Bayern still confident despite Gladbach glitch
Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich look to get their title challenge back on track against VfL Wolfsburg on Saturday after last week's 3-1 defeat by Borussia Monchengladbach.
The Bavarians lead on goal difference ahead of champions Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04, also on 37 points.
"We need to play like we did in the early part of the season," defender Holger Badstuber told reporters.
Bayern had lost their opening match to Gladbach in August before starting an eight-game streak in which they won seven and drew one without conceding a single goal.
"We will show against Wolfsburg that the Gladbach defeat was just a slip-up," said Badstuber. "We have trained well this week and we have taken a big step forward.
Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes has winger Franck Ribery back from suspension while midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger is also fit again after missing training on Tuesday due to pain in his knee.
Heynckes will need to reshuffle his central defence, however, after Daniel van Buyten was ruled out for about two months with a broken bone in his left foot.
German international Jerome Boateng will likely move back into the centre of defence to join Badstuber after having recently played as right-back.
Get FourFourTwo Newsletter
The best features, fun and footballing quizzes, straight to your inbox every week.
"That is not a major change for us. I have played with Jerome [as central defender] at least 10 games so far," said Badstuber.
The hosts will need all the steel in the back they can muster with Wolfsburg's top striker Mario Mandzukic, who has scored eight goals so far, back after missing their 1-0 win over Cologne last week.
Bayern were caught napping against Gladbach with the hosts ripping their defence apart with a string of quick raids.
"We won't get caught like that on the break again," said Bundesliga top scorer Mario Gomez. "Now we must win this game and then things will look much better again."
Dortmund, again without injured offensive midfielder Mario Gotze, will look to pick up where they left off after the 5-1 demolition of Hamburg SV last week.
They host Hoffenheim, who have a weakened front line after selling Vedad Ibisevic to VfB Stuttgart this week.
Schalke travel to Cologne, while fourth-placed Gladbach, on 36 points, take on Stuttgart on Sunday.