Tedesco: Goretzka excited by Bayern

Leon Goretzka is excited by the challenge of facing Bayern Munich, with the midfielder set to join the Bundesliga leaders at the end of the season, according to Schalke coach Domenico Tedesco.

After a long period of speculation about Goretzka's future, his impending switch to Bayern was confirmed during the January transfer window.

Goretzka will see out the rest of his Schalke contract before heading to Munich, and he comes up against his future employers in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

The 23-year-old is fully fit after recovering from a leg injury and Tedesco believes Goretzka will be keen to impress against Bayern.

"Leon Goretzka is getting better and better," Tedesco told reporters on Friday. "He had an injury, but now he played the first game over 90 minutes.

"He is excited about the game, but not because he's playing in Munich the next season. Everyone in the club is excited to play in Munich.

"Leon is really looking forward to this challenge. Clearly, the people focus on him now. He knows that, but this motivates him even more. Big challenges are pushing him."

9 February 2018

A run of one league win in five matches has seen Schalke slip down to fifth place in the Bundesliga, 19 points behind runaway leaders Bayern.

"We will prepare the game against Bayern Munich the same way we prepare every game," Tedesco said.

"Otherwise it'll be said that we don't prepare well for the other teams. We always want to prepare at 100 per cent. This is also the case today."

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes, meanwhile, rejected suggestions his players will seek to impose themselves against their future team-mate Goretzka.

"No I don't think so," he said.

"I don't think the players think about those things. 

"I think most players here at Bayern welcomes quality players to the team. 

"Everyone here wants to have additional quality and for everyone comes here it's a different world and Goretzka will have to learn about a whole new planet when he comes here. 

"It's a very competitive squad and you have to win every single game, that's very different to any other club."