Previews: Klose returns to Kaiserslautern
BERLIN - Bayern Munich striker Miroslav Klose will be the focus of attention when he steps onto the pitch of promoted Kaiserslautern's Fritz Walter stadium on Friday as he battles to revive his club career.
A former fan favourite as a Kaiserslautern player, Klose, after a disappointing season at Bayern spent mostly on the bench, had a spectacular World Cup and helped Germany finished third.
With the new Bundesliga only a match old, Klose, who played for Kaiserslautern from 1999 to 2004, is hoping to pick up where he left off at the World Cup where he scored four goals.
The 32-year-old managed to win back a starting spot for the German Cup and the first Bundesliga match day and while still enjoying friendly ties with Kaiserslautern, he knows only goals will keep him starting for Bayern.
"I played there five years and before that I was in the stands dreaming of playing on that pitch. But now I want to win at Kaiserslautern on Friday and I want to score, that much is clear," Klose told his club website.
"I tried to use (the World Cup momentum) because I played a good tournament. As a team we have to make sure we don't drop points at the start."
Newly-promoted Kaiserslautern will be out to spoil the champions' good start to the season - a 2-1 win over Wolfsburg - after winning their own opening game against Cologne 3-1.
"We will not defend for 90 minutes," said coach Marco Kurz. "As a promoted team we have to offer resistance, we must be bold and fear nothing."
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WERDER COMEBACK
Werder Bremen, who joined Real Madrid, will look to build their own momentum to overcome Cologne after beating Sampdoria to clinch a Champions League group spot in midweek.
Coach Thomas Schaaf's team stumbled to a humiliating 4-1 defeat at Hoffenheim last week but Werder regrouped in time for the qualifier against Sampdoria to advance to the lucrative Champions League.
Brazilian midfielder Wesley, who joined from Santos earlier this week, could also be in action on Saturday.
"If he leaves a good impression in training in the coming days then he could be used on Saturday," Schaaf said on Wednesday.
Fellow Champions League qualifiers Schalke 04, Bundesliga runners-up last season, will be looking to score their first three points against Hanover 96, after losing their opener 2-1 to Hamburg SV.
"It is a home game and there is no other result for us than success. We just have to work hard and the results will come," said Peruvian striker Jefferson Farfan.
Former champions VfL Wolfsburg closed in on signing Juventus's Brazilian midfielder Diego, who passed a medical check late on Wednesday.