Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Arjen Robben's hat-trick helped Bayern Munich thrash 10-man Schalke and extend their Bundesliga lead to 20 points, a league record after 23 games.

David Alaba opened the scoring in the third minute before Netherlands forward Robben chipped in his first goal.

Mario Mandzukic's header made it 3-0 and Robben's angled drive put Bayern 4-0 ahead within the first 30 minutes.

Bayern's Rafinha put through his own net but Robben scored a penalty as Kyriakos Papadopoulos was sent off.

Bayern's trophy-laden 2013
6 April: Clinched the Bundesliga title in record time

25 May: Won the Champions League by beating Borussia Dortmund at Wembley

1 June: Became the first German side to win the 'Treble' with a 3-2 German Cup final win against Stuttgart

30 August: Lifted the Uefa Super Cup after a penalty shoot-out victory against Europa League winners Chelsea

21 December: Triumphed in the Club World Cup final against Raja Casablanca to cap a memorable year

The victory extended Bayern's record unbeaten league run to 48 matches, dating back to October 2012, and earned their 15th straight league victory.

The defending Bundesliga and European champions entertain Arsenal on 11 March with a 2-0 lead from the first leg in their Champions League last-16 first leg tie.

Having been hammered 6-1 at home by Cristiano Ronaldo's Real Madrid on Wednesday in the Champions League last 16, Schalke were again put to the sword as Bayern cruised to victory.

With just three minutes gone, left-back Alaba netted a free-kick, then Robben scored either side of Mandzukic's headed goal from a superb Alaba cross to make it 4-0 at the break.

Schalke were gifted a goal when Jefferson Farfan's corner was turned into his own net by Munich right-back Rafinha with 25 minutes left.

To compound Schalke's misery at Munich's Allianz Arena, Greece centre-back Papadopoulos was shown a straight red card for bringing down Mandzukic in the area.

His foul allowed Robben to wrap up his hat-trick with a 77th-minute penalty

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Jornada 23

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

DFL extends Bundesliga rights deal with BT in UK and Ireland

BT Sport will continue to broadcast the Bundesliga in the UK and Ireland until 2017
Frankfurt - DFL Sports Enterprises, the commercial arm of the DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga, and British Telecoms have reached an agreement for live coverage of the Bundesliga to remain on BT Sport in the UK and Ireland until the end of the 2016/17 season.

BT Sport will broadcast at least 115 live Bundesliga matches each campaign, which is approximately 15 more than is permitted by the current rights package in 2013/14. A minimum of three live matches will be shown per matchday, with the deal also including the rights to the annual DFL Supercup matches, preview and highlights shows, plus rights for content across online and mobile platforms.

'Big commitment to German football'

"BT Sport holds the Bundesliga in the highest regard as evidenced by its extensive and high quality coverage," said DFL Sports Enterprises chief executive Jörg Daubitzer. "The UK has never before been able to view so much Bundesliga football. We're delighted to be able to continue our collaboration."

"We are really thrilled that we will continue to be the home of Bundesliga for the next three seasons until 2017," added Simon Green, the head of BT Sport. "I am delighted that the Bundesliga recognised that BT Sport has made a big commitment to German football and will continue to promote and foster the league for UK sports lovers in the future."

The deal comes at a time when the Bundesliga is experiencing a real boom in the UK, with audience figures for the Bundesliga on BT Sport up 70 per cent from last season, thanks in no small part to the "captivating football" of FC Bayern München and Borussia Dortmund, as well as interest in former Liverpool defender Sami Hyypia's coaching travails at Bayer 04 Leverkusen.

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Unbeaten leaders Bayern Munich battled back from behind to thrash Wolfsburg in a record 16th straight Bundesliga win.

Bayern trailed when Wolfsburg defender Naldo clipped in before Xherdan Shaqiri equalised from close range.

And the European champions ran riot after the break with five goals in a devastating 17-minute spell.

Bayern on fire
The six strikes against Wolfsburg take Bayern's goal tally to 72 in 24 matches this season - an average of three per game.

Germany forward Thomas Muller and ex-Wolfsburg striker Mario Mandzukic each scored a brace, with Franck Ribery adding another for the title holders.

After an even first half, it turned into a comfortable visit to fifth-placed Wolfsburg as Pep Guardiola's men set a new Bundesliga record for consecutive victories.

They also extended their unbeaten league run to 49 matches, which dates back to October 2012.

