Runaway leaders FC Bayern host defending champions VfB Stuttgart on Sunday, Bayer Leverkusen and VfL Wolfsburg battle for a place in Europe.
FC Bayern - VfB Stuttgart
Saturday’s results mean that German record champions FC Bayern will have to wait for at least another week to secure their 21st title.
“I’m convinced that we will win the Bundesliga, and I don’t care when. We want to offer the fans a good match on Sunday”, Ottmar Hitzfeld says.
Kahn and Klose ruled out
The FCB coach is expected to rest some players ahead of the UEFA Cup semi-final second leg at Zenit St. Petersburg - and he is partly forced to.
Miroslav Klose and Oliver Kahn will be sidelined after picking up injuries in midweek, and Philipp Lahm (adductor) is doubtful.
Toni vs. Gomez
Luca Toni will return to the starting line-up after sitting out a one-game suspension in Europe, and his brilliant debut season in the Bundesliga has brought the Italian a lot of admirers.
“I’m surprised he is that strong in his first Bundesliga season”, admits Armin Veh.
The VfB coach will have his best striker back in the squad, too, with Mario Gomez returning from injury.
Bayer04 Leverkusen - VfL Wolfsburg
In Leverkusen two teams with European ambitions go head to head. “This is a cup final in which we want to leave VfL behind us. At least four points, ideally seven”, Bayer coach Michael Skibbe clarifies.
Sporting director Rudi Völler demands that “we have to turn the corner now. We have to show everything we lacked recently: fighting strength and aggression.”
The hosts will be without Bernd Schneider who is ruled out for the remainder of the season after undergoing surgery.
Grafite returns
Felix Magath has Grafite at his disposal again, with the striker having completed his five-game ban.
The VfL coach demands that his team bounce back from back-to-back defeats. “We want to show that we have developed”, Magath insists.
Line-ups as expected:
FC Bayern - VfB Stuttgart
FC Bayern: Rensing - Lell, Lucio, Demichelis, Jansen - Schweinsteiger, van Bommel, Ottl, Sosa - Toni, Podolski
Stuttgart: Schäfer - Beck, Tasci, Delpierre, Magnin - Pardo - Hilbert - Bastürk, da Silva - Gomez, Cacau
Referee: Florian Meyer (Burgdorf)
Bayer Leverkusen - VfL Wolfsburg
Leverkusen: Adler - Castro, Haggui, Friedrich, Sarpei - Sinkiewicz, Rolfes - Kießling, Barbarez, Barnetta - Gekas
Wolfsburg: Benaglio - Riether, Costa, Simunek, Schäfer - Gentner, Josue, Hasebe - Marcelinho - Dejagah, Grafite
Referee: Manuel Gräfe (Berlin)
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