Bayern set to claim record halfway points lead
Bayern Munich are set to finish the first-half of this season's Bundesliga campaign with a record lead at the top of the table if they beat Borussia Moenchengladbach on Friday.
Bayern are currently 11 points clear at the top ahead of their final league game of 2012.
Another victory would ensure they better Borussia Dortmund's 10-point record lead for the first half of a season, set in 2010, with the German league set to start the four-week long winter break on Sunday.
Having finished the last two seasons without winning a trophy, Bayern are runaway leaders with a 14-point lead over defending champions Dortmund, who are third.
The Bavarians have conceded just six goals all season, and just one away from home, and their goal difference of 37 is nearly three times that of Dortmund.
Bayern have already set a record this season after they won all of their opening eight games.
The Bavarian giants lost to Gladbach the last time the teams met in Munich at the start of last season and Germany midfielder Bastian Schweinsteiger says the hosts have a score to settle.
"We want to return the favour," admitted the 28-year-old.
Coach Jupp Heynckes said his team are just focused on finishing the year by winning on Friday, then Augsburg, who they face in the German Cup last 16 tie, next Tuesday in their final matches of the year.
"We also want to just win the last two games of 2012," said Heynckes, who is set to have Javi Martinez available after the Spanish star injured his ankle in a training accident on Tuesday.
Gladbach will be without suspended defender Alvaro Dominguez, while captain Filip Daems is also unavailable despite recovering from an abdominal injury.
"We want to put a spanner in Bayern's works," said 'Gladbach goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen, whose side are unbeaten in their last six games.
"It is a difficult task for us - for also for Bayern."
