Bayern poach talent to weaken rivals - Hitzfeld

Likewise, rising Germany star Jan Schlaudraff was signed from Aachen in 2007 to stop him going to rivals Werder Bremen.

Yet he only made eight league appearances in the 2007-08 season before Bayern sold him to Hanover and he was never called up to the national squad again.

"You have to show sometimes that no one can hold a candle to FC Bayern," Hoeness said at the time as the Bavarians also lured Germany striker Miroslav Klose from Bremen, which kept Schlaudraff on the bench.

 Before then ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack and Brazil's Ze Roberto were snapped up from the Bayer Leverkusen team which reached the 2002 Champions League final -- and finished just a point behind Bayern in second-place in the Bundesliga.

Days before the Goetze deal came to light, Hoeness made some poorly-timed comments calling for 'solidarity' in the Bundesliga so that the German league avoids a "Spanish experience" where two teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, tend to dominate.

But Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp, has said he fears more of a "Scottish experience" in Germany, after Celtic, shorn of traditional rivals Rangers, are this season's champions -- for the 44th time.

"I just hope we can get a piece of the pie in future," said Klopp after Dortmund won the 2010-11 and 2011-12 league titles, but finish second this season.

AFP