...Then you should talk about World Cup qualifying.

FC Bayern Munich held scoreless three matches in a row? Improbable! And while we all sit on the sidelines hemming and hawing; dissecting the players, the match strategy and the coaching, perhaps it’s a good thing 13 of van Gaal’s men are off to serve their respective countries. I’m thinking - hoping, rather - the international break will do everyone some good. My nervous system, included.

First and foremost, the German contingent of Miroslav Klose, Mario Gomez, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Phillip Lahm travel to Moscow to face Russia on the artificial turf of Luzhniki Stadium. This is the match I've had circled on my calendar forever; somehow knowing it would come down to this. The Germans are a point ahead in Group 4, meaning they need to draw or win against Russia on Saturday and then beat Finland in Hamburg on Wednesday, their last qualifying match.

Franck Ribery pulled out of French international training on Monday with an inflamed tendon in his left knee. This is a blow to France, in Group 7, who must beat the Faroe Islands away and then Austria in Paris. Winning out gives them a slight chance to win their Group over current leaders, Serbia, but would certainly cement a second-place playoff berth.

Next, we've got some Bayern men mixing it up. Group 6 sees the Croatians, Ivica Olic and Danijel Pranjic, taking on the Ukraine's Anatoly Tymoshchuk in a battle for second place under group leaders, England. And, Hamit Altintop, with Turkey, matches up against Daniel van Buyten's Belgium. Belgium will not qualify, and Turkey only has an outside chance of coming in second in Group 5, won by Spain.

Diego Maradona's plea for "Hand of God: Part 2" has him recalling, newly recovered, Martin Demichelis to the Argentinean national team. They face Peru, in Buenos Aires, on Saturday and then must travel to Uruguay for a crunch-time match the following Wednesday.

Edison Braafheid, alone (since Mark van Bommel and Arjen Robben are both injured) travels to Australia to face the Aussies in a friendly "already qualified" match.

Finally, the German youngsters Thomas Mueller and Holger Badstuber have been called up for the U-21 friendlies against Slovenia and Israel.

I, for one, am very much looking forward to some exciting World Cup qualifying this weekend (especially the Russia-Germany showdown), and am hoping all our men make it through relatively unscathed. And perhaps, on the return from the break, we'll see the FC Bayern squad we know (and they know) they're capable of being.

Good luck, boys!

Auf geht’s Deutschland!