Xabi Alonso pledged Bundesliga champions Bayer Leverkusen will put as much pressure as they can on leaders Bayern Munich to keep their title hopes alive.

With eight matches remaining, Alonso's side, domestic double winners last season, are in second place in the table on 56 points, six behind Bayern.

This is Leverkusen's second-best Bundesliga campaign, having accumulated 70 points at this stage last term.

However, since three points for a win was introduced, only Stuttgart in 2006-07 (seven points behind after MD26) have ever overturned such a deficit this late on in a season to win the title.

Leverkusen's chances of claiming the Bundesliga title for a second consecutive campaign are rated at just 5.8% by the Opta supercomputer, and they are most likely to finish the season in second (93.9%).

Alonso still firmly believes Leverkusen are in with a chance of retaining their crown, starting with their match against Bochum on Friday, with Bayern not playing until Saturday.

"This is super important for us," Alonso told a press conference on Thursday.

"It is clear what we have to do and that is to fight until the end and the first chance we have to reduce Bayern's lead to three points is [on Friday]." 

"We want to put as much pressure on them as possible. If we win and get the three points, then it is a better situation for us.

"That is the wish and the idea we should have going into the game."

On Tuesday, Leverkusen face third-tier club Arminia Bielefeld in their DFB-Pokal semi-final tie.

"It is almost April, and I have said if we are in a position in April, then it's the time to fight for this chance," Alonso said.

"It won't be easy, but the will and the desire is there."

There have been rumours in recent weeks that Alonso could be set to leave Leverkusen to take over at his former club, Real Madrid, with speculation swirling over Carlo Ancelotti's future.

Alonso spent five seasons at the Santiago Bernabeu as a player, but he brushed off the idea that he could return as their coach, with Ancelotti being linked with Brazil.

"There was nothing to decide; it was a good break, which we needed," he said when asked about his future. 

"The first week was to rest, and the second week was to focus on the next games. I said that our focus, mine and all the players' focus, is on what we have.

"We should not think too much about the future. We take it one game at a time.

"Individually, that's my interest as well, and the players' interest is the same. I'm focused on this season and nothing else."