Leverkusen's Hofmann warns that 'the job is completed yet'

Bayer Leverkusen players are not getting carried away after a superlative first part of the season without defeat, forward Jonas Hofmann said after Thursday training.

Xabi Alonso's team has gone unbeaten in the 25 matches in all competitions until the winter break, a German record. They top the Bundesliga, are in the quarter-finals of the German Cup and the last 16 of the Europa League.

Hofmann said that players have not been prohibited from talking about a possible first ever Bundesliga title but "I have not heard any one mentioning it. The players are very humble and know what it takes.

"The feeling is to start well after the winter break, to get a good feeling and then to acknowledge it if we have defended the position in a few weeks and months. But as it stands now we are humble," Hofmann said.

"The players know that we can achieve something historic this year and are well-positioned in many areas. We are doing a good job at the moment but the job isn't completed yet."

Bayer restart on January 13 at mid-table Augsburg and in the following weeks face tough league matches against RB Leipzig and champions Bayern Munich, as well as a Cup game against high-flying VfB Stuttgart.

The will also be without Victor Boniface of Nigeria, Ivory Coast's Odilon Kossounou, Edmond Tapsoba of Burkina Faso and Moroccan Amine Adli who are all on duty at the Africa Cup of Nations which starts next week and runs until mid-February.