Bayern's Heynckes eyes Champions League, not title

Soccer Betting Lines

05/01/2009 - Munich, Germany (Sportsbook Betting Lines) - New Bayern Munich boss Jupp Heynckes insists his goal is not another Bundesliga title, but instead finishing at least second to secure a berth in the group stage of next season's Champions League.

Heynckes, who previously coached at Bayern from 1987-91 and led Real Madrid to the Champions League title in 1998, replaced fired coach Jurgen Klinsmann this week.

The 63-year-old former West German international was clear that his goal was "a direct qualifying place for the Champions League."

For Bayern to accomplish that, it must finish in the top two in the Bundesliga. With just five weeks remaining, the Munich side sits third - which is also good enough to make the Champions League but would force the team play a qualifying series.

Entering this weekend's match against Monchengladbach, Bayern is even on points with fourth-place Stuttgart and fifth-place Hamburg, meaning there isn't a lot of room for error. Hertha Berlin is one point away in second, while first-place Wolfsburg is three away.

Bayern midfielder Mark van Bommel, who will retain the captain's armband under Heynckes, completely backed the new coach.

"This club has to qualify for the Champions League. We'll aim for that at the minimum," Van Bommel said. "I'm confident we'll do it."

Bayern fired Klinsmann on Monday, just two days after a 1-0 loss to Schalke in Munich. The loss capped a 21-day period where Bayern lost 5-1 to Wolfsburg, and 4-0 to Barcelona in the Champions League quarterfinals.

Heynckes plans to turn Bayern into a more attacking side, something Klinsmann was known for as German coach but couldn't accomplish in his first stint as a club coach.

With the likes of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Hamit Altinop, Tim Borowski and Jose Sosa, Heynckes will scrap the two defensive midfielder system and likely deploy one of the previously mentioned players in an attacking role in a 4-4-2 system.

Considering Heynckes wants two forwards on the pitch also means Lukas Podolski should end his Bayern career - he's joining Koln this summer - starting next to Luca Toni.

Altintop also agreed with Heynckes and Van Bommel about repeating as Bundesliga champions, saying "it's about the team, and it's about the club.

"I want this team to play in the Champions League again next season," Altintop added. "I honestly don't care whether we finish first or second right now.

"I think all the players have realised time's almost up."

Time is also running out on Monchengladbach, which is next-to-last entering the final five weeks of the season. Monchengladbach has been able to steal points from the top clubs this season - it tied Bayern 2-2 earlier this season - and could take a major step toward survival with at least a point in Munich.

On Friday, Hannover topped Bochum 2-0 to move 10 points clear of the drop zone and all but guarantee its survival in the Bundesliga. Bochum is just three out of danger.

Also Saturday, Wolfsburg - which had its 10-game win streak snapped last week - will try to bounce back against struggling winter champions Hoffenheim, Arminia Bielefeld hopes to move out of the drop zone when it hosts surging Stuttgart, sixth-place Schalke wants to keep its slim European hopes alive when it hosts Bayer Leverkusen, Energie will try to build on its win over Wolfsburg and move further away from the relegation zone when it visits last-place Karlsruhe, and Eintracht hosts Borussia Dortmund.

On Sunday, Hamburg will try to build on its win over Werder Bremen in the UEFA Cup when it hosts Hertha Berlin. Hamburg won at Bremen, 1-0, on Thursday in the first leg of the Cup semifinals, and the fifth-place club could make a move up the Bundesliga table with a win over second-place Hertha.

Hamburg is level on points with Bayern and Stuttgart. Werder also plays Sunday, visiting Koln as it tries to secure a top-10 finish in the league. Bremen ended last season second, but sits 10th entering the weekend.

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