Heynckes challenges rivals

(GSM) – Bayer Leverkusen coach Jupp Heynckes has fired a warning shot for rivals stating that his side will be no pushovers from the top of the table and other teams will have to raise their game to succeed.

Leverkusen went through the entire first half of the season unbeaten and, as they prepare to welcome Mainz to the BayArena on Saturday, Heynckes has no doubts about that run continuing.

“The first half of the season showed that we are stable,” he said.

“We are self-confident and the team is convinced it can play the second half of the season in the same way as the first.

“We want to achieve something together and, therefore, we are all pulling in the same direction.

“Therefore, I have no worries at all. It should actually be the other sides worrying about how they can knock us off the top, particularly Bayern Munich.”

Leverkusen head into 2010 with an even stronger squad with Renato Augusto and Simon Rolfes having returned from injury to be in contention tomorrow, while Patrick Helmes is also closing in on a return after spending six months sidelined with torn cruciate knee ligaments.

He is unlikely to start tomorrow, but could take his place on the bench.

Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel knows the rest of the Bundesliga will be rooting for his side to succeed where nobody else has all season tomorrow, but admits it will be tough.

“We know that we are the outsiders,” he said. “But we will take on this role.

“Obviously we have got to play an excellent game to get anything, but we are well prepared.”

Aristide Bance will lead the Mainz attack after he turned down the invitation to represent his country Burkina Faso at the African Nations Cup.