Bayern, who won the German league, cup and Champions League treble last season, are now 23 points ahead of nearest rivals Borussia Dortmund with 10 games left to play.

They are aiming clinch the title in record time after setting a new best with six games to go last season. Guardiola's side could be crowned Bundesliga champions for the 23rd time by the end of the month.

Now Bayern turn their attentions to the Champions League as they entertain last-16 opponents Arsenal on Tuesday with a 2-0 lead from the first leg.

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Bayern Munich boss Uli Hoeness admits tax fraud

Uli Hoeness, president of European football champions Bayern Munich, has admitted in court to defrauding Germany's tax authorities of 18m euros (£15m; $25m).

Prosecutors had earlier accused him of evading a far smaller sum of 3.5m euros in taxes and are seeking a jail term.

The former World Cup-winning German international footballer, 62, kept the funds in a secret Swiss bank account.

He told the court he deeply regretted "my wrongdoing".

He is Germany's Mr Football. Not only was Uli Hoeness a star on the field, he became a great mover and shaker off it. As president of Bayern Munich, one of the world's greatest clubs, he was the man with whom everybody from Chancellor Angela Merkel down was pleased to be seen. This morning, in a court room in Munich, the allure and the glamour seemed a long way away.

He is accused of not declaring more than 33m euros in income on which he should have paid 3.5m in tax. But his lawyer has now said that this figure of unpaid tax is actually higher.

Mr Hoeness came forward to admit the account only after the media got wind of it. He received a phone call warning him of the investigation. He received this phone call when he was having lunch with Chancellor Merkel, a measure of the exalted circles in which he moved.

In court, he stood in the darkest of suits smiling politely - and perhaps nervously - to the lawyers in their robes around him.

At 62, he is portly, perhaps twice the weight he was when, as a magical forward in 1974, he helped Bayern Munich win the European Cup and Germany the World Cup.

Germany's Mr Football in the dock

"I will do everything necessary to ensure that this depressing chapter for me is closed," he said.

The former Germany forward, who helped the national team win the 1972 European Championship and then the World Cup two years later, came clean about his secret bank account last year, filing an amended tax return in the hope of an amnesty in return for paying the tax he owed.

But prosecutors say he did so because investigators were already on his case.

The penalty for tax evasion can be 10 years in jail, though the prosecution says it will seek a seven-year sentence. A verdict is expected on Thursday.

Munich state prosecutor Achim von Engel read out the indictment against Mr Hoeness shortly after the start of the trial, described as one of the most spectacular of the year by the German newspaper Sueddeutsche Zeitung.

He alleged that the defendant had failed to declare the income he held at Vontobel bank in Switzerland.

Giving evidence later, Mr Hoeness said he had used the money for large-scale gambling on the foreign currency markets, losing far more than he ever gained.

"Between 2002 and 2006 I really gambled with sums that today I find difficult to grasp. For me it was a kick; pure adrenalin," he said.

It was while he was having lunch with Chancellor Angela Merkel on 15 January in Berlin last year that he was made aware of press interest in his finances, he told the court. Vontobel phoned him, he said. warning him that journalists from Stern magazine were making inquiries.

Before the scandal emerged, he was considered to be on good terms with Mrs Merkel, who has since said she is disappointed with him.

Mr Hoeness said he had already decided to come clean about his taxes to the authorities.

He is charged with not declaring 33,526,614 euros in tax returns from 2004 to 2009 in income on which he should have paid 3,545,939 euros and 70 cents.

Mr Hoeness has been instrumental in building up Bayern Munich into Europe's top football club File pic of Chancellor Angela Merkel with Uli Hoeness for the Champions League final in May 2013 Chancellor Merkel was on good terms with Mr Hoeness before the scandal emerged
Despite the tax evasion scandal, Mr Hoeness remains a very popular figure at the club he helped build up.

He offered his resignation at last year's annual meeting but was backed by the supporters and the club's board.

Bayern Munich refused to comment before the trial but said its chairman and former star Karl-Heinz Rummenigge would speak after the verdict.

An added potential difficulty for Mr Hoeness, our correspondent reports, is that the judge in the case, Rupert Heindl, has been dubbed "judge merciless" in the German press, after jailing a pensioner in his 70s.

He is thought not to like deals whereby transgressors avoid jail by repaying what they have gained illegally.

