Magath says sorry

The 2009 Bundesliga winners started the season with a promising 1-0 win at Stuttgart a week ago, but it was brought crashing back down to earth on home soil by its local rivals and Magath could only say sorry to the expectant spectators.

"Today should have gone differently and it was great until 15:30," he said.

"We had high hopes and the team was desperately keen on starting the season well at home after the win away from home so that they could impress the spectators.

"I have to apologise to all of the fans and spectators.

"We were inferior right from the start and the goals were inevitable.

"It was a bitter afternoon for everybody who cares for Wolfsburg and these are days which are very rare, thank God, but they do happen."

Hannover showed no lingering tiredness from its Europa League victory over Slask Wroclaw on Thursday night, but its coach Mirko Slomka was not getting carried away.

"At the moment, all of our passes and shots are coming off," he told Sky television.

"We are playing with a very flexible formation and this is making us hard to fathom for our opponents."