MUNICH - The top four teams all meet this weekend in what could prove to be a crucial few days of Bundesliga action.
Bayern Munich lead the way after their 2-1 win over Hansa Rostock last Friday took them three points ahead of second-placed Werder Bremen, who they meet on Sunday.
Bayer Leverkusen moved up to third after their 3-2 win over Energie Cottbus lifted them above Hamburg, who could only manage a 1-1 draw with Hannover. Leverkusen and Hamburg go head to head on Saturday.
The stage is therefore set for an intriguing weekend of Bundesliga action and Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf will be looking for revenge after Bayern crushed them 4-0 at the Weser Stadium earlier in the season.
He said: "We want to be a good opponent for Bayern and play better than we did in our first meeting, where we had no chance."
Both teams will take to the field depleted by injuries. Bremen are still without key players Tim Borowski, Torsten Frings, Ivan Klasnic, Naldo and Clemens Fritz.
Bayern will have to find a replacement for the enterprising Franck Ribery, while defender Lucio and full-back Marcell Jansen are also doubts.
All eyes will be on the BayArena on Saturday, where the presence of Sergey Barbarez promises to liven up Leverkusen's game against his former club Hamburg - third against fourth.
He told the Welt newspaper: "This is a beautiful game for both clubs. There are three points at stake and, even if there are still a lot of games to be played, obviously we want to stay ahead."
Fifth-placed Schalke travel to the Westfalen Stadium to face Borussia Dortmund on Sunday.
The Royal Blues could climb to third with an away win if the match between Leverkusen and Hamburg finishes in a draw but, with the majority of the 83,000 fans wearing yellow and black, it is 12th-spotted Dortmund who will feel the greater need for three points.
The home team will also be looking to avenge their 4-1 defeat in Gelsenkirchen earlier this term.
At the bottom of the table, Nurnberg could climb out of the drop zone with a triumph over Rostock at the Franken Stadium.
The Bavarians currently occupy the third relegation position but are only two points behind Saturday's visitors.
Fellow relegation candidates Energie Cottbus and Duisburg face arguably tougher away games in Bochum and Wolfsburg respectively.
Arminia Bielefeld, who could also end the weekend inside the bottom three, have an early chance to move clear of danger by beating Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday night.
Elsewhere, Hannover and Karlsruhe tussle for sixth place, while champions Stuttgart and Hertha Berlin meet with both battling to make amends for a poor start to 2008.
