(Reuters) - Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich travel to VfB Stuttgart on Friday hoping for a perfect dress rehearsal ahead of next week's Champions League last-16 first-leg tie against Bayer Leverkusen.
For Bayern bosses the focus is firmly on the game in Stuttgart as they look to tighten their hold on top spot, but ever since the Champions League draw that set up their all-German tie against the reigning Bundesliga champions, all eyes in Germany have shifted to that match-up.
Bayern have won eight of their last nine league games and have 58 points, eight clear of second-placed Leverkusen. But they have not beaten Xabi Alonso's side in six games under the Spaniard in the most exciting German rivalry of recent seasons.
"The game in Stuttgart is crucial for us because we want to protect our position in the standings," said Bayern sports director Max Eberl in a press conference on Thursday.
"It will not be easy against a solid club that played in the Champions League this season. For us it is a Champions League game against a Champions League club. What it will mean for the Leverkusen game, we will have to wait and see."
Bayern coach Vincent Kompany will most likely be without defensive midfielder Joshua Kimmich, who has not yet recovered from a thigh injury, in Stuttgart.
"It is unlikely that Joshua will travel with us. This game has come a bit to soon unless some kind of miracle happens," Kompany said.
The Belgian will, however, have midfielder Aleksandar Pavlovic, who had missed training, fit again.
Leverkusen have an equally tough task away to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday, with the hosts desperate to bounce back from last week's 4-0 loss at Bayern as they chase a top-four finish and a spot in next season's Champions League.
Eintracht have 42 points, three ahead of Freiburg in fourth.
Fellow Champions League club Borussia Dortmund, who take on Lille in their own Round of 16 tie on Tuesday, will look to build on last week's 6-0 home win over Union Berlin with another three points at St Pauli on Saturday.
Dortmund, at risk of missing out on Champions League football next season, have won one of their three league games under new coach Niko Kovac and are in 10th place on 32 points.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Ken Ferris)