Bayern Munich are facing an important tie against Arsenal on Tuesday in the last 16 of the European Champions League. Coach Pep Guardiola said: "We can help him most with a win over Arsenal."

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Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness jailed for tax evasion

Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness has been jailed for three-and-a-half years for tax evasion.

Prosecutors had hoped for a five-year sentence for the former West Germany international, who handed himself in to the authorities earlier this month after confessing to evading 18.5million Euros in taxes by using secret Swiss bank accounts to hide his income.

At the start of his trial on Monday, Hoeness declared he had provided all the evidence in his possession, and that he wanted all of the facts out in the open.

However, prosecutors claimed the sum was in excess of 27m Euros and when confronted with the new figure Hoeness' legal team admitted: "The defence considers the figures accurate; we do not challenge them."

Suspicions against Hoeness mounted last year as journalists and tax authorities began investigating his activities.

He paid 10m Euros in back taxes in January 2013 to lessen his debt to the state.

Players and staff at Bayern Munich continued to express their support for Hoeness throughout the trial.

Bayern winger Franck Ribery said: "You can't envisage Bayern without Hoeness. We need him."

Hoeness, a World Cup winner in 1974, helped turn Bayern into one of the world's most successful football teams, playing for and then managing the current European champions.

The maximum punishment for major tax fraud under German law is 10 years imprisonment.

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Uli Hoeness resigns as Bayern Munich president after court case

Uli Hoeness has resigned as Bayern Munich president and chairman in the wake of his conviction for tax evasion.

The 62-year-old, who played for Bayern from 1970-1979 before retiring through injury aged 27, will not appeal against a three-and-a-half year jail sentence.

"Tax evasion was the biggest mistake of my life," he said in a statement. "Bayern Munich is my life's work and will also remain so."

“Evading tax was the biggest mistake of my life - I accept the consequences of this mistake”

Hoeness was found guilty of evading taxes worth £22.5m (27m euros).

Bayern have appointed Adidas chief executive Herbert Hainer as the club's new chairman.

Hainer, 59, was previously deputy chairman at the German champions and his appointment was unanimously approved by the Bayern board.

"Uli Hoeness has always devoted his leadership qualities, great personal commitment and outstanding lifelong effort to the best interests of Bayern Munich," said Hainer.

"He is very largely responsible for Bayern becoming one of the most successful and attractive clubs in the world both in sporting and financial terms. We offer him heartfelt thanks and gratitude for this."

Uli Hoeness's playing days
Uli Hoeness
Bayern Munich (1970-79)

Games: 346

Goals: 111

Honours: Bundesliga (1971-72, 1972-73, 1973-74)

European Cup (1973-74, 1974-75, 1975-76)

Germany (1972-76)

Caps: 35

Goals: Five

Honours: European Championship (1972) World Cup (1974)

As a player Hoeness won the 1972 European Championship and the 1974 World Cup with West Germany and three successive European Cups with Bayern.

Following his retirement, he was appointed general manager at German giants Bayern, who have reached three of the last four Champions League finals and won the tournament last year at Wembley.

He was elected Bayern president in November 2009.

He was initially charged with evading £2.9m (3.5m euros) in taxes but then admitted to another £12.5m (15m euros) and was found guilty of "seven serious counts of tax evasion".

In a statement on the Bayern Munich website he said: "After discussing the matter with my family I have decided to accept the judgment. This corresponds to my understanding of integrity, decorum and personal responsibility.

"Evading tax was the biggest mistake of my life. I accept the consequences of this mistake.

"Furthermore I hereby resign the offices of president and chairman with immediate effect. By doing so I wish to avert further damage to my club.

"I will continue to be associated with this magnificent club and its people in other ways for as long as I live. I wish to thank from the heart my personal friends and all followers of Bayern Munich for your support."

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich stretched their unbeaten league run to 50 matches with a comfortable win at home against Bayer Leverkusen.

Mario Mandzukic's header opened the scoring before Bastian Schweinsteiger's free-kick doubled the lead.

Stefan Kiessling pulled a goal back with a header in injury-time.

Bayern, who had president Uli Hoeness jailed for tax fraud, are now 23 points clear in the league with nine matches left.

Did you know?
Bayern have scored at least two goals in their last 17 Bundesliga matches, setting a new record.

Saturday's victory was a record 17th consecutive Bundesliga victory, and they could claim the defence of their title as early as next weekend if they win at Mainz and Borussia Dortmund and Schalke fail to win.

