Leverkusen await listless Bayern

Saturday is the opening day of carnival season in Germany, and Bayer 04 Leverkusen are hoping a win against FC Bayern München will get their party started.

Bayern embarrassment
Bayern have been holding their own in the UEFA Champions League, but a 1-0 home loss to rock-bottom Hannover 96 on Wednesday saw Felix Magath's side lose touch with the Bundesliga's leading trio - Werder Bremen, VfB Stuttgart and FC Schalke 04. Their hosts on Saturday may prove an understanding shoulder to cry on.

Stop-start season
Leverkusen are ninth in the table, just two points behind Bayern, after a stop-start season so far. Michael Skibbe's side have failed to sparkle, with Stefan Kiessling's indifferent form since his summer switch from 1. FC Nürnberg emblematic of their season. The highly-rated Under-21 international is still waiting for his first goal since his move to the Rhineland.

Positive signs
Leverkusen are unbeaten in three games but two away wins barely made up for the disappointment of a 1-1 draw against struggling 1. FSV Mainz 05 in their most recent home fixture. On the positive side, their UEFA Cup campaign began well with a 1-1 draw at Club Brugge KV in their only group stage game to date. Sergej Barbarez - their other big summer signing, from Hamburger SV - is finally settling in, scoring in successive league games.

Unified side
Barbarez shares the mantle as the club's two-goal top scorer this season with Under-21 defender Gonzalo Castro and Ukraine striker Andriy Voronin and just as the goals are being shared around evenly, so is the work on the pitch according to Skibbe. The 3-1 win at VfL Bochum 1848 on Wednesday was all the more remarkable as it was achieved with ten men - something which the coach believes shows the solidarity among his side. "We got behind the ball well, we were strong technically and we worked hard," he said.

'I have confidence'
With the injured defensive duo of Juan and Carsten Ramelow expected to return against Bayern, Skibbe believes Leverkusen are on an upward trajectory at last. "We have come out of the last games stronger and want to continue against Bayern," said the 41-year-old former BV Borussia Dortmund coach. "This is a huge challenge. I have confidence in us beating Bayern."

'We have problems'
Bayern, meanwhile, are just eager to get another chance to impress after the Hannover debacle. For the first time this season, a less than capacity crowd watched the match, and they were treated to a suitably listless performance. "This is a very awkward, very difficult situation for the team," said captain Oliver Kahn. "We have problems in the league. Thank God we play in Leverkusen on Saturday, so we can put things straight there."