As Werder Bremen prepare to face Pep Guardiola's Bayern Munich on Saturday afternoon, they know that there couldn't be a much worse time to take on the Bundesliga champions than right now.

"Anybody who has fear may as well stay in the dressing room"

- Viktor Skripnik

Despite Bayern's blistering form of late - including their 7-0 Champions League thrashing of Shakhtar Donetsk midweek - Viktor Skripnik remains confident of inflicting upon Guardiola's side only their second defeat of the season. "Anybody who has any fear may as well stay in the dressing room,'' he said at a press conference -  an admirable outlook to have. "The Wolfsburg game was the best example. If you don't have any courage, then you may as well not turn up. But I don't have to motivate my players. They are all really looking forward to this game.''

Bremen have had a superb second half to the season, rising up the table to eighth with a string of positive results. It is no small wonder, then, that Skripnik fancies his side's chances despite the odds that face them, and confidence is at an all-time high after a 1-0 victory over SC Freiburg last week. Perhaps in front of their own fans, Bremen can give the Bundesliga its biggest shock of an already thoroughly entertaining season.

"Away at Bremen is always difficult"

- Pep Guardiola

For Guardiola and Bayern, on the other hand, things could not be going better after a 7-0 whipping of Ukrainian outfit Shakhtar booked their place in the last eight of the Champions League. Domestically, despite an 11-point lead over nearest rivals Wolfsburg, Guardiola has warned against the threat of an in-form Bremen side. "I have got respect for Werder Bremen," he said. "I've got a good feeling that we'll do a good job tomorrow, although people have told me that away at Bremen is always difficult."

Losing just once this season - 4-1 against Wolfsburg in January - Guardiola and his players will be confident of collecting another three points as they seemingly waltz to another Bundesliga title. With success available on all three fronts this season for the German champions, focus is essential as they look to cement their position as one of the greatest sides in European football. One has to feel that even for a resurgent Bremen side, to take anything positive from Saturday afternoon's game might just be a bit too much to ask.