Badstuber: We've taken a good step forward

The squad put in some serious work in Wednesday training, focusing on speed in the build-up, escaping opposition pressing, slick passing and set plays. Three days ahead of the meeting with Wolfsburg, the FCB players are utterly determined to make amends for last Friday's defeat to Mönchengladbach, “because if we win the second game after Christmas. It'll all look a lot better again," said Mario Gomez.

“Now is the time for deeds to follow our good intentions," the striker continued. “We've trained really well this week. I'm certain we've taken a good step forward," added Holger Badstuber, “I'm very optimistic about the Wolfsburg match." Jupp Heynckes has laid special emphasis on defending as a team this week, “because we were sloppy in the last match," Badstuber conceded.

The central defender called for a return to the dynamism and compactness which brought such a long run of clean sheets at the start of the season. “We showed total unity and conviction as a team. Everyone helped out everyone else, none of us were too far away from our team-mates. We know that was what made us strong. We aim to demonstrate that again on Saturday."

According to Holger, the key to success will be “lots of communication, and a great deal of aggression in every area, not only in defence. In that case, our opponents will barely get near our goal." With Daniel van Buyten out for around two months, the 23-year-old knows he will play alongside a new partner against the Wolves, “but it won’t be a big change," he said. Jerome Boateng is the most likely candidate at centre-half, and Badstuber has already partnered his fellow Germany international a number of times this season.

“It can't be happening that we were so ruthlessly hit on the break," commented Gomez, urging his team-mates to close the gaps which too readily opened up last weekend. And should Bayern concede, Mario feels there must be a better reaction than the hesitant response in Gladbach. “After we went 1-0 down, we chose the wrong approach," he said, “we stuck too rigidly to our system. We need to be more flexible." The stars will doubtless be working on these and other areas this Thursday and Friday.