Bundesliga Preview: Relegation battle set for dramatic end, Dortmund to farewell Klopp

Six teams are embroiled in a Bundesliga relegation scrap heading into the 38th and final round of the season on Saturday.

Only four points separate 13th-placed Hertha Berlin (35, -15) and cellar-dwelling Paderborn (31, -33), with Freiburg 34, -10), Hannover (34, -17), Stuttgart (33, -19) and Hamburg (32, -27) sandwiched in between.

Stuttgart are third from bottom in the Bundesliga, occupying the relegation play-off spot ahead of their six-pointer at Paderborn.

A run of back-to-back wins against Hamburg and Mainz has former goalkeeper Timo Hildebrand confident of Stuttgart’s survival.

“For a long time it looked like VfB [Stuttgart] were almost dead and buried and heading for the second tier,” the 36-year-old former Germany international told Sky Sports News.

“At one point it seemed like there was no hope – especially considering the home form.

“But they’ve bounced back phenomenally and have a created a very reasonable situation going into the final day.”

Second-bottom Hamburg and 15th-placed Hannover are both at home on Saturday.

Hamburg, who sit in the second and final automatic relegation position, host high-flying Schalke.

Hannover entertain fellow strugglers Freiburg, with both teams level on points.

Hertha are experiencing a six-match winless streak as they travel to Hoffenheim.

Meanwhile, it is an end of an era as Borussia Dortmund prepare to say goodbye to coach Jurgen Klopp.

Saturday’s hosting of fellow European hopefuls Werder Bremen will be Klopp’s final league match in charge, with the German boss to vacate his post after seven years at the helm and two Bundesliga titles.

And Klopp could bow out on a high, with Dortmund still gunning for UEFA Europa League qualification.

Dortmund are seventh in the standings, level on points with Werder.

Second spot is still up for grabs on Saturday, with Wolfsburg and Borussia Monchengladbach in action.

Wolfsburg are away to Cologne, sitting two points ahead of Gladbach, who host Augsburg.

Meanwhile, champions Bayern Munich are out to arrest a three-game losing streak when they tackle Mainz.