Bayern Munich vs Bayer Leverkusen - Ancelotti demands "right reaction" from faltering Bayern

Bayern Munich coach Carlo Ancelotti says he expects to see a reaction from his side to back-to-back defeats when they face Bayer Leverkusen in the Bundesliga on Saturday.

Bayern lost their unbeaten record in the Bundesliga last weekend when they fell to a 1-0 defeat to Borussia Dortmund, losing top spot to RB Leipzig in the process.

In midweek, a 3-2 loss at Rostov saw them forced to settle for second place in their group behind Atletico Madrid, and Ancelotti is hoping his team will show their true colours in a tricky Bundesliga fixture on Saturday evening.

"Our last game was not good and we have got to show the right reaction and win," Ancelotti said at a press conference on Friday where he also rejected the notion that he is tiring his players out too much in training.

"I know that my training is tough, but I don't think physical condition is a problem. We must improve tactically and commit fewer mistakes. We just need to play things better tactically.

"We have got to employ our system correctly. We are lacking aggression and compactness and we've got to fill the gaps better."

Ancelotti has not veiled his criticism of his players over the past week, but he said on Friday that he believes in them.

"I have got to say that I do have faith in my players," he said.

"They want to improve and desperately want to get out of this situation. My experience teaches me that you do get situations like this every year.

"We've also had many injury problems and some players came back from international duty injured, but we have got to learn from our last three games."

They are still eight points better off than Leverkusen, who Ancelotti is still not taking lightly.

"I'm self-confident and optimistic that we will win, but Leverkusen are a good team and they play with high intensity," he said.

Ancelotti could be without defender Jerome Boateng, who left training early on Friday due to a knock which was perhaps not as painful as the criticism he has heard over the past few days, including from Bayern's chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge.

He pointed the finger at the Germany international for mistakes in the midweek Champions League defeat and this injury could provide Ancelotti with an excuse to give him a break.

"Boateng is a player who works very hard," said the Italian.

"Rummenigge's reaction to Boateng was normal. But he knows he must do better in future. He didn't finish training today, but we don't want to take any risks with him."

Leverkusen arrive in Munich in confident mood after their own trip to Russia in midweek ended with qualification for the knockout stages of the Champions League, thanks to a 1-1 draw at CSKA Moscow.

"Tuesday was a valuable day and that puts the wind in our sails," said their coach Roger Schmidt at a press conference, adding also that he knows more than just a strong wind will be needed to guide his team past Bayern.

"It's the most difficult game you can imagine," he added.

"I wouldn't read too much into their two defeats - Bayern will be additionally motivated by it."

Schmidt has no new injuries to report and admitted his team will be similar to the one he sent out against CSKA.