Bayern delight after passing Wolfsburg test
Bayern Munich manager Jupp Heynckes praised his side for digging deep to eke out a 2-0 win over a spirited Wolfsburg side on Friday.
By FOX SPORTS Staff
Die Roten extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to an incredible 18 points after goals from Mario Mandzukic and Arjen Robben propelled them to victory over Wolfsburg at the Volkswagen Arena.
However, Bayern were made to work hard for their win as Wolfsburg put in one of their most accomplished displays of the season, and Heynckes admitted he was relieved that his side managed to secure all three points eventually.
"It was Wolfsburg's best game of the season," Heynckes was quoted as saying by the official Bayern website.
"The crowd picked up on that, they recognised the Wolfsburg players threw everything they had into it.
"It was a very intense game played at a high pace and it was a tough one for us.
"But we always reckoned with that. My instincts told me it would be so.
"They're [Wolfsburg] aggressive, they run hard, and they got at us early.
"These are the games you have to win. We were smart and clever.
"Once again, we've shown we have real class in the team, and that we're capable of doing the business when we come up against resistance."
One of the positives for Bayern was Wolfsburg's inability to breach their defence; Die Roten have one of the best defensive records in Europe this season, conceding only a meagre 7 goals in 22 league games.
And no one was happier with another clean sheet than Bayern custodian Manuel Neuer, who commended his side's defensive sturdiness.
"We're enjoying it and we always set out to concede no goals, although there'll come a point when we let one in again," Neuer said.
"I like the fact the team is delighted because we've kept a clean sheet.
"We always go out looking to play our football, and we have to keep it up. We're delighted with the victory."
Wolfsburg manager Dieter Hecking was proud of his player's fighting display but admitted that Bayern's overall superiority in quality eventually told.
"We came up with a good performance, but you need a very good performance to beat Bayern," Hecking ruefully said.
"We threw everything we had into it, but at the end of the day it wasn't enough.
"Obviously, you always hope you might take something from it, but unfortunately it didn't work out for us."
This victory would have provided Bayern with a timely boost as they now turn their attentions to facing Arsenal in the Champions League.