Hitzfeld: Bayern are back

Bayern endured a relatively disappointing campaign in 2006-2007, finishing in fourth position and thereby missing out on the Champions League, a competition in which they regularly feature in the knockout stages.

After a morale-boosting 4-1 victory over Werder Bremen in the quarter-finals of the League Cup last Saturday, Bayern will face newly-crowned champions Stuttgart in the last four.

"The final is our aim," he said. "We can send out a signal which says FC Bayern are to be reckoned with once again."

New signing from Marseille Franck Ribery scored twice in the match while Bayern have also added predatory strikers Luca Toni, Miroslav Klose and Jan Schlaudraff to their line-up.

Stuttgart coach Armin Veh is less enthusiastic about the possibilities afforded by the dumbed-down cup competition, which amounts to little more than a glorified pre-season competition with only eight teams involved.

"I am not reading anything into this game," he said. "We are not fresh and have a lot of injuries. What counts for us is the [league] season."