week 11 - match preview

Magath targets end of mini-run

In Bayer Leverkusen the Royal Blues entertain the current league leaders at the VELTINS Arena on Saturday (1830 CET). "We're in the chasing role and can point to a number of successes in recent weeks", said Felix Magath. The Schalke manager is therefore in confident mood ahead of the second top-of-the-table clash in six days and is hoping the crowd will get behind his team once again.

"We now have a sensational atmosphere at the VELTINS Arena", Magath said with satisfaction. "It's one of the reasons for our current good form. The players are being carried by the atmosphere. Against Leverkusen it could be that little bit extra that makes the difference between a draw and a win." The Schalke boss is aware the task facing his side against the works club, who are still undefeated this season, will be just as difficult as the one last week against Hamburg. "But that's precisely what makes it so interesting", he said. "We've shown we can hold our own against the top Bundesliga sides."

According to Magath, Leverkusen can be included in this category. "Bayer are a homogeneous team who made some targeted additions during the summer", he said, full of respect for the opposition. "On top of that, several young players have come on very well. Leverkusen may well be playing the league's best football at the moment."

With this in mind the Schalke manager has no doubt his side will be highly motivated going into the game. "We take all our opponents seriously and always give the task in hand our full attention", he said. "And against Leverkusen we're determined to bring a mini-run to an end." The Royal Blues have picked up just one point from their last six matches against Leverkusen. "We've already ended one run in Stuttgart and came close to ending another against Hamburg. Now we want to play successful football against Leverkusen, too."

The Royal Blues were in action in the DFB Cup in midweek, unlike Leverkusen, who have already been knocked out, but Magath declined to say whether this was a disadvantage or not. "We had to put a lot of effort in against 1860 Munich to get through to the next round, whereas Leverkusen were able to have a rest", he stressed. "Having said that, though, we have home advantage at the VELTINS Arena and we're buoyed by the feeling of being in the quarter-finals."