Philipp Lahm: Enough already about the mole!

Moles are curious creatures: they are interesting only as long as people pay them attention. Since a mole began spreading rumors in the media about a "bad locker-room atmosphere," Arturo Vidal's drinking, and other alleged scandals, Bayern Munich has also had to confront the unpleasant topic of leaks from within the club.

For Philipp Lahm, "Now really enough is enough" - in the hope that the mole creeps back into its hole and keeps silent. The captain of Bayern would prefer to focus on the challenges ahead on the pitch, not on the unsubstantiated rumors swirling around the locker room.

In contrast, Lahm pointed to the good example of Robert Lewandowski: "We have people like Robert, who's really having a terrific run. After his five goals against Wolfsburg, he's simply carried on. That's great for the team."

Although Lahm conceded that "this has also happened in the past when I started," he called the mole "a shame... because we all have the same goal. At the end of the season, we want to have as many titles as possible, so something like this is counterproductive."

Lewandowski, for his part, has said everything is "fine": "I haven't noticed any problems in the locker room," he said after expressing his satisfaction about the 2-0 victory over Hoffenheim. What matters to him? "That we have the three points. Now we can concentrate on the next match. That's always good."

After experiencing similar scandals with Chelsea and Real Madrid, Arjen Robben was the most explicit in his condemnation: "It's embarrassing. Whoever does such a thing has to get a hold of himself. And I think he can't look at himself in the mirror."

And as for Thomas Müller, "First of all we have to find him," the mercurial goalscorer remarked. Although Müller admits he has found "a few molehills in my yard at home," the matter is a serious one. He said, "It's a bit annoying when someone always tries to stir up trouble - whether from outside or from within - as it seems."

While the identity of Bayern's mole - der Maulwurf - is and probably will remain unknown, much of the first team has no intention of allowing the negative press he generates to distract them from their goals on the pitch.