BayArena set for high drama

With just eleven games to go in the 1. Bundesliga season, crunch time has arrived with Bayer 04 Leverkusen hosting BV Borussia Dortmund, the two sides most likely to wrest the championship crown from FC Bayern München, at the BayArena on Sunday.

All to play for
A win for visitors Dortmund, the German league leaders, would see them move five points clear of second-placed Leverkusen, while victory for Klaus Toppmöller's Leverkusen would prove equally decisive as maximum points would see them reach the summit regardless of results elsewhere. Bayern, seven points behind Dortmund going into the weekend, will be praying for a draw.

Last-gasp strikes
The reverse fixture at the Westfalenstadion in September ended 1-1, and both clubs enter the fixture on the back of draws in their last two games. Leverkusen were disappointed to have conceded a last-minute penalty at second-bottom FC St. Pauli last week, a goal which denied them a 2-1 victory and a share of the league leadership, yet were relieved when Ulf Kirsten grabbed a similarly late equaliser to deny Arsenal FC on Tuesday night in the UEFA Champions League.

Unbeaten in 15
Meanwhile, Dortmund emerged from the Ruhr derby against FC Schalke 04 with a well-earned point thanks to Ewerthon's second-half leveller. Then, on Thursday, they left northern France with a creditable 1-1 draw from the first leg of their UEFA Cup fourth-round tie with Lille OSC - the 15th match unbeaten in all competitions for Matthias Sammer's side.

'Hopefully he can play'
Both coaches have injury and suspension worries ahead of the game. Leverkusen captain and German international centre-back Jens Nowotny strained ankle ligaments against Arsenal and is rated doubtful, although club spokesman Uli Dost said: "We've got time to look at him and hopefully he can play against Dortmund." A definite non-starter is midfield player Bernd Schneider, who is suspended, although Carsten Ramelow, who missed the European game with an inflammation of the ear, will return.

Rosicky suspended
Dortmund, though, have been affected more severely than their hosts. The 21-year-old Czech playmaker Tomáš Rosický misses out due to a yellow card picked up against Schalke, his fifth of the season. His likely replacement is €26m record signing Marcio Amoroso, Dortmund's goalscorer last time the two met. The Brazilian played against LOSC after recovering from an infection he caught from a mosquito during the Bundesliga winter break.

Selection migraine
With Fredi Bobic having joined Bolton Wanderers FC on loan until the end of the season, Jan Koller desperately out of form with only three goals this campaign, and Jörg Heinrich absent with a muscle tear, coach Sammer has a selection migraine to contend with. Add to that doubts over flu victims Heiko Herrlich and Christian Wörns, Lars Ricken and Jürgen Kohler (both thigh), and Dede (bruising), and Leverkusen will start as favourites to get the win they need to take them top of the table come Sunday night.