Bayern face Dortmund with relations at new low

Saturday, 1 November 2014 02:33 -     - {{hitsCtrl.values.hits}}

REUTERS: Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich face Borussia Dortmund on Saturday with relations between the German heavyweights seemingly at an all-time low. The atmosphere between the clubs soured since Bayern began snapping up Dortmund players two years ago, with Mario Goetze becoming the first of a successful Dortmund team to leave for their league rivals. Long before striker Robert Lewandowski joined the Bavarians this season, a war of words erupted between club bosses. With Dortmund winger Marco Reus triggering the interest of Bayern, and club CEO Karl-Heinz Rummenigge saying this week they “might be potentially interested” in him, ties have never been so strained. Club bosses will again skip the traditional pre-game lunch to avoid each other, while Dortmund sports director Michael Zorc rejected the latest Bayern advance for Reus as just another “distraction.” “We are not paying any attention to what comes out of Munich. It is repetitive after all,” he said. It is not the first time Bayern have made open advances for German international Reus but the timing is important as troubled Dortmund are under pressure to start delivering in the league. They are in 15th place, a full 14 points behind Bayern, after losing six of their nine league games.

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