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FC Bayern Munich started the new season as the old one had ended with a domestic trophy. The German Bundesliga giants, who had last season won the German double of league and cup, beat FC Schalke 04 in the season opening German Super Cup 2-0 at the Impuls Arena in Augsburg.
Bayern Munich
Bayern were forced to play with an injured Arjen Robben, a Franky Ribery who is in rehabilitation and rested captain Mark van Bommel and keeper Hans Joerg Butt; but still late goals from 2010 FIFA World Cup heroes Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose gave the Bavarians the title in the reinstated Super Cup. The Super Cup had been discontinued after the League Cup had been instated as a season opener with six teams playing each other in a knockout tournament, but with too many matches and teams, the League Cup was unpopular with the clubs and the Super Cup was brought back to life.
Bayern Munich coach Louis van Gaal was expected to field a weaker side giving yunger players a chance with his World Cup stars only in training since earlier this week but Philipp Lahm, Holger Badstuber, Bastian Schweinsteiger, Thomas Mueller and Miroslav Klose all made the starting line-up. But with the stars missing a lot of eyes were on Spanish star Raul, who had joined FC Schalke 04 only a few days back. But it was Bayern Munich who had more of the ball in the first session, still they couldn’t utilise their possession as they played their usual passing game against a Schalke, who only a week back had beaten Bayern in a friendly tournament match at the Arena auf Schalke.
After the break Bayern Munich upped the tempo a bit and could have gone ahead in the 52nd minute as Klose hit the post, but in the 75th minute Bayern took the lead through Thomas Mueller who received the ball from Klose. Only six minutes later Klose would double the lead and seal the match off an Ivica Olic pass. The latest trophy for the Bayern Munich cupboards of silverware.
After the match Bayern coach Louis van Gaal said, “This team is better than last year’s because everyone knows what they have to do.”
While van Gaal’s counterpart Schalke 04 coach Felix Magath was more realistic about their chances this season. “You must see that we haven’t yet got the quality to beat a high-level team,” Magath said.
