Matchday 31: Fixtures
Frankfurt - Hannover
Werder Bremen - Hoffenheim
Dortmund - Mainz
Braunschweig - Bayern Munich
Augsburg - Hertha Berlin
Freiburg - Monchengladbach
Hamburg - Wolfsburg
Nuremberg - Leverkusen
Stuttgart - Schalke
Frankfurt - Hannover (Thursday)
Defeat at Schalke on Matchday 30 would have been a disappointment for Armin Veh and his side, but although they're still not mathematically safe, the Eagles are already planning for a third consecutive top-flight season. We already know about Veh's departure, and we learned this week that Sebastian Rode's much-anticipated move to Bayern was finally confirmed. Hannover themselves can't breathe easily just yet, although that late win against Hamburg thanks to Didier Ya Konan has lifted a lot of pressure off of their shoulders. Their fate is in their own hands, considering they have sides directly above and below them to end their season. Win this evening (which would be just their third on their travels this campaign) and like Frankfurt, they can probably start looking ahead to 2014/15.
Prediction: Both will be going hammer and tongue to get those valuable three points, but I can see the hosts coming out on top to open Matchday 31. Frankfurt 3-1 Hannover.
Werder Bremen - Hoffenheim (Saturday)
Bremen just didn't show up at the Coface Arena last weekend, and the points and match were gone in the first 45 minutes. Six points above the bottom-three, they look like they will have just about enough to keep their heads above water, yet with trips to Bayern and Leverkusen still to come before the season's close, this match against goal-happy Hoffenheim is imperative for them. The Sinsheim outfit are ending their season strongly, with victory over Augsburg (including a rare clean sheet) meaning they extended their unbeaten in five. A Europa League position may just be out of reach now, but Markus Gisdol's men are on course for their best Bundesliga finish since their debut season in 2008/09.
Prediction: Bremen aren't known for scoring bundles of goals, a complete contrast to Saturday's opponents who are in good form. Werder Bremen 1-2 Hoffenheim.
Dortmund - Mainz (Saturday)
This is by far and away Dortmund's brightest point of an injury-filled campaign. Having bowed out of the Champions League with an excellent win - Real Madrid, they steamrolled past Bayern in Der Klassiker, before booking a Pokal final with Pep Guardiola's men after overcoming Wolfsburg. Ilkay Gundogan has extended his contract, Adrian Ramos is joining and Nuri Sahin is re-signing permanently. Mainz however won't be easy pushovers, but it could be argued that the pressure is more on them, considering they're still in the European dogfight. But the Signal-Iduna Park is not their best hunting ground. Since making their top-flight debut a decade ago, the 05's haven't won in any of their seven encounters with BVB.
Prediction: The momentum is high for Jurgen Klopp and his team right now, and despite Mainz's excellent campaign, there looks to be only one winner here. Dortmund 3-0 Mainz.
Braunschweig - Bayern Munich (Saturday)
They have been the underdogs all season, but for Braunschweig, it looks as if they aren't quite going to have enough to survive. This comes after defeat to Freiburg, where an own-goal and a deflected effort ultimately took the game away from them. It doesn't help that the champions are in town this weekend, although now is not a bad time to play Bayern. With the league wrapped up, Pep Guardiola's team have took the foot of the gas, and with Champions League semi-final opponents Real Madrid not playing this weekend after their Copa del Rey success, the Bavarians may not have their full attention on this clash in Lower Saxony, which could well be to the advantage of the Bundesliga's basement boys.
Prediction: Without a league win in three, without a clean sheet in seven competitive matches. But Bayern should have enough here, to leave Braunschweig doomed. Braunschweig 0-2 Bayern.
Augsburg - Hertha Berlin (Saturday)
For these two sides, their respective campaigns are ending with a bit of a wimper. Augsburg may well have ended Bayern's historic record unbeaten run, but defeat at Hoffenheim last Sunday means they have just one win in six. Yet that shouldn't take away anything from Markus Weinzierl and his men, who have had a fantastic campaign. Hertha's last win came in late February, and this eight-match winless streak has seen them go from potential European challengers to mid-table mediocrity. Their star-man Adrian Ramos will be leaving a void up front, and if they can't get some positive results before the season is out, Jos Luhukay's side could well be finishing way down in the bottom-half.
Prediction: Both have found it difficult to muster up victories in recent weeks, but buoyed by their last match in front of their supporters, Augsburg will be favourites to take the points. Augsburg 1-0 Hertha Berlin.
Freiburg - Monchengladbach (Saturday)
There is still work to do, but Freiburg gave themselves a large chunk of breathing space following last Saturday's success - Braunschweig. Three straight home victories, plus the fact they've lost just one of their last six, means Christian Streich and his players are hitting form at the right time. This however is the first of three consecutive matches against teams competing for Champions League football. Gladbach needed to dig deep to rescue a point against Stuttgart at Borussia-Park on Matchday 30, which leaves them two points off of Leverkusen in 4th. With trips to Schalke and Wolfsburg, plus their final home match - Mainz sandwiched in between, only three points will do in Germany's south-west.
Prediction: Both teams need the points for their respective causes, although I can't see them being separated. Freiburg 1-1 Monchengladbach.
Hamburg - Wolfsburg (Saturday)
This looks to be the most important game of the weekend in the Bundesliga. Hamburg don't have the easiest of run-ins, and that late loss in Hannover could potentially be where they lose their record of never being relegated from the Bundesliga. Situated in the relegation play-off spot, the Northerners will hope they can put pressure on Nuremberg and Stuttgart who don't play till Sunday. Wolfsburg did Hamburg a bit of a favour by coming from behind to defeat Nuremberg at the VW-Arena, although Dieter Hecking's Wolves weren't able to build on that momentum, as they were beaten by Dortmund in the Pokal semi-finals. This however allows them now to fully focus on the Bundesliga run-in.
Prediction: It could well be 'Auf Wiedersehen' to Hamburg if they don't get a positive result here. And unfortunately for Hamburg fans, I can't see them getting it. Hamburg 1-2 Wolfsburg.
Nuremberg - Leverkusen (Sunday)
Having started their Ruckrunde so positively, and with them looking like they were going to ease their way to safety, Nuremberg find themselves with the task of dragging themselves out of the relegation places once again, but they are in extremely poor form, with their loss at Wolfsburg their seventh defeat in eight matches. Leverkusen themselves have had a tough second half to the campaign, but Sascha Lewandowski's first game in charge resulted in three points against Hertha, meaning Leverkusen are back in that all-important 4th and final Champions League position. Their three rivals all play on Saturday, so the pressure will be really on should all of them pick up good results.
Prediction: This could be a tight, cagey affair or an all-out attacking encounter. Expect the latter of course because this is the Bundesliga. Nuremberg 2-3 Leverkusen.
Stuttgart - Schalke (Sunday)
This will be the third time this season that Huub Stevens will be facing his former club Schalke after he failed to lead Greek team PAOK to the Champions League group stage against the Royal Blues. After his sacking there, he was appointed Stuttgart manager, