Cologne, Germany (My Sportsbook) - Hoffenheim's Jan Schindelmeiser admitted he never "would have thought it possible" the promoted club would be near the top of the Bundesliga, "just as no one here would have."

But Hoffe, promoted to the Bundesliga this season, has held the top spot a few weeks this season and has trailed Bayer Leverkusen only on goal differential in the last two weeks.

Saturday's trip to Koln, another promoted side, gives Hoffenheim a shot to move back to the top with Bayer also on the road against one-win Arminia Bielefeld.

Schindelmeiser, Hoffe's general manager, admitted no one at the club expected a start like this.

"It was not our intention this year to be in the top third of the league," said Schindelmeiser in an interview with the league's website. "We started into the season with the goal of establishing ourselves in the Bundesliga.

"We hoped to be far away from the spots in the table that create headaches, the positions where, with every loss, there would have been the potential to slide into the relegation zone."

Instead, Hoffenheim's creating headaches for Bayer Leverkusen, defending league champion Bayern Munich and the other title hopefuls.

Vedad Ibisevic leads the team - and the league - with 14 goals through just 13 matches. As a team, Hoffe leads the league with 34 goals.

Hoffenheim has been impressive in all but one of its games this season - a 5-2 loss to Bayer in the third week of the season. In its last seven matches, Hoffe has six wins and has at least three goals in its last five victories.

Koln hasn't been quite as impressive but with six wins through 13 weeks sits in 10th - good a promoted club - just overshadowed this season. Koln is just nine points off the pace, meaning a victory would put the team back in position for a top-half finish.

Even if Hoffenheim takes care of business, Leverkusen could easily keep the new challengers in second.

Bayer is unbeaten in six straight league games - including five victories - and has scored at least two goals in all of those matches.

Leverkusen's Patrick Helmes is second in the league with 10 goals, and Bayer is tied with Werder Bremen as the second-highest scoring offense.

Arminia Bielefeld is one of two teams - Bochum is the other - with just one win so far this season. The club's six ties is all that keeps it out of last place.

Speaking of last place, Bayern is in position to put the pressure on Hoffenheim and Bayer - if given the chance - when it hosts last-place Energie.

If not for the fact Bayern has blown three two-goal leads - including last week in a 2-2 draw at Monchengladbach - the defending champions would be in front.

Still, Bayern is undefeated in seven straight league matches - including five wins - and is unbeaten in 10 straight overall, including three Champions League games.

Bayern's biggest problem has been its defense. After setting a league record in 2007-08 by allowing just 21 goals, the club has already surrendered 20 before the midway point with basically the same players it had last season.

Energie, buried at the bottom of the league with just nine points, doesn't seem to present much of a challenge for Bayern this week. Energie has seven goals in 13 matches.

With a trip to Bayer up next for Bayern, then Hoffenheim visiting Allianz Arena the first week of December, the next three weeks will likely decide if coach Jurgen Klinsmann can get his team to the top of the league by the winter break.

On Friday, Mohamed Zidan in the 20th minute as Borussia Dortmund beat Karlsruhe 1-0. Borussia jumped up to fourth place and Karlsruhe became the first team to reach 10 losses.

Also Saturday, Wolfsburg hosts Stuttgart, Schalke hosts Monchengladbach, Bochum hosts Hertha Berlin and Eintracht hosts Hannover.

On Sunday, Hamburg hosts Werder Bremen with both clubs trying to move in on the leaders.