Bayer Leverkusen sporting director Rudi Voller says the club "have to beat" Augsburg on Wednesday in order to recover from a disappointing start to their Bundesliga campaign.
Leverkusen sit 11th in the table after three games, having suffered two away defeats, and now host Augsburg midweek before travelling to Mainz on Saturday.
"We have to beat them to not lose sight and have a somewhat decent start," Voller told reporters after the weekend's 2-1 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.
Leverkusen striker Javier "Chicharito" Hernandez wasted a late chance to pull his side level at Frankfurt, missing a penalty in the 88th minute.
Hernandez, who had scored earlier in the game, appeared to be the target of a supporter's laser as he stepped up to take the spot kick.
"I was distracted," Chicharito told reporters. "I should have still converted the penalty. It should not be an excuse."
While it has not been the greatest of starts from Leverkusen, coach Roger Schmidt says his side still have reason to be positive.
"I would not say that we've disappointed. A draw would have been a deserved result," Schmidt said. "Frankfurt were more efficient. Three points from three games are not that grand, but I am still optimistic."
Leverkusen midfielder Julian Brandt, meanwhile, believes his side's start has been plagued by bad luck.
"You fail to score, miss a penalty and now it starts to rain," he told Sky. "It's just not our day."