Hot-shots Gomez, Podolski set to clash

Germany strikers Mario Gomez and Lukas Podolski will go head-to-head tonight when Cologne take on Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich on the final German league weekend of 2011.

Cologne striker Podolski is in impressive form with five goals in his last three league games and has netted 14 times this season, including the equaliser in Tuesday’s 1-1 draw with Mainz.

Bayern’s Gomez is the league’s top scorer with 15 goals in 15 league games, including a brace in last Sunday’s 2-1 win at Stuttgart which left Bayern three points clear at the top of the table.

Both will be looking to add to their tally at Munich’s Allianz Arena.

Podolski’s goals have kept Cologne in mid-table and, according to his coach coach Stale Solbakken, he is “playing the best football of his career” with the guests out to upset Bayern’s Christmas celebrations.

“As we have tried to do in the past, we will try to annoy the Bavarians as we have done in recent years,” said Podolski with a grin.

Gomez is enjoying a purple patch, but having been the victim of goal droughts in the past, is taking nothing for granted.

“If I did not score in a two-week period, then I hear talk of a mini crisis,” said the 25-year-old. “If I score again, then there is talk of breaking records.

“Right now, things are going well and I am playing in front of a very good team. Scoring goals is my job.”

Programme

Today: 20.30 Bayern Munich vs Cologne.

Tomorrow: 15.30 B. Leverkusen vs Nuremberg; Hamburg vs Augsburg; Freiburg vs Bor. Dortmund; Hoffenheim vs Hertha Berlin; Wolfsburg vs Stuttgart. 18.30 Schalke 04 vs Werder Bremen.

Sunday: 15.30 Kaiserslautern vs Hanover. 17.30 Bor. M’gladbach vs Mainz.