Bayern Munich star Bastian Schweinsteiger insists the German league leaders are desperate to put their shock defeat at Moenchengladbach behind them when they host Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Bayern were stunned 3-1 at Gladbach last Friday with Schweinsteiger scoring a late consolation goal after the hosts had found acres of space in the Munich midfield to score three goals without reply.
With Munich set to welcome back France wing Franck Ribery after suspension, the hosts will be back up to full strength against Wolves at Bayern's Allianz Arena and Schweinsteiger says his team will be fully focused.
"We're wide awake after the slip-up against Moenchengladbach," he said.
"We now need to muster the determination and aggressiveness that is needed."
Schweinsteiger broke off training with knee pains at the start of the week, while Ribery complained of a bad back on Thursday, but both are expected to play.
"It's important that each player is focused and has the attitude of wanting to win the game," said Schweinsteiger.
Coach Jupp Heynckes has even called for his players to go "through the pain barrier" to erase the defensive errors which blighted them at Gladbach and re-establish some confidence at the back.
Bayern are without Belgium defender Daniel van Buyten, who broke the metatarsal in his foot, and Jerome Boateng is expected to partner Holger Badstuber at centre-back.
Defeat at Gladbach saw Bayern's three-point lead evaporate and there is now a three-way tie at the top of the table with Munich, defending champions Dortmund and Schalke all locked on 37 points.
With Gladbach fourth, just one point separates the top four teams.
Second-placed Dortmund host mid-table Hoffenheim on Saturday and are in buoyant mood after their 5-1 hammering of Hamburg last Sunday.
Dortmund have yet to beat Hoffenheim at home, having drawn all three previous meetings between the teams in Dortmund.
Coach Jurgen Klopp is expected to stand down Australian goalkeeper Mitchell Langerak with first-choice Roman Weidenfeller back fit, but the defending champions are without midfielder Mario Goetze.
The teenager has a groin injury and is expected to be out for up to eight weeks and also sat out the win over Hamburg.
Dortmund seem to cope without him and Poland striker Robert Lewandowski, who scored twice against Hamburg, is their top scorer this season with 14 goals in 18 games.
"I do not care who scores the goals, the main thing is that we win," said Lewandowski, who is keeping Paraguay striker Lucas Barrios, who scored 16 goals last season, on the bench.
The league's top scorer is Germany star Mario Gomez, who has hit 16 goals in 17 games this season for Bayern, but right behind him is Schalke's Holland forward Klaas-Jan Huntelaar with 15 goals in 17 matches.
The 28-year-old Dutchman says their trip to Cologne will not be as easy as the 5-1 home win in August, but he is confident his side can pick up at least a point against their erratic hosts.
"We know the result in the first game was something special, not one you can repeat every week," said Huntelaar.
"Cologne will be a different proposition in front of their own fans and will make life difficult for us.
"Our form is so good at the moment, however, so we needn't fear anyone and we'll be aiming to take all three points on Saturday."
In the only match played on Friday, Hanover defeated Nuremberg, 1-0.
Fixtures
Saturday:
Werder Bremen v Bayer Leverkusen, Hertha Berlin v Hamburg, Augsburg v Kaiserslautern, Borussia Dortmund v Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich v VfL Wolfsburg, Cologne v Schalke 04
Sunday:
Mainz 05 v Freiburg, VfB Stuttgart v Borussia M'gladbach
Source: AFP
