Peace and goodwill appears to have returned to Bayern Munich after an impressive 4-0 win at Cluj ensured progress into the knock-out stages of the Champions League.The victory at the Romanian champions with three goals from Mario Gomez followed a stormy few days in which coach Louis van Gaal was stung by unexpected criticism from club president Uli Hoeness.
The two have now made up – or at least agreed to disagree – as champions Bayern now focus on getting their domestic campaign back into shape, starting with a visit to bottom club Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
„Tonight I am happy and Uli is happy so we will have a drink,” van Gaal said after seeing a clinical performance from his side against Cluj.
Chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, who brought Hoeness and van Gaal together for clear-the-air talks ahead of the Cluj game, was as relieved as anyone that the the focus is back on football.
„We were very disciplined and played well. The win means we’re through, and it’s also our best-ever start. Now we can concentrate exclusively on the Bundesliga, because we want to climb the table. And I have hopes we’ll manage that over the next few weeks.”
Of Van Gaal’s position, he said: „There was no loss in his authority. He should not worry about that at all.”
Bayern have a series of five wins in six undefeated games in all competitions despite the absence of eight players due to injury. They are now seventh in the table, still 10 points off leaders Borussia Dortmund but only three adrift of third-placed Hoffenheim.
Hoeness had criticised van Gaal for being „difficult” to talk to, saying a football club „should not be a one-man show.”
Players like Gomez and Anatoliy Tymoshchuk, who were previously playing second fiddle under van Gaal, are beginning to shine now they are getting a chance because of injuries to others.
„It is fantastic that we have a striker like Mario,” said van Gaal who is now showing more appreciation for the Germany international.
Meanwhile Dortmund, with a Europa League game at Paris St Germain on Thursday, are not in action until Sunday when they visit Hanover.
Juergen Klopp’s side were impressive in toppling Mainz from the top spot with a 2-0 away win there last Sunday, setting a Bundesliga record of five straight away wins at the start of a season.
It’s a record which could be equalled by Mainz – now a point behind Dortmund – who are at midtable Freiburg on Saturday.
At the other end of the table, struggling Schalke 04, who have just one win in 10 games, will be seeking a first home victory of the season when promoted St Pauli are the visitors on Friday evening.
Third-from-bottom VfB Stuttgart are battling with injuries and probably could have done without Thursday’s trip to Getafe in the Europa League ahead of Sunday’s visit by Werder Bremen.
Bremen have to pick themselves up from a Champions League defeat at home to FC Twente on Tuesday which followed defeats by Nuremberg in the league and Bayern Munich in the cup.
„At the moment we are making too many mistakes, whether in defence or attack,” said managing director Klaus Allofs.
Of the chasing pack, third-placed Hoffenheim are Saturday at SV Hamburg who have lost Ruud van Nistelrooy and possibly fellow striker Mladen Petric to injury.
Elsewhere on Saturday, Eintracht Frankfurt take on Wolfsburg, while Nuremberg entertain Cologne. Sunday’s remaining game sees fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen face visiting Kaiserslautern who last week defeated Moenchengladbach to end a five-game losing series in the league.
