Bundesliga braced for tense title countdown

Coach Felix Magath insists Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg will travel to midtable Hanover in confident fashion on Saturday as they stand just two wins away from their first Bundesliga title.

Wolfsburg are level with second-placed Bayern on 63 points and Hertha Berlin are third on 62 as one of the closest-ever Bundesliga title races will only be decided on the last day of the season on May 23.

Bayern beat neighbours Leverkusen 3-0 on Tuesday, the same night Wolfsburg beat Dortmund by the same score to stay top with a goal difference of just two better than Munich.

With two points separating the top four teams there is no margin for error and Wolfsburg can ill afford another slip like their recent 4-1 hammering at Stuttgart.

“I think we can travel to Hanover confidently now,” said Magath after striker Edin Dzeko scored twice on Tuesday.

“It was important for me that the team showed just how absolutely intact they are (after the Stuttgart defeat).”

With only a goal difference of two keeping them top, striker Grafite said every single score now counts.

“It?s not just about winning anymore now, but also about scoring goals – goal difference could yet play a very important role,” said the Brazilian who has 24 goals as the league’s top-scorer.

Defending champions Bayern Munich are at Hoffenheim on Saturday and caretaker coach Jupp Heynckes says six points from their last two games has to be the target.

“No-one can afford slip-ups,” said Heynckes who will be replaced by Louis van Gaal on July 1. “Anyone who loses now could end up in the Europa League next season.”

“Working out permutations and possibilities is totally the wrong response. As before, we?re simply focused on the next game.”

Bayern have Germany striker Miroslav Klose back from ankle surgery, but Heynckes says he will keep Lukas Podolski in his starting line-up after the striker scored in each of his last two games.

Hertha play their last Bundesliga game of the season at Berlin’s Olympic Stadium on Saturday against Schalke and having already ensured they will play in the Europa League next season, they are gunning for their first Bundesliga title.

“It’s good we are in the Europa League, but now we want six points from our last two games,” said Swiss coach Lucien Favre.

“There is an unbelievable feeling of euphoria in the city at the moment, we have to ride the wave.”

Favre is expected to start with striker Marko Pantellic and Raffael against Schalke with hot-shot Andrei Voronin on the bench.

Hamburg, who travel to Cologne on Saturday, are five points behind leaders Wolfsburg in fifth, but need a win to challenge for a place in Europe next season.

Having had their seven-game winning streak ended by Wolfsburg on Wednesday, Borussia Dortmund are at home to Arminia Bielefeld and are chasing a place in Europe, but must do without Kevin-Prince Boateng.

The midfielder was shown a red card against Wolfsburg and has been banned for the next four games.

Saturday

Hoffenheim v Bayern Munich

Hertha Berlin v Schalke 04

Hanover 96 v VfL Wolfsburg

VfL Bochum v Eintracht Frankfurt

Werder Bremen v Karlsruhe

VfB Stuttgart v Energie Cottbus

Borussia Dortmund v Arminia Bielefeld

Bayer Leverkusen v Borussia M’gladbach

Hamburg v Cologne