Champions Bayern Munich return to Bundesliga action with a trip to the BayArena to take on Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.
As Bayern switch their focus to Champions League success, Leverkusen will be continuing their bid for a spot in the Champions League group stages.
Bayer Leverkusen
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As Leverkusen prepare for the final four games of their season the fans can look back on the campaign with pride, but their success could hinge on performances over the next few weeks.
An impressive showing in the Champions League ended with penalty shootout disappointment to Atletico Madrid in the last 16, and the desperation to reach that stage again is driving the squad forward.
Last Saturday's 1-1 draw with FC Koln allowed Borussia Monchengladbach to replace Leverkusen in third spot, and although Champions League qualification is secure, the jostling for position in the top four is going to be vital.
Wolfsburg are currently five points ahead of Roger Schmidt's side in second spot, which means that the battle for a place in the group stage is likely to come down to a battle between Leverkusen and Gladbach.
In truth, Leverkusen would be confident heading into a playoff, but Schmidt will be desperate to take the pressure off by clinching one of the places in the main draw.
Before last week Leverkusen had won seven successive games, and a nine-match unbeaten run is proof of their good form heading into four vital fixtures.
Next week's trip to Gladbach is already stealing focus, and Leverkusen can gain vital momentum by taking points off the champions on Saturday.
Recent form: WWWWWD
Recent form (all competitions): WWLWWD
Bayern Munich
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It should have been a week of celebration for Bayern after the Bundesliga title was clinched last weekend, but delight soon turned to frustration as their treble dream was ended in the DFB-Pokal semi-final on Tuesday evening.
Robert Lewandowski's opener was followed by long spells of dominance against Borussia Dortmund before the visitors fought back and eventually clinched victory on penalties at the Allianz Arena.
Despite being on top for most of the evening, Pep Guardiola was left disappointed as Bayern missed all four of their penalties in the shootout to end hopes of repeating 2013's success under Jupp Heynckes.
Ever since arriving in Bavaria to replace Heynckes, it's been clear that Guardiola is under pressure to deliver another treble, but with that target no longer possible, the Spaniard must now find a way to quickly rally the troops.
A lengthy injury list adds to the gloom currently surrounding the club, and despite no longer needing points in the league, Guardiola may look at the meeting with Leverkusen as an opportunity to boost morale ahead of the Champions League semi-final first leg with Barcelona.
All eyes are already on Wednesday's trip to Camp Nou as Guardiola prepares to return to his former club, and he will be keen to keep his side's focus on that competition following the disappointment in the DFB-Pokal.
Beating the continent's in-form side over two legs could be Bayern's biggest challenge of the season, but Guardiola will be wary of losing more momentum with a below-par performance against Leverkusen.
Recent form: WLWWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WLWWWL
Team News
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Bayern's worst fears were confirmed earlier this week when it was revealed that Arjen Robben had torn his calf muscle just 16 minutes into his return from an abdominal injury, and the Dutchman will be unavailable for the closing stages of the season.
A collision with Dortmund goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak resulted in Lewandowski breaking his nose and jaw, and despite suggestions from Bayern chief Karl-Heinz Rummenigge that the striker will be able to play against Barcelona with a mask on his face, he is unlikely to be risked on Saturday.
Thiago Alcantara was forced off against Dortmund with a knock, and Guardiola could also hand a rest to the midfielder as he looks set to make changes ahead of the trip to Spain.
Leverkusen are likely to start with Lars Bender and Simon Rolfes in the centre of midfield once again, while Julian Brandt is pushing for a recall after coming off the bench to score against Koln last weekend.
Schmidt will also be forced into a defensive change, with Tin Jedvaj expected to start in place of the injured Kyriakos Papadopoulos.
Bayer Leverkusen possible starting lineup:
Leno, Hilbert, Jedvaj, Toprak, Wendell, Rolfes, Bender, Brandt, Calhanoglu, Bellarabi, Kiessling
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Reina, Weiser, Dante, Boateng, Bernat, Martinez, Gaudino, Rode, Schweinsteiger, Gotze, Muller
Head To Head
Before falling at the semi-final stage of the DFB-Pokal, Bayern battled past a tough challenge from Leverkusen with a penalty shootout triumph less than a month ago.
It was a similarly tight affair when the two sides met in the league back in December, with Franck Ribery scoring the only goal of the game to hand Bayern all three points.
Leverkusen have not beaten Bayern since earning back-to-back victories in 2012, and they have only managed to keep one clean sheet in the last 30 Bundesliga matches against the Bavarian club.
We say: Bayer Leverkusen 2-2 Bayern Munich
After clinching the Bundesliga title a week ago, Bayern will already be looking ahead to the midweek trip to Barcelona. A number of key players are likely to be rested, and that should offer encouragement to Leverkusen, who will be confident of collecting something from the match.
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