Hoffenheim coach Ralf Rangnick is determined to turn the Rhein-Neckar Arena into a fortress, starting with the visit of Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday.
Two defeats in their last two home games have prevented Hoffenheim from sustaining their challenge at the top of the Bundesliga, but two wins from the last two matches of 2009 would still leave them in a promising position going into the new year.
Rangnick said: "We don't just want to remain in front of Frankfurt, we want to move away from all of the clubs behind us.
"The players have said that they want to end the year inside the top five.
"If we can win the final two games against Frankfurt and Stuttgart, then it will have been a fantastic first half to the season."
Rangnick has received two pieces of good news on the eve of his side's penultimate match of 2009.
Vedad Ibisevic and Andreas Ibertsberger are both fully fit and ready to take part in the full 90 minutes on Saturday. However, Andreas Beck is injured and Maicosuel is suspended.
Frankfurt arrive in nearby Hoffenheim full of confidence after back-to-back wins which have lifted them to mid-table, only three points behind the top five and a comfortable 10 points above the relegation zone.
Avoiding the drop was the club's first priority at the start of the season, but they are now looking to complete one of their most successful first halves to a season in history.
The best Michael Skibbe's predecessor Friedhelm Funkel ever managed in the first 17 games was 23 points and a draw on Saturday would see Frankfurt equal that mark from 2007.
"Our aim is 23 points, but we wouldn't say no to more," said defender Chris, who clearly recalls how Skibbe recently offered his players an extra four days' holiday for reaching the 23-point mark.