Hoeness was convicted of major tax fraud and sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison on Thursday.

But, against a Leverkusen side who were the last team to beat Bayern in the league in October 2012, the defending European champions continued their impressive season on the field.

Pep Guardiola's men progressed to the quarter-finals of the Champions League on Tuesday night after a second-leg draw at home with Arsenal , while Leverkusen were knocked out by Paris St-Germain.

Second-placed Dortmund's 2-1 defeat at home against Borussia Monchengladbach earlier on Saturday has made life even more comfortable for Bayern but, such is their dominance, successive titles has looked a formality for a long time.

Bayern dominated at the Allianz Arena and the pressure told on 43 minutes when Croatian forward Mandzukic met Schweinsteiger's cross with a powerful header.

The victory was made sure of soon after the restart when Germany midfielder Schweinsteiger curled a free-kick into the top corner after Diego Contento had been fouled.

Kiessling headed home Roberto Hilbert's cross in the last few seconds to pull a goal back for Leverkusen.

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Bayern Munich completed half a century of Bundesliga games without defeat with victory over the only remaining league side they have not beaten yet this season, Bayer Leverkusen.

Bundesliga top-scorer Mario Mandzukic headed them in front just before the break with Bastian Schweinsteiger sealing victory shortly after the interval.

Stefan Kiessling nodded in a consolation in stoppage time to make the final score 2-1.

With Borussia Dortmund losing earlier on Saturday, Bayern now have a 23-point advantage at the top of the table and could wrap up the title quicker than anybody ever before with a win at Mainz next weekend.

Borussia Monchengladbach picked up their first win of 2014 as they completed a league double over Dortmund with a 2-1 win at the Westfalenstadion.

The visitors weathered a storm before Raffael put them in front and Max Kruse added a second for Lucien Favre's men before the interval.

Havard Nordtveit was sent off midway through the second half and Milos Jojic reduced the arrears with 13 minutes to go, but Dortmund were unable to find an equaliser as they lost to Gladbach for the second time this season.

Mainz recovered from two goals down to win 4-2 at Hoffenheim and boost their chances of playing in Europe next season.

Eugen Polanski and Roberto Firmino gave Hoffenheim the lead after the first half ended goalless.

Three goals in eight minutes then saw Mainz turn the game around with Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting, Benjamin Saller and Shinji Okazaki all on target. Okazaki struck again in stoppage time to seal Mainz's win and take them up to fifth in the table

Elsewhere, Hannover celebrated victory on the road for only the second time this season as they recorded a 3-0 victory at Hertha Berlin to ease their relegation worries.

Lars Stindl, Jan Schlaudraff and Szabolcs Huszti were all on target in the second half for Tayfun Korkut's men.

Bottom-placed Eintracht Braunschweig earned a valuable point in their fight against relegation from the Bundesliga by holding Wolfsburg to a 1-1 draw.

Luiz Gustavo put the Wolves ahead after 36 minutes, but Karim Bellarabi salvaged a point for the hosts three minutes after the interval.

In the other game, Werder Bremen and Stuttgart split the spoils in a 1-1 Bundesliga draw at the Weserstadion.

Georg Niedermeier gave Stuttgart the lead after 55 minutes before Aaron Hunt scored the equaliser for the home side in the 79th minute.

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Pep Guardiola hopes Uli Hoeness returns to the club

Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola admits the absence of former club president Uli Hoeness continues to be felt around the club following his decision to step down.

Hoeness pleaded guilty to tax evasion earlier this week and resigned his post on Friday after being sentenced to three-and-a-half years in prison.

The 62-year-old first joined Bayern as a player in 1970 and had been with the club ever since, taking over the presidency role in 2009 and overseeing some of the most successful years in their history, including lifting the Champions League last season alongside a domestic league and cup double.

Bayern played their first match without Hoeness on Saturday, beating Bayer Leverkusen 2-1, and Guardiola, who was persuaded to take charge of the team by the former president, hopes he will return to the post some day.

"I've only been here nine months, but I've seen enough to realise that Uli is extremely important here," Guardiola told Sky television.

"He's made a mistake and he has admitted to it. I hope I can still be here when he comes back."

Club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge feels the club must now focus on retaining their status as the team to beat in Germany and Europe.

