Overview to Makaay-Pizarro front line of Bayern

Roy Makaay had only a few words after Saturday's victory over Mainz. "Claudio will be along in a moment," he told waiting reporters at the stadium, before scurrying away with a friendly smile. Peruvian Claudio Pizarro appeared from the dressing room shortly afterwards, but the media pack had clustered around coach Felix Magath and Pizarro was able to make a sharp exit.

Pizza might well have had a story to tell on this particular afternoon. Just a week after firing both goals in Bielefeld, he grabbed another brace to turn match-winner against Mainz. "I'm in great shape and enjoying myself," he said.

"He was injured for a long period. However, he's in the groove now," general manager Uli Hoeneß stated. Pizarro has scored six goals in his last five outings to come within a single goal of strike partner Makaay. The Dutch ace was not on the scoresheet against Mainz but provided the perfect lay-off for Pizarro's opener. However, Roy struck a brace of his own against Rapid Vienna in the Champions League as Bayern leapfrogged Juventus to top Group A.

"Our opponents have to keep an eye on both of them. It's making it very difficult for teams to control us," boss Magath commented. The head coach is delighted at the recent supply of goals from both his forwards, as that has not been the case for most of the season. Makaay found the target regularly to start with, before the mantle passed to either Paolo Guerrero or Roque Santa Cruz until the Paraguay man was laid low by a cruciate ligament injury.

Coach Magath was in no mood to lavish over-generous praise on his in-form front men. "That's what the pair of them are there to do," was all he would say. "We pay them to score goals, although obviously I'd be delighted if they'd keep going until Christmas."

If the sequence is to be maintained, Makaay should score twice in Stuttgart, Pizarro should perform the feat in Bruges, Makaay would get two against Kaiserslautern, and Pizarro would claim a brace in Dortmund before Makaay nets a double against Hamburg in the Cup. If that prospect was not enough to terrify Bayern's firthcoming opponents, Michael Ballack is due back from injury next weekend - and he is no mean scorer himself.