Bayer Leverkusen are taking the assumption gained from ending within the prime eight of the Champions League standings into the latter phases of their Bundesliga title defence. Xabi Alonso’s males, who sit six factors behind leaders Bayern Munich in second place within the German prime flight, host Hoffenheim this weekend contemporary from securing direct passage to the Champions League final 16 by beating Sparta Prague on Wednesday.
“That’s why we play within the Champions League — to compete on the highest degree,” mentioned Leverkusen defender Jonathan Tah.
“We have proven that we are able to compete with anybody at this degree.”
Leverkusen have solely misplaced one home match because the begin of final season in a outstanding run.
After a sluggish begin to the Bundesliga marketing campaign, Leverkusen have powered again into rivalry regardless of final weekend’s draw with RB Leipzig, once they let a two-goal lead slip.
Bayern, who face Holstein Kiel on Saturday, will go to Leverkusen between their two Champions League play-off spherical legs after lacking out on a top-eight end in Europe.
The Bavarians haven’t gained at Leverkusen since 2021 and Alonso is but to undergo a defeat by Bayern since taking cost.
But Tah doesn’t count on Bayern’s packed schedule to offer his workforce any edge within the battle for the Bundesliga.
“Bayern Munich are used to enjoying each three days,” he mentioned.
Leverkusen have been additionally boosted by the information Victor Boniface’s deliberate transfer to Saudi Arabia has fallen by, giving the defending champions further attacking energy to maintain preventing on three fronts.
‘Everything in Bayern’s arms’
Bayern haven’t but added any senior gamers to their squad within the switch market, which closes on Monday.
But coach Vincent Kompany shouldn’t be overly nervous about having to face a Champions League play-off in opposition to both his former membership Manchester City or Celtic.
“We should rebuild our momentum,” Kompany mentioned after his aspect’s win — their seventh in eight video games in all competitions — over Slovan Bratislava was not sufficient to sneak into the highest eight.
“It was clear the large video games would come… From now on, the whole lot is in our arms once more.”
Elsewhere, Borussia Dortmund journey to Heidenheim on Saturday for interim boss Mike Tullberg’s final sport in cost earlier than former Bayern, Eintracht Frankfurt and Monaco coach Niko Kovac takes over.
Despite sitting in eleventh place with only one win of their final eight league video games, Dortmund are nonetheless inside placing distance of the highest 4.
They are six factors behind fourth-placed Stuttgart.
One to look at: Angelo Stiller (Stuttgart)
Despite Paris Saint-Germain ending their Champions League hopes on Wednesday, Stuttgart nonetheless had one thing to have fun, with Germany midfielder Angelo Stiller extending his contract with the membership by a 12 months till 2028.
The 23-year-old’s performances for Stuttgart, who’re again within the Champions League qualification locations after ending second final season, earned him a Germany call-up.Â
The proficient midfielder, who got here by Bayern Munich’s youth set-up, is on the coronary heart of the whole lot Stuttgart do in assault and defence.
“(He is) an necessary constructing block within the workforce’s construction,” Stuttgart sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth mentioned of Stiller.
Key stats
31 factors – Mainz’s 31 factors from 19 video games is the second-best run within the membership’s historical past after 2010-11, when the Thomas Tuchel-coached aspect had 33.
Eight – Dortmund’s Serhou Guirassy has eight league targets from 16 video games, one fewer than the 9 he has from eight Champions League matches this season.
0 – Second-division Magdeburg haven’t gained a house sport this season however nonetheless sit third within the Bundesliga 2 desk.
Fixtures (1430 GMT until acknowledged)
Friday
Werder Bremen v Mainz (1930)
Saturday
St Pauli v Augsburg, Bayern Munich v Holstein Kiel, Bochum v Freiburg, Stuttgart v Borussia Moenchengladbach, Heidenheim v Borussia Dortmund, Union Berlin v RB Leipzig (1730)
Sunday
Eintracht Frankfurt v Wolfsburg, Bayer Leverkusen v Hoffenheim (1630)
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