Manuel Neuer return to Schalke today

Later today in the German Bundesliga FC Schalke 04 host FC Bayern Munich in the final match of Round 6. Matches between the royal blues and the Bavarians are always high tension games, but today's encounter has special significance as it marks the first return of goalkeeper Manuel Neuer to Gelsenkirchen after he left the club in the summer for Munich.

The 25 year old Gelsenkirchen born footballer had until the summer played only for one club (FC Schalke 04) all his career. Neuer symbolized what Schalke stands for - coming from a working class city; fighting spirit counts more then quality, technical football, a loyal fan base. But Germany's number one also realised that for his international career to progress he had to move on. Neuer was clear he did not want to move outside of Germany with offers from top English Premier League on offer at the time. So very few options remained for Neuer and with Bayern Munich searching for a new goalkeeper both sides worked out a deal.

Neuer's arrival in Munich has not been smooth either as Bayern fans initially were against him, but only one goal conceded in all competitions (Bundesliga, German Cup, Champions League) so far have shown what quality Neuer along with the new defenders bring to Bayern Munich.

Now he returns home to the Arena auf Schalke and it will be interesting to see how the Schalke fans react to their lost son. Schalke captain Benedikt Höwedes has called on the Schalke fans to be fair to Neuer especially for what he has done for the club. Will the fans listen?

But the match not only marks the return of Manuel Neuer to Schalke, but also that of right back Rafinha. The Brazilian had to leave Schalke last season for FC Genoa 93 after then coach Felix Magath didn't want to keep him, now he is back in the Bundesliga with Bayern Munich.

Germany trash Austria 6-2 in Oezil show

Former champions Germany qualified for the 2012 European Championships in Poland and the Ukraine with a convincing 6-2 trashing of neighbours Austria at the Arena auf Schalke in Gelsenkirchen. Star of the day for Germany was not only due to his two goals Real Madrid midfielder Mesut Özil.



Germany made a quick start into the game and was 3-0 up by the 28th minute with coach Joachim Loew once more playing a more attacking 4-1-4-1 formation.



Germany opened the scoring in the 8th minute when Mesut Özil took a volley from the edge of the area and it went in off a deflection from Miroslav Klose. Mesut Özil got his first of the night in the 23rd minute when he ran through the middle, played a double with Klose and rounded the keeper to push the ball in. Germany continued with their attacking game and in the 28th minute it was the turn of Lukas Podolski to score after Holger Badstuber had moved up on the left flank. Thereafter Germany reduced their trust and allowed Austria one chance in the 42nd minute from which Marko Arnautovic would head in. It remained 3-1 at the break.



Germany once more started the second session with a bang. In the 47th minute after a defensive clearance Thomas Müller found Mesut Özil on the break on the left, who beat Austria captain Christian Fuchs and off his deflection the ball went in. But Austria would hit back once more when Martin Harnik scored in the 51st minute after Germany allowed the Austrian striker unnecessary space.



Thereafter Germany did have chances to score their fifth, but for the first time in the match the team looked somewhat clueless on how to break the Austrian defence. Coach Loew would bring in Andre Schürrle and Mario Götze with the duo scoring two late goals for Germany. First Müller played a one-two with Klose before Schürrle would score in the 84th minute and then Müller got another assist for the night, when a minute from time his chip was put into the net in style by young Götze.



It ended 6-2 for Germany and it was party-time in the Arena auf Schalke with another convincing game by the young Germans.





MATCH STATS



Germany 6-2 (3-1) Austria - Goals: 1-0 Miroslav Klose (8'), 2-0 Mesut Özil (23'), 3-0 Lukas Podolski (28'), 3-1 Marko Arnautovic (42'), 4-1 Mesut Özil (47'), 4-2 Martin Harnik (51'), 5-2 Andre Schürrle (84'), 6-2 Mario Götze (89')



Germany

1-Manuel Neuer; 3-Benedikt Höwedes (46' 20-Jerome Boateng), 5-Mats Hummels, 14-Holger Badstuber, 16-Philipp Lahm [C]; 7-Bastian Schweinsteiger; 13-Thomas Müller, 8-Mesut Özil, 18-Toni Kroos (85' 19-Mario Götze), 10-Lukas Podolski (74' 9-André Schürrle); 11-Miroslav Klose

Unused Substitutes: 12-Tim Wiese, 6-Simon Rolfes, 17-Per Mertesacker, 23-Cacau



Austria

1-Christian Gratzei; 17-Florian Klein, 22-Franz Schiemer, 4-Emanuel Pogatetz, 5-Christian Fuchs [C]; 13-Ekrem Dag, 14-Julian Baumgartlinger, 8-David Alaba, 18-Daniel Royer (73' 9-Erwin Hoffer); 7-Marko Arnautovic, 19-Martin Harnik

Unused Substitutes: 23-Pascal Grünwald, 3-Thomas Schrammel, 6-Manuel Weber, 10-Zlatko Junuzovic, 11-Jakob Jantscher, 20-Christopher Dibon



Referee

Paolo Tagliavento (Italy)