Who could have forseen this match being as crucial as it is? With all the subtexts? The large and small stories?

Jupp Heynckes, on one hand, has a shot winning the first ever Bundesliga title for Bayer Leverkusen. On the other, he's facing the team he will manage next season; in a match they must win to qualify for Champions League competiton.

The anti-Hoeness banners will be gone, as the club has asked to get approval for anything hung in the stadium. And at the half, there will be "Stand Up for Hoeness" support around the stadium. I'm gonna assume that this will exclude the Suedkurve, but I have hopes that it will not.

Toni Kroos, Hans-Joerg Butt and Micheal Ballack have all played for both squads. But, perhaps the most interesting stat is the fact that if a German team had gotten one more positive result in European competiton from 2006 onwards, we would have 4 Champions League spots in the fall instead of 3. This mad scramble for points would not be taking place.

So much for saving myself at least 3 heart attacks this year! And not to segue too much (but it's my blog and I will), have you ever found yourself at a match, miraculously up but not playing well, just wanting 90 minutes to happen? The final whistle to be blown? Yeah, we win tomorrow and I say we can just skip the rest of the season and relax for a bit. My ticker can't take it any more.

Robben's (rightful but misplaced) tirade after last week's refereeing shenanigans has cost him a two-match ban while Holger Badstuber is also serving a one-match suspension. Bastian Schweinsteiger is ueber-iffy after turning an ankle this week in practice. Arne Friedrich is the only player not available for Leverkusen.

The straw that eventually broke the camel's back, goalkeeper Butt, is back between the sticks for die Roten after the shoddy performance by youngster Thomas Kraft last time out. I think this is a very wise decision. Not a knock on Kraft, however with as precarious as this season has been, I'll take the veteran experience over raw talent.

My starting XI versus what will be on the field are probably two vastly different things. Butt-Lahm, Breno, Gustavo, Pranjic-Tymoschuk, Kroos-Altintop, Mueller, Ribery-Gomez. An educated guess, but I think it will bear out. However, if it were me? Contento would start in the back, Mueller would switch to Robben's spot and I'd put Klose in the 10th position. Yeah, yeah... I know I'm not the trainer...

However, Andries Jonker is. Let's hope he gets it done. This is match of the season (not being shown on US TV). A win now eclipses Hannover for the third slot. You couldn't ask for anything more.

Auf gehts!

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