This year could finally be Bayer's time to shine

But you've got to be consistently good across the season."This year could finally be Bayer's time to shine.Toni Kroos is still under contract with Bayern and he will know how to get to the Bayern wing backs. Bayern's defence has its disadvantages, and Kiessling or Derdiyok will be able to get past Daniel van Buyten or Martin Demichellis with fair ease. It might be strange to say this, but the toughest link to break down in the Bayern defence might actually turn out to be Holger Badstuber! Predicted lineups A big question mark hangs over whether Miroslav Klose or Ivica Olic will be in the squad for Bayern. Frank Ribery is definitely out alongside Andreas Goerlitz.Lineup: Hans Joerg Butt- Philipp Lahm, Daniel Van Buyten, Martin Demichelis, Holger Badstubber- Mark Van Bommel, Hamit Altintop- Thomas Muller, Bastian Schweinsteiger- Mario Gomez, Miroslav Klose.Bayer's injury list is evergrowing. Simon Rolfes, Patrick Helmes, Michael Kadlec, Renato Augusto, Pierre de Wit and Benedikt Fernandez are all out with injuries.Lineup: Rene Adler- Daniel Schwaab, Manuel Friedrich, Sami Hyppia, Gonzalo Castro- Arturo Vidal, Bastian Reinartz- Toni Kroos, Tranquillo Barnetta- Stefan Kiessling, Eren Derdiyok. Prediction Leverkusen haven't lost over their last five matches, but they did draw three of them Bayern drew two of their last five matches. Both teams won two of their last five matches (Bayern lost the other game). Leverkusen haven't beaten Bayern since 1989 at Bayern's home ground.

Klose and his Bayern side also know that they will be nine points off the top if they lose this week.Bayern will come up with something to get out of this situation, but looking at Leverkusen recently, they might just have the power to battle this one out.Bayern 1-1 Bayer Leverkusen. . In the first time that the event will be hosted in London, the location seems especially apt for an almost wholly European participation (following Andy Roddick's withdrawal due to a knee injury and Swede Robin Soderling taking his place, only Argentine Juan Martin del Potro does not hail from the European continent). Equally, the huge, modern, architecturally stunning location of the O2 Arena in the east of the city seems apt for the newlyrebranded and highly anticipated end-of-season spectacle.In Group A, the first of the round robin groups, Roger Federer will face Del Potro, Scot Andy Murray, and Spaniard Fernando Verdasco in what is described as the toughest of the two groupings. The first singles match on Sunday, the first day of the eight-day tournament, will be home hope Murray against Del Potro surely a highly entertaining encounter from the two young talents followed by Federer against Verdasco The other group consists of world No. 2 Rafael Nadal, defending champion Novak Djokovic, Russian Nikolay Davydenko, and Robin Soderling of Sweden, who will play on Monday. Group B will start with Nadal against Soderling in a rematch of the French Open fourth round, where the Swede knocked out the four-time defending champion. Djokovic and Davydenko will conclude the first round robin matches late on Monday. Djokovic goes into the finals as the in-form player, having won last week's Paris Masters title, brushing aside Nadal in straight sets on the way to the final.

The top two players in each of the round robin groups advance to the semifinals of the tournament, with a possible $1.63 million on offer to a champion who is also undefeated in group stages.An important side story will be the ongoing battle for year-end No 1, a position which is still yet to be determined Federer, who took over as world No. 1 in midseason as Nadal was sidelined by injury, could still lose the No. While this year is undoubtedly Roger's year, with final appearances in all four Slam finals and wins in the French Open and Wimbledon (securing a career Grand Slam and record-breaking 15th Slam title), it is clear that the finalplot line of Roger's annual story is yet to be written.. What a pity What a shame What a travesty.