Bayer Leverkusen travel to Munich on Saturday bidding to take advantage of their opponents' slip-up last weekend and re-open the title race.Bayern's unexpected defeat to Energie Cottbus last weekend has allowed Hamburg to move to within five points and Leverkusen to just six behind the league leaders.

A win in their own backyard would take Michael Skibbe's side to just three points from the summit, but he is under no illusions of the task in hand.

"Bayern are far too strong," he admitted in Kicker magazine.

"We are a team who are fighting for a place in Europe next season, not in the role of Bayern hunters. They are not going to allow any more slip-ups."

If Bayern do indeed lose for the second time at home this season, Hamburg will aim to increase the pressure at the top with a win at northern Germany rivals Wolfsburg.

Meanwhile, Werder Bremen need to concentrate on getting their own season back on track at Arminia Bielefeld on Sunday after dropping out of the top three following defeat to Wolfsburg last Saturday.

Thomas Schaaf's side have picked up just seven points in seven games and gone out of both the German Cup and UEFA Cup since January.

"We don't want to cry about it, it's just we are not getting enough for our huge efforts at the moment," said Schaaf after his side lost to the Bundesliga's form team Wolfsburg.

Schalke have moved to within two points of Bremen and they have the chance to climb higher up the table when they travel to Hertha Berlin on Sunday.

Defending champions Stuttgart are also on the rise, despite a draw with Bochum last weekend, and they entertain struggling Hansa Rostock on Saturday knowing a win could take them into the top five.

At the bottom of the table, Nurnberg go in search of their first win of 2008 at home to Bochum while Duisburg, who crashed to the bottom of the table last weekend, need to pick themselves up to face Hannover.

Cottbus leapt three places out of the relegation zone thanks to their 2-0 win over Bayern and a further success at Frankfurt on Thursday night will make it a more pleasant Easter for them.

Finally, Borussia Dortmund need to turn their attention back to the Bundesliga after booking their place in the German Cup final on Tuesday.

According to their coach Thomas Doll, their league form "has been terrible" this season and only nine points separates them from the bottom three as they welcome Karlsruhe to the Westfalen Stadium.

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