Runaway Bundesliga leaders Bayern Munich will be battling fatigue plus hosts Eintracht Frankfurt when they hunt a perfect 11 wins from 11 league games on Friday.
In a busy period, the Bavarian giants are in the middle of playing five games in two weeks and have just a three-day turn around after their German Cup win at Wolfsburg.
Bayern then host Arsenal in the Champions League on Wednesday hunting revenge for their 2-0 defeat in London a fortnight ago — their only defeat of the season.
Pep Guardiola’s side knocked holders Wolfsburg out of the cup on Tuesday with a 3-1 second round win.
“We need to gather our strength as quickly as possible for Friday,” said Dutch winger Arjen Robben.
With a seven-point lead at the top of the table, Bayern face an Eintracht side reeling from their shock German Cup defeat by third division Erzgebirge Aue on Tuesday.
Frankfurt have won only one of their last seven games, while Bayern have won their last six against Eintracht without conceding a goal.
They are on a record-breaking run of 33 goals after ten matches — no team has ever scored more in Bundesliga history at this stage.
Second-placed Borussia Dortmund are also busy and face their sixth fixture in the space of two weeks at Werder Bremen’s Weser-Stadion on Saturday.
But the Dortmund goal-machine is in full swing with Thomas Tuchel’s attack having now hit 61 goals in 19 games so far this season.
Dortmund warmed-up with a 7-1 demolition of second division Paderborn on Wednesday as right winger Gonzalo Castro scored twice and set up two goals.
Top-scorer Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang was left on the bench despite the Gabon striker being the league’s top scorer with 13 goals in ten games.
Dortmund have a score to settle as Bremen’s 2-1 victory last December ensured Dortmund spent the winter break in the relegation zone.
Bremen broke a five-game losing streak at Mainz last Saturday to escape the bottom three.
Bayer Leverkusen and Wolfsburg clash at the Volkswagen Arena on Saturday with the hosts fourth in the league while Bayer are just a point behind in sixth.
Wolfsburg were the only team Leverkusen lost both league matches to last season and the teams last met in a nine-goal thriller in February when Wolves won 5-4.
Wolfsburg will be without striker Max Kruse for both the visit of Leverkusen and next Tuesday’s away match at PSV Eindhoven in the Champions League.
The 27-year-old has a hamstring injury and midfielder Christian Traesch is doubtful with a thigh injury.
In-form Hertha Berlin and Borussia Moenchengladbach will clash on Saturday in the capital with Gladbach chasing a sixth straight win under caretaker coach Andre Schubert.
The 44-year-old is on the verge of getting the job permanently having taken the team from bottom of the table to seventh.
Gladbach were bottom when Schubert stepped in after Lucien Favre quit in September after five straight defeats.
Hertha are fifth and are unbeaten at home this season having won their last three in succession.
Gladbach have scored eight and conceded just twice in two Bundesliga away games under Schubert.
Playing Friday (all times 1430 GMT unless stated)
Eintracht Frankfurt v Bayern Munich (1930)
Saturday
Schalke 04 v Ingolstadt 04, Augsburg v Mainz 05, Werder Bremen v Borussia Dortmund, Cologne v Hoffenheim, Hertha Berlin v Bor. Moenchengladbach, VfL Wolfsburg v Bayer Leverkusen (1730)
Sunday
VfB Stuttgart v Darmstadt, Hamburg v Hanover 96 (1630)