Football
Stephan Uersfeld, Germany correspondent 9y

Bayern Munich duo Arjen Robben and Javi Martinez close in on returns

Injured duo Arjen Robben and Javi Martinez were among 11 players working at Bayern Munich's training facilities on Monday, despite coach Pep Guardiola having given his squad a day off.

Bayern moved closer to clinching a third consecutive Bundesliga title at the weekend when they won 4-0 at Werder Bremen to take a 14-point lead at the top of the table.

Netherlands international Robben -- who missed the Bremen match with a trapped nerve -- and Spain international Martinez, recovering from a cruciate ligament injury, were out on the pitches at Sabener Strasse.

Bayern's official website said Martinez had "completed a variety of running and coordination exercises, complemented by some light work on the ball."

Speaking to tabloid Bild, the club's sporting executive Matthias Sammer said: "On the one hand I am extremely proud, but on the other hand it's also logical that they have put in extra shifts.

"You can influence performance, but not by talking. You need to train your body."

On Sunday, Bayern host Borussia Monchengladbach -- one of only three teams to take a point from them in the first half of the season -- before the international break.

In recent weeks, Bremen's Viktor Skripnik and Paderborn's Andre Breitenreiter have suggested that most Bundesliga clubs no longer believe they can get a result against the champions.

But Bild reported Gladbach skipper Martin Stranzl as saying: "They currently have maybe the best team in the world. But that makes it even nicer to show the opponent that we also have something."

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