Hecking ready to tangle with Bayern again

Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking is determined to enter Tuesday’s DFB-Pokal clash against Bayern Munich with confidence despite the chastening experience when the sides met last month.

Hecking’s team led 1-0 at the break against the Bundesliga champions at the Allianz Arena, only for Robert Lewandowski to be introduced from the bench and amass a scarcely believable five-goal haul in the space of nine brutally destructive minutes.

That was the first of four games without a win in all competitions for Hecking’s Pokal holders, but they have reeled off three consecutive victories before welcoming a Bayern side who were beaten 4-1 in the league at the Volkswagen Arena last season.

“I think that we can’t refer to the last games when we talk about this match,” Hecking told a news conference. “We win or we are out of the competition.

“We still have ambitions to win, even if Bayern Munich is in a very good condition. We want to move to the next round. I will tell my team what we need to achieve this goal.

“In the last three games there were always parts of the game we did really well and we showed how it could work. We need to focus on this so we will have a great cup evening.

“We are not the favourite, but we are also not the team that should be afraid. If we will play with confidence we will have our chances.

“I’m not that pessimistic. After the three games we won, we know that we play good. So I’m looking forward for the game.”

Hecking also brushed off any concerns over his defence coming face-to-face with Lewandowski again, suggesting that opposite number Pep Guardiola may rest the in-form striker

“Do you know if he plays?” Hecking asked reporters. “No? Me neither!

“So you think he plays? Yeah, I don’t care.”