RB Leipzig can claim a milestone in their fledgling history today by taking a point at Bayer 04 Leverkusen to knock Bayern Munich from the top of the Bundesliga table.
“We definitely want to take something there and remain unbeaten. If there is a point available, then there will also be three,” Leipzig coach Ralph Hasenhuettl said ahead of the clash at Leverkusen’s BayArena.
Second-placed Leipzig, backed by Austrian drinks giants Red Bull, can become the first club to go 11 games unbeaten at the start of their first top-tier season if they avoid defeat.
Ahead of the weekend’s matches, both Bayern and Leipzig, who have earned four promotions in seven years, have 24 league points.
A draw or win would see Leipzig top the table, at least overnight, ahead of Bayern, who are at Borussia Dortmund tomorrow in the battle of Germany’s top two clubs — Der Klassiker — but Hassenhuettl said usurping Bayern, who Leipzig face in Munich on Dec. 20 in a pre-Christmas showdown, is not the priority.
“If we take points, the table will look like that, but that’s not a subject for us, it’s neither the team’s motivation nor something we will let put us under pressure,” the Austrian said. “We have other things to worry about, namely a tough away match.”
Leipzig have question marks over top-scorer Timo Werner (upset stomach), who has five goals in 10 league games, and teenage Scotland winger Oliver Burke (virus).
“It will be close for Oliver, Timo will most probably be OK,” Hasenhuettl said.
Following their 1-0 win at Tottenham Hotspur two weeks ago, Leverkusen are on course for the last 16 in Europe.
Bayer, who are eighth in the table, need a win to warm-up for Tuesday next week’s UEFA Champions League group match at CSKA Moscow, but their coach Roger Schmidt said Leipzig have proved they deserve respect.
“Leipzig, with their financial possibilities and professional structure, are not your average newly promoted team,” said Schmidt, whose team won three straight games before the international break. “We want to climb the table, but we have our own goals. Before the international break, we made a very good impression, which we want to resume on Friday.”
Leverkusen hope to field midfield hard-man Charles Aranguiz, but the Chile international picked up an injury in a 2018 FIFA World Cup qualifier against Uruguay.
Captain Lars Bender, also a candidate for the defensive midfield position, has not trained for two weeks with a heel injury.
Kevin Kampl (bruised foot), Omer Toprak (thigh), Joel Pohjanpalo (foot fracture) and Vladlen Yurchenko (hairline shin fracture) are all out.
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