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Ancelotti targets instant success

Bayern Munich kick off the 2016/17 German Bundesliga season at home to Werder Bremen tomorrow morning (Singapore time) with their rivals out to stop them winning a fifth straight league title.

New coach Carlo Ancelotti will be in charge of his first game at the Allianz Arena, as he becomes the fourth Italian to coach in the Bundesliga after Giovanni Trapattoni, Nevio Scala and Roberto di Matteo.

"Our priority is to win the league," Ancelotti said when he first took over from Pep Guardiola.

"We're looking forward to the start of the season and we're ready for the first game against Bremen."

Security has been stepped up for the season-opener in Munich amid terror fears in Germany.

Rucksacks over A4 size and large bottles are banned, with a crowd of around 75,000 expected.

Bremen are without Germany striker Max Kruse, who injured his knee in their shock German Cup defeat by third-division Sportfreunde Lotte last Sunday.

However, Bremen, who narrowly avoided relegation last season, hope to have ex-Bayern striker and Peru veteran Claudio Pizarro, who turns 38 in October, back from a thigh injury.

Several Bayern stars who are coming back from injury will be missing, including Renato Sanches, defenders Jerome Boateng and Holger Badstuber, and winger Arjen Robben.

New-look Borussia Dortmund, who finished second to Bayern last season, open their campaign at home to Mainz tomorrow, having made eight new signings over the summer, including old boy Mario Goetze after three years at Bayern.

Borussia Moechengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen, two sides who finished in the top four last season, will meet on Sunday morning (Singapore). - AFP.

FIXTURES

Tomorrow

  • Bayern Munich v Werder Bremen (2.30am)
  • Cologne v Darmstadt (9.30pm)
  • Borussia Dortmund v Mainz (9.30pm)
  • Eintracht Frankfurt v Schalke (9.30pm)
  • Augsburg v Wolfsburg (9.30pm)
  • Hamburg v Ingolstadt (9.30pm)

Sunday

  • Moechengladbach v Bayer Leverkusen (12.30am)
  • Hertha Berlin v Freiburg (9.30pm)
  • Hoffenheim v RB Leipzig (11.30pm)
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