Germany striker Mario Gomez (c.) is determined to make his time with new club VfL Wolfsburg a success. - © © imago
Germany striker Mario Gomez (c.) is determined to make his time with new club VfL Wolfsburg a success. - © © imago

Bundesliga Daily: 18 August

xwhatsappmailcopy-link

Bundesliga Daily keeps you right up to date with all the important events concerning the 18 Bundesliga clubs. Here's all you need to know from 18 August...

Think you can predict results? Then take part in the official #BLPredictor challenge right here!

Gomez unveiled

New VfL Wolfsburg striker Mario Gomez was officially presented to the press on Thursday following his transfer from Besiktas JK on a three-year deal. The 31-year-old is the most prolific Bundesliga goalscorer of the last decade and is hopeful he can pick up where he left off three years ago, once recovered from a thigh injury sustained on UEFA EURO 2016 duty with Germany.

Mario Gomez could be yours for just 12million. Play the Official Fantasy Bundesliga now!

Watch: Hear what Gomez himself had to say at his official unveiling as a member of the Wolfpack in the video below:

Bayern injury update

With a day to go until FC Bayern München kick off their DFB Cup title defence with a first-round trip to FC Carl Zeiss Jena, Carlo Ancelotti has confirmed that he will be without midfielders Thiago Alcantara and Xabi Alonso. The Spanish duo picked up minor knocks in the Supercup win over Borussia Dortmund, but should be fit to face SV Werder Bremen in next Friday's Bundesliga opener.

Also unavailable for selection are: Holger Badstuber, Jerome Boateng, Kingsley Coman, Douglas Costa, Arjen Robben and Renato Sanches, who turned 19 today.

Hector: Köln 'have potential'

Less than a week on from signing a five-year contract extension, 1.FC Köln's Germany left-back Jonas Hector is aiming for UEFA Europa League qualification with the Billy Goats in 2016/17.

"We have the potential," the 26-year-old told German sports daily Kicker. "We played well last season and with a little bit more luck we would have collected more points."

Durm under the knife

Versatile Borussia Dortmund defender Erik Durm will be out of action for several months after undergoing knee surgery. "Everything well well. Now I'm just looking ahead!" he wrote in an Instagram post on Wednesday. Get well soon, Erik!

Uchida setback

FC Schalke 04 fans will have to wait a while longer before they see Japan international Atsuto Uchida in action again. The 28-year-old, whose last appearance for the Royal Blues came back in March 2015, has returned to Tokyo, Japan, for further treatment on a long-standing knee injury.

#Fearthebeard

And finally, they are two of the best athletes in the world, but there can only be one winner between Bayern defender Jerome Boateng and Houston Rockets star James Harden in the facial hair department. Cool pic, though!