"I wish him all the best," he said. "Of course we are all very sad because we are partners who have shaped Bayern Munich together over many years.

"Uli Hoeness was a man who formed Bayern extremely positively over decades. Uli certainly has a great deal of the merit for the club being in the position they are in now.

"We've now got to try to ensure that the club remains stable. It's not going to be simple because you can't just replace a man like Uli."

On the field, Bayern moved to within potentially one win of clinching the title.

Victory at Mainz next Saturday and favourable results elsewhere would see Bayern pick up the Bundesliga with a record-breaking eight games to spare.

"We only need a few points now," said Guardiola. "It's not important when (we win it), but that the players keep this positive tension."

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Jornada 25

Re: BUNDESLiGA 2013/2014

Arjen Robben: Bayern Munich forward signs two-year extension

Bayern Munich forward Arjen Robben has signed a two-year contract extension with the German champions, keeping him at the club until 2017.

The 30-year-old, who joined Bayern in a £24m move from Real Madrid in 2009, was out of contract in 2015 but is now tied to the club until he is 33.

"There can be no better indication of how happy my family and I feel to be here," said the former Chelsea winger.

The Netherlands international has 10 league goals for Bayern this season.

He looks set to win a third title with Bayern, with Pep Guardiola's side currently 23 points clear, and has already won the league in England, Spain and his homeland.

"I'm delighted we've now signed the new contract and I'll continue pursuing trophies with FC Bayern," added Robben, whose scored the winner in last season's Champions League final at Wembley.

Bayern Munich chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said: "Arjen has proved his worth to FC Bayern. He is a fundamentally important member of the team and will now remain so for the years to come."

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Bayern Munich can clinch the Bundesliga title on Tuesday with a record seven games to spare despite leaving it late to defeat Mainz.

The champions could have clinched the crown on Saturday had Schalke and Borussia Dortmund dropped points, but both sides won.

Instead, victory at Hertha Berlin will see them beat last season's record of winning with six games left.

Bastian Schweinsteiger and Mario Gotze got their late goals at Mainz.

Extending records
Bayern have scored at least two goals in their last 18 Bundesliga matches - all wins. Both are records.

They are unbeaten in a record 51 Bundesliga matches.

For 82 minutes, it looked like their chance to win it in record time might be gone but Schweinsteiger headed home Xherdan Shaqiri's cross to put them ahead. Franck Ribery then rounded goalkeeper Loris Karius before passing to Gotze to seal it.

The German giants, who have now won 18 Bundesliga games in a row and not lost in 51 league matches, can clinch their 24th league title during the week.

Coach Pep Guardiola, who has not lost a league match since being hired in the summer, said: "We've played very good opponents and we've won. We've extended our record to 18 wins on the trot. That's the result of a lot of hard work.

"I'm just pleased about winning today against one of the toughest teams we'll face this season. We only need one more win now. It's in our own hands. We can be champions in the capital on Tuesday."

Schweinsteiger said: "You always have to work hard for victory here in Mainz. They're very aggressive and they press high up the field. The first half wasn't easy, but they were tired towards the end. We're not really concerned about when we win the title."

Bayern would have won the title on Saturday had Borussia Dortmund not overcome Hannover 3-0, and Schalke beaten bottom club Eintracht Braunschweig 3-1.

Mats Hummels, Robert Lewandowski - who is joining Bayern in the summer - and Marco Reus scored Dortmund's goals.

Schalke won thanks to goals from Leon Goretzka, Klaas-Jan Huntelaar and Adam Szalai. Benjamin Kessel scored for the visitors.

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Jornada 26

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Bayern Munich's 53-match unbeaten run in the Bundesliga came to an end at mid-table Augsburg on Saturday.

Striker Sascha Molders scored the only goal in the 31st minute when he slotted past Manuel Neuer.

David Alaba hit a post and Mario Gotze and Thomas Muller went close for Bayern, who won the title last month.

Bayern coach Pep Guardiola named a weakened team with Wednesday's Champions League last-eight second leg tie against Manchester United in mind.

That contest will take place at the holders' home ground, the Allianz Arena, with the aggregate score 1-1.

Bayern's last league defeat was against Bayer Leverkusen in October 2012.

Defeat by Bavarian rivals Augsburg was Bayern's third in all competitions this season.

They were beaten by Borussia Dortmund in the July's German Super Cup and lost to Manchester City in the group stages of the Champions League.