Kiessling calls for Leverkusen response

Stefan Kiessling believes Bayer Leverkusen can bounce back from a poor performance and finish the year strongly.

Leverkusen had won all four of their games in December before a shock 1-0 loss at home against Eintracht Frankfurt – their only home league defeat of the season.

Kiessling and his team-mates travel to Werder Bremen on Saturday with the German striker confident they can grab three points to enter the month-long Bundesliga break on a high.

“We know that we didn’t play well in the last game, especially in the first half, but after these past weeks, something like that can happen,” Kiessling said.

“Now our goal is to go to Bremen and give the year a very good end and win.”

Leverkusen are second in the Bundesliga – seven points leaders Bayern Munich – and have also been drawn in a UEFA Champions League second-round knockout tie against Paris Saint-Germain.

Midfielder Simon Rolfes was accepting of the challenge to eliminate the Ligue 1 champions and hoped Leverkusen would have great support across both legs.

“PSG are a top team, with some great players, we’re looking forward to it,” Rolfes said.

“Paris is not that far away so maybe many fans will join us in the second leg, so it’s all good.”

The club have also bolstered their squad ahead of the mid-season break with the signing of South Korea striker Ryu Seung-Woo on a one-year loan from Jeju United.