Saturday's match in Bremen (GolTV, 9:30 a.m. ET) brings together the two German league-leaders. Both have 13 points after seven games, with Bremen ahead on goal difference.

Both are coming off major wins _ Bremen beat Levski Sofia for its first win in Group A to be level with FC Barcelona, while 10-man Bayern beat Sporting Lisbon 1-0 and has won all three games in Group B.

Bayern has already lost twice in the German league. It lost only three times last season in winning its second straight Bundesliga title. But the 4-2 win against Hertha Berlin last weekend and the victory in Lisbon have restored Bayern's spirits.

France defender Willy Sagnol injured his knee in Lisbon and could miss the game for Bayern, while Germany defender Philipp Lahm needed two stitches to close a head wound but is expected to be fit.

Bayern will also field Netherlands striker Roy Makaay, who sat out the game in Lisbon.

``I was saving him for Bremen, he will be in the starting lineup again,'' Bayern coach Felix Magath said.

Bremen and Bayern have the best attacking players in the Bundesliga, with Germany strikers Miroslav Klose and Lukas Podolski facing each other.

Bremen won its last Bundesliga game 6-0 against Bochum.

``We haven't conceded a goal in the last three games and that's giving us confidence for Saturday's game,'' said Bremen coach Thomas Schaaf, who is midfielder Tim Borowski is fit.

The match will be an early contest between two favourites for the title.

``The title will be decided between us and Bayern,'' Bremen midfielder Torsten Frings said. ``We've gotten a lot of confidence from our last games in the Bundesliga.''

Podolski said which ever team loses won't be out of the title race.

``It doesn't matter which team wins because there is a lot of ground to cover still. Clearly we are going there to win. But the title won't be settled Saturday,'' the Bayern striker said.

Frings agreed.

``Points against direct opponents are important but they are not decisive. You have to beat smaller clubs regularly,'' he said.

Sunday's match between Bayer Leverkusen and Hamburger SV is another anticipated game.

When Thomas Doll took over as Hamburg coach in October 2004, the team was bottom of the league. But he guided it to a third-place finish last season. Hamburg even qualified for the Champions League.

But the team has slumped. It lost 4-1 at FC Porto in the Champions League, and is next to last in the Bundesliga with five draws, two defeats and no wins.

Another loss could spell the end of Doll's era, although the management has so far backed the coach.

Borussia Dortmund and Bochum kick off the eighth round Friday.

On Saturday, third-place Schalke, which also has 13 points, hosts Hannover 96. Also, it's Hertha Berlin versus Borussia Moenchengladbach, Arminia Bielefeld versus Mainz, Wolfsburg versus Stuttgart (GolTV, 11:30 a.m. ET on tape delay) and Alemannia Aachen versus Energie Cottbus.

On Sunday, Eintracht Frankfurt hosts Nuremberg.