The Japan Times - Bayern face Stuttgart as crunch fortnight looms

Stung by ruthless double winners Bayer Leverkusen condemning them to a first trophyless season in 11 years, Bayern have rebounded this term and lost just once in the league.

With 11 games remaining, Bayern sit eight points clear of Leverkusen.

The two face off in the last 16 of the Champions League, with the first game in Munich on Wednesday and the return leg in Leverkusen six days later.

Bayern know any points dropped in Stuttgart will be like blood in the water for Leverkusen, not just on Wednesday, but in the league.

In an interview with Kicker, club powerbroker Uli Hoeness reiterated that Bayern's main focus should always be the league, even if this season's Champions League final is in Munich.

"I think and I hope that we will take back the league title. There's too much talk about the Champions League... The league would mean a lot to me," said Hoeness.

Gunning for the top four, Stuttgart have had a decent record against Bayern in recent seasons, with a win and two draws from their past six meetings.

The undoubted ace in Stuttgart's pack is coach Sebastian Hoeness, Uli's nephew.

Since the younger Hoeness took over Stuttgart in April 2023, he has turned the flailing side -- traditionally one of Germany's biggest clubs -- from relegation candidates to Champions League participants.

Last season, Stuttgart beat Bayern 3-1 at home on their way to pipping the German giants into second spot.

This year, Hoeness has again impressed, rebuilding a side which lost star striker Serhou Guirassy, centre-back and captain Waldemar Anton (both to Dortmund) and defender Hiroki Ito, to Bayern.

Guirassy scored 28 goals in 28 league games last season but his loss has been offset by the arrival of beanpole forward Nick Woltemade.

Misused as a midfielder and winger at Werder Bremen, Hoeness put the 1.98-metre (6ft 6in) Woltemade up front and he has excelled, recently outshining fellow forwards Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirovic.

Woltemade has eight goals in his past 14 league games, despite often coming off the bench.

The 23-year-old German's performances have led to comparisons with Swedish striker Zlatan Ibrahimovic, as well as a certain Argentinian maestro, with some fans calling Woltemade "the two-metre Messi".

Woltemade told Bild this week "in terms of style of play, I like Messi a bit better -- even if Ibra might be a better fit."

Elsewhere, Leverkusen travel to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, who have struggled with just two wins in six games since Omar Marmoush left for Manchester City.

One to watch: Pascal Gross

Six months after signing from Premier League side Brighton, Pascal Gross seems to have finally arrived at Borussia Dortmund, the club he supported as a child.

Gross, 33, laid on four assists in Saturday's 6-0 home win over Union Berlin -- the most by any player in a Bundesliga game for five years.

The Germany midfielder had been shuffled around the field by former Dortmund coach Nuri Sahin, but looks revitalised under Niko Kovac.

"Setting my teammates up has always been one of my major assets," Gross told the Bundesliga website. "Even in England, that was always the case.

"My trademark, what made me strong, was either the penultimate pass or the final pass to set up my teammates."

Key stats

15 - Bayer Leverkusen striker Patrik Schick's 15 league goals this season have come in his past 13 games

21 - Bayern striker Harry Kane has 21 goals in 21 league games this season -- nine of which have come from the penalty spot

5 - Leverkusen have beaten Frankfurt in five of their past six encounters

Fixtures (1430 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Stuttgart v Bayern Munich (1930)

Saturday

Werder Bremen v Wolfsburg, RB Leipzig v Mainz, Bochum v Hoffenheim, Heidenheim v Borussia Moenchengladbach, St Pauli v Borussia Dortmund, Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayer Leverkusen (1730)

Sunday

Union Berlin v Holstein Kiel, Augsburg v Freiburg (1630)

K.Yoshida--JT