Another unlikely top-of-the-table Bundesliga clash

When Mainz 05 raced from victory to victory at the beginning of the season, it was clear that this would be no ordinary season.

Although just over one third of the season has been completed, it is already apparent that it is not.

Saturday's top of the table clash that sees first-placed Borussia Dortmund travel to SC Freiburg is an indication thereof.

Going into the season Freiburg were considered as a relegation candidate and Borussia Dortmund, with a starting line-up of players, most of whom can still play youth football, was not expected to challenge for the title.

But after losing their season-opener at home to Bayer Leverkusen, the former Champions League winners have drawn one and won the other ten matches to open up a seven-point lead at the top of the table from Leverkusen and Mainz.

In the process they have also managed to establish a record for winning the most number of consecutive away games from the start of the season and they are now hoping to extent that by winning in Freiburg.

They will be buoyed by the fact that four Dortmund players were involved in Germany's goalless draw in Sweden on Wednesday, including 18-year-old Mario Goetze, who became the youngest debutant since Uwe Seeler in 1954.

For defending champions Bayern Munich, the league has gone anything but according to expectations and if they want to stay in contention, they can ill afford any more slip-ups.

Already 12 points behind Borussia Dortmund, the Bavarian team face a tough away game at Leverkusen, who are coached by their former coach Jupp Heynckes.

"We need three points from all of our next few games, or we'll lose touch with Dortmund," said Thomas Mueller.

"They've put together a really impressive run. We didn't expect that," added the attacking midfielder who is hoping to start against Leverkusen after being a sub for the last three matches.

Coach Louis van Gaal has targeted 30 points by the winter break, meaning his side will be seeking 11 from the five remaining games this year.

Last season Bayern won the league with 66 points and had 33 at the half-way mark, but confidence has returned on the back of eight undefeated games and now that the team is nearly back to full strength.

"We're on a great run, but we can't afford to drop any more points," said striker Mario Gomez.

Germany coach Joachim Loew rested Bayern captain Philipp Lahm and Mueller for the match in Sweden and the club organised a friendly against third division Unterhaching to give players like Franck Ribery and Breno, who both returned to action last week, and Diego Contento match practice after lengthy injury lay-offs.

Also on Saturday two struggling teams in Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 clash in Gelsenkirchen. Both Champions League participants have not found their Bundesliga form yet and Schalke, who last season finished runners-up to Bayern, are currently occupying a relegation place in 16th, while Bremen are just slightly better in 11th.

Mainz 05, who equalised the record for the most number of consecutive victories at the start of the season with seven, have somewhat lost the plot since then, winning just one of their last five games.

They travel to second-from-last Borussia Moenchengladbach eager to get back to their winning ways.

Saturday's other matches see Eintracht Frankfurt at home to Hoffenheim, while SV Hamburg travel to Hanover for their northern Germany derby. Nuremberg are at home to Kaiserslautern.

On Sunday bottom-placed Cologne, who lost 4-0 at home to Moenchengladbach last weekend, travel to Stuttgart, who have only just started recovering from a dismal season-start.

The final game on Sunday sees Steve McClaren take his Wolfsburg side to promoted St Pauli. The former England coach was expected to challenge for honours with Wolfsburg, but instead the club is languishing in 12th place, just two above Stuttgart.