the most attacking teams in the league.

- Markus Weinzierl welcomes his former employers as struggling Stuttgart face Augsburg. 

Matchday 13 in full:

Fortuna Düsseldorf vs. Mainz 05 (Friday, 20:30 CET)

Stuttgart vs. Augsburg (Saturday, 15:30)
Hannover vs. Hertha Berlin
Borussia Dortmund vs. Freiburg
Werder Bremen vs. Bayern Munich
Hoffenheim vs. Schalke 04

RB Leipzig vs. Borussia M'önchengladbach (Sunday, 15:30)
Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Wolfsburg (Sunday, 18:00)

Nuremberg vs. Bayer Leverkusen (Monday, 20:30)