LEVERKUSEN (dpa-AFX) – With two high-stakes encounters in less than 75 hours, everything is on the line for Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen. The loser risks dropping out of the Bundesliga's Champions League spots, and a defeat in the DFB-Pokal round of 16 would see their only realistic shot at silverware vanish. "These are two extremely important games because afterwards we'll know where the season is heading," said Dortmund's defensive leader Nico Schlotterbeck.

The Bundesliga top clash on Saturday (6:30 p.m./Sky) in Leverkusen and the cup tie on Tuesday (9:00 p.m./ARD) in Dortmund carry particular significance. However, BVB coach Niko Kovac cautioned against looking ahead to the cup, insisting his full focus is on the league showdown between third and fourth place. "I'm not even evaluating the second game yet, because we have to play the first one before we can tackle the second," Kovac said. "This is an important game for us. We're playing away against an opponent who has one point more than us."

In-Form Leverkusen Ahead of Dortmund in the Table

After their surprise 2-0 win at Manchester City--where Dortmund recently lost 1-4--and two clear Bundesliga victories, Leverkusen currently rank among the league's most in-form teams. Across all competitions, Bayer have won their last four matches, scoring twelve goals and conceding just once. For the first time this season, the team occupies a Champions League spot--and, for the first time, sits above Dortmund in the standings.

Dortmund also impressed midweek on the European stage with a 4-0 home win over Villarreal. Yet in the league, the team has recently lost some momentum and is falling short of its own expectations. Both at HSV and against Stuttgart, the Black and Yellows squandered late leads and dropped points. Never before under Kovac have Dortmund gone three Bundesliga games without a win.

Hjulmand a Key Factor in Bayer's Success

"We're in a pretty good place right now. In the Champions League we're spectacular, and in the Bundesliga and DFB-Pokal we're doing well. What will come, we need to prepare for now. Success comes with performance," Kovac said. "We have the qualities to be successful."

Things have especially improved for Bayer since Kasper Hjulmand took over. Only league leaders Bayern Munich have collected more points, celebrated more wins, and scored more goals in that period. "If you look at the last few weeks, everything has already been moving in the right direction for us. Wins like these bring us together and boost our confidence," said Bayer's Malik Tillman after the recent triumph in Manchester.

Dortmund, however, can also boast an impressive record: of their last 19 Bundesliga matches, BVB have lost only the one at Bayern (1-2). Leverkusen were defeated at the same venue two weeks later (0-3). The head-to-head statistics favor Dortmund: Leverkusen have won only one of their last six Bundesliga meetings with BVB.

DFB-Pokal Debut Encounter

The Rhinelanders hope to end this negative trend before a historic cup matchup: In Dortmund's 210th DFB-Pokal fixture, the club will face Bayer Leverkusen for the very first time. This debut duel could provide an immediate chance for sporting revenge./jgl/DP/mis