sport

Midweek DFB-Pokal preview

Bayern Munich winger Arjen Robben hopes Wednesday's DFB-Pokal quarter-final against Stuttgart could be the game which kickstarts their year.

The Bavarians slipped two points behind Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga table after being held to a 1-1 draw at Hamburg on Saturday.

Bayern have also lost to Borussia Monchengladbach since returning from the winter break, but Robben feels one good game will herald a return to form.

"We need perhaps just one game for everything to come together," he said on the club's official website.

Sporting director Christian Nerlinger admits the team are out of sorts.

"We started (after the winter break) with a three-point lead and are now two points behind," he added.

Dortmund travel to regional league side Holsten Kiel in the first quarter-final on Tuesday night with striker Lucas Barrios looking to build on his first goal of the season.

Barrios, who has started just three games in all competitions in an injury-hit campaign, netted in the win over Nurnberg on Friday.

"I will work hard," he told the Ruhr Nachrichten newspaper.

"I wanted to show that I belong in this team."

Dortmund will be without midfielder Sven Bender, though, whom the club confirmed has been ruled out for two weeks with an ankle ligament injury.

In the other two last-eight clashes due to take place on Wednesday, Hoffenheim host Greuther Furth and Hertha Berlin welcome Monchengladbach.