Boss boost for Bayern

Posted Tuesday, September 28, 2010 by PA

Bayern Munich boss Louis van Gaal will sign a new one-year deal at the Allianz Arena this week, handing the Bundesliga champions a significant boost ahead of Tuesday's testing trip to Basle.

Bayern chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge confirmed today the only things that are lacking on the new contract are the signatures.

"We have fundamentally agreed on a contract extension and, although nothing has been signed yet, that is just a formality," he said on the club's website.

"The contract will certainly be signed in the next few days."

Rummenigge also guaranteed the deal would be completed irrespective of the outcome of Tuesday night's second Champions League Group E fixture.

"I prefer to do things which are maybe unexpected," he said. "Anybody can sign contracts after victories so therefore it is a good signal for the public that we can still show how much we treasure the coach even after the defeat to Mainz (at the weekend)."

It is a statement of intent from Bayern as the club have got off to a particularly poor start after they claimed the domestic double last season and also reached the Champions League final.

Saturday's shock defeat to Mainz left them with just one victory from four games at the Allianz Arena this season and Rummenigge has warned his players that they must show a response in Switzerland.

"The beautiful thing about football is that we have the chance to put things right three days later and we have got to put things right because you cannot survive in the Champions League with such a performance," he said.

"We cannot afford ourselves the luxury of believing that sooner or later we will turn things around like last season.

"We have got to ensure we turn the corner now."

Bayern made the short flight this morning without the injured Arjen Robben, Franck Ribery, Breno and Diego Contento, who has been ruled out for four to six weeks due to a groin injury he picked up in training on Friday.

Danijel Pranjic replaced him on Saturday, but his error led to the opening goal for Mainz and Van Gaal may make another change at the back with the out-of-favour Martin Demichelis a candidate with Holger Badstuber moving across to the left.

Bayern will be coming up against a familiar face at the St Jakob Park Stadion as their former midfielder Thorsten Fink is in charge of Basle.

They warmed up for the eagerly-anticipated clash with a 4-1 win at Zurich in the Swiss Super League, even after losing both Behrang Safari and Beg Ferati to red cards.

However, both are still eligible to play since their suspensions only apply domestically.

Former Stuttgart and Cologne striker Marco Streller scored two of their goals on Saturday and he is looking forward to the clash, even though he recognises that his side will be up against it.

"Bayern are the overwhelming favourites, but that does not mean we have no chance," said the Swiss striker.