Bayern pair 'a godsend' for Hitzfeld

Ottmar Hitzfeld said Luca Toni was "sensational" and Miroslav Klose "on fire" after the €23m duo inspired a 5-0 win for FC Bayern München yesterday.

Class act
Toni scored Bayern's third of the night against FC Energie Cottbus and fellow summer signing Klose grabbed a hat-trick, prompting raptures from their coach. "Luca is a world champion [with Italy] and you can see this in every move he makes," Hitzfeld said. "He is always sensational. He always keeps two or three opponents busy, asks for the ball, doesn't lose it and picks out his partner." Of Klose, the chief beneficiary of the 30-year-old's approach play, he added: "Miro is on fire. The two of them are a godsend for me."

Ribéry upstaged
The home victory underlined Bayern's status as favourites to claim the Bundesliga title seven games into the season, and it is hard to see them missing out in the two cup competitions either. While the trickery of €25m midfielder Franck Ribéry continues to draw admiring glances, Toni and Klose have been stealing the headlines, striking up a mightily impressive partnership. From six Bundesliga outings apiece, Klose has scored eight goals to Toni's five, with the pair accounting for 13 of Bayern's 21 strikes to date.

Natural partners
They have earned praise from all quarters, with sources at Bayern also suggesting that Toni's easy-going manner is making him a favourite on and off the pitch. Yet the 29-year-old Klose is eager to play down the excitement. "It's best not to talk too much about how well things are going with Luca and me," he said. "The only thing you can criticise us for today is that we didn't take all our chances."

Reborn in Munich
If Klose had looked a shadow of his former self at Werder Bremen in the second half of last term, the move to Munich has reinvigorated the German international. Former Bayern midfielder Stefan Effenberg said: "He is in incredible form. He fits perfectly into Bayern's system because they are always on the attack." Bayern had further cause to celebrate against Cottbus as Toni Kroos became their youngest-ever Bundesliga player, appearing as a 72nd-minute substitute aged 17 years, eight months and 22 days. A star of this summer's FIFA U-17 World Cup, he set up two of Klose's goals.