Bayer Leverkusen vs 1899 Hoffenheim at BayArena
Two teams who have thus far failed to fully live up to pre-season expectations get Bundesliga Matchday 15 under way on Friday evening, as Bayer Leverkusen play versus 1899 Hoffenheim.
Bayer go into the game sixth in the table on 22 points, three places and four points ahead of the visitors. It has been a far from disastrous start to Robin Dutt's first season at the helm, but the coach is keen for his charges to " take the improvements we've shown in all departments lately out onto the pitch" against Hoffenheim.
Goalkeeper Bernd Leno, whose loan move from VfB Stuttgart became both permanent and long-term on Wednesday, noted that, "Winning our final three league games and our Champions League group as well would be a fine way to end the year, and would gie us every chance in the title race after the winter break."
Of more pressing concern is the necessity for his players to "focus for the full 90 minutes" in the BayArena: "Time and again in our recent matches we've had phases where we've been too slack. We can't afford that on Friday." Hoffenheim's cause will be aided by the return from suspension of skipper Andreas Beck, but Stanislawski will be making a late call on the fitness of Edson Braafheid and Tobias Weis, both of whom have been labouring with muscle strains.
Two regulars who will not be working for the cause on this occasion however are Chinedu Obasi and Roberto Firmino . When the forward duo turned up late for training last Sunday, in the wake of the 1-1 draw against SC Freiburg, "Stani" promptly dropped them from the squad for the trip to Leverkusen and suspended them from team training for the week.
That, the coach stressed, is the end of the matter as far as he is concerned, and both players will be given the chance to redeem themselves sooner rather than later. Goalkeeper Tom Starke meanwhile escaped with a ticking-off for his public criticism of Ryan Babel after the game against Freiburg: "The only person who criticises our players in public is me. I made that clear once again to Tom and the rest of the team. He and Ryan have discussed the matter and it's water under the bridge now."
Possible line-ups
Leverkusen: Leno - Castro, Reinartz, M. Friedrich, Kadlec - L. Bender, Rolfes - Sam, Ballack, Schürrle Derdiyok
Hoffenheim: Starke - Beck, Vorsah, Vestergaard, Compper - Rudy - Williams, Salihovic - Musona, Babel - Ibisevic
Watch Bundesliga Bayer Leverkusen vs 1899 Hoffenheim at BayArena sport live stream here.
