Fuente : UEFA (English)
http://www.uefa.com/

UEFA Football Europe:Bayern braced for title defence

/noticias.info/ FC Bayern München will be seeking their sixth title in eight years when the 2005/06 Bundesliga season kicks off on Friday, but FC Schalke 04 and VfB Stuttgart could both challenge.

Modest outlay
With finances limited, the champions will begin the campaign at their new Allianz Arena home against VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach on Friday with just four new players in their squad. And not all those faces will be unfamiliar as Philipp Lahm has returned from loan at Stuttgart, while Andreas Ottl has been promoted from the reserves.

'The hunted'
Asian Footballer of the year Ali Karimi has also arrived but the biggest signing was that of defender Valérien Ismaël from Werder Bremen in a deal thought to be worth €8m. Despite the modest outlay, chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge knows his side is still the team to beat. "We are the hunted," the former Germany striker said. "Every team wants to beat Bayern and knock us off the top."

Big-name signings
Schalke coach Ralf Rangnick has done little to mask his desire to do exactly that. After finishing runners-up last term, Schalke have strengthened well, with Kevin Kuranyi, Fabian Ernst, Zlatan Bajramovic and Søren Larsen all arriving.

Trapattoni return
With much of the attention focused on Bayern and Schalke, Stuttgart will be hoping to spring a surprise after a concerted rebuilding effort this summer. Matthias Sammer has been replaced at the helm by Giovanni Trapattoni, but the losses of Kuranyi to Schalke and Aliaksandr Hleb to Arsenal FC have left a huge void.

Stuttgart changes
Two seasoned Danish internationals, Jon Dahl Tomasson and Jesper Grønkjær have both arrived at the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion though, as have Germany's Daniel Bierofka and Thomas Hitzlsperger. Stuttgart are also in the UEFA Cup, and Hamburger SV could yet join them there after reaching the final of the UEFA Intertoto Cup.

Hamburg hit
Rafael van der Vaart has been integral to that success. He is well on the way to justifying the €5.5m fee the club paid AFC Ajax for him in May, and he has already set his sights on a top-four finish. "We want to secure a place in the UEFA Cup this season," the Dutchman said. "But a place in the UEFA Champions League would be even better and I believe we have the potential to do it."

Newcomers’ tests
They start their campaign at Bundesliga newcomers MSV Duisburg on Saturday, while fellow promoted sides 1. FC Köln and Eintracht Frankfurt face 1. FSV Mainz 05 and Bayer 04 Leverkusen respectively. notas_de_prensa_archivo