Bayern braced for Hoffenheim arrival

Europe's most unlikely league leaders TSG 1899 Hoffenheim face the stiffest challenge yet of their extraordinary campaign on Friday when they take on continental heavyweights FC Bayern München in a classic 'David versus Goliath' contest between the Bundesliga's top two.

Germany awaits
When the fixture list was released, few would have expected such intense interest in Hoffenheim's visit to the four-time European champions, with pre-season predictions tipping Bayern to swat their newly promoted opponents aside. However, Ralf Rangnick's men arrive in Bavaria three points clear of Bayern and harbouring ambitions of a victory many would have thought impossible four months ago. As Bayern midfielder Franck Ribéry put it: "It's the game the whole of Germany is waiting for."

Fairy-tale rise
The contrast between the two teams could hardly be starker. While Bayern's on-field exploits have secured them a place in the annals of world football history, Hoffenheim's rise from the Kreisliga A in 1992 to the Bundesliga summit – a perilous odyssey through eight divisions – is the stuff of fairy tales. Likewise, while Bayern hail from a city of more than a million and a state-of-the-art home, Rangnick's squad represent a village of some 3,300 inhabitants and currently endure a nomadic existence in Mannheim until their newly built 30,000-capacity arena opens in January.

Star appeal
Although funded by billionaire software mogul Dietmar Hopp, who played for Hoffenheim as a boy, the side has little of the star appeal lent to Bayern by the likes Ribéry, Luca Toni and their litany of German internationals. Hoffenheim and the Bundesliga's 17-goal top scorer, Vedad Ibišević, may have ten more strikes than Toni, but Rangnick is aware the high living could end abruptly. "We want to win the match but we will have to play to our full potential to do so," he said. "We are not expected to be on the same level as Bayern. If everything goes logically, Bayern will win the Bundesliga. But not every season follows logic. And we have already shown that we are good for a surprise."

'A statement'
After a sluggish start to their title defence, Bayern have settled back into their imperious stride, heading into the encounter on the back of a 13-game unbeaten run in all competitions. Last weekend's 2-0 win at Bayer 04 Leverkusen took them above their opponents into second place, and was another step on the way to fulfilling coach Jürgen Klinsmann's claim that they would scale the peak come the winter break. "We want to show who the leaders should be, and that's FC Bayern. We have to make a statement," said left-back Philipp Lahm. "We respect Hoffenheim but we want to top that league," added Klinsmann. "We have been getting closer and closer, and now we are looking forward to playing them. It'll be a coming together of two teams at the very peak of their powers."