Pressure is on Bayern

Karl-Heinz Rummenigge, the Bayern Munich chairman, has reiterated that his side must win today's home game against Hannover at all costs.

Rummenigge was not alone in his criticism of the players after a 2-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund a fortnight ago rounded off the worst start to a Bundesliga season in the club's history.

According to reports in Germany, coach Louis van Gaal also lost his temper with the players and ordered them to start earning their money, and Rummenigge has now repeated his plea.

"I think that we have got to put all of our problems behind us and, in the current situation, all we can say is that there can be no replacement for victories," he wrote in his matchday programme notes.

Meanwhile, Mainz who have stunned the rest of the Bundesliga with their superb start to the season, which has seen them win them the first seven games, will target an eighth successive victory when they play host to mid-table Hamburg today.