M. Krstajičius ready to play with a broken rib © EuroFootball.com

Serbian national team defender Mladen Krstajic is so dedicated to his club in Gelsenkirchen that he is ready to play in very important Saturday matches against Bayern Munich with a broken rib.

With eight rounds left until the end of the championship, Schalke leads the German league, with three points ahead of Werder Bremen and six ahead of Bayern Munich in fourth place.

M. Krstajic, who with his defensive partner Marcelo Bordon is the best defensive duo in the Bundesliga, having only conceded 25 goals, will play in Saturday's match with a special chest protector to protect the broken rib.

"A victory in Munich would be a big step forward, but it will not be decisive, as Bayern is currently only fourth," said the Serbian national team defender.

However, the 33-year-old defender does not make a big deal out of the fact that he will endure pain in the fight against the Munich club: "I don't make anything special out of it. I would break a few more ribs for a victory, no problem. The most important thing is to give everything for the club."

Lately, Schalke has squandered their huge lead, losing four games in a row, but in the last match they beat Stuttgart, who are in third place, 1-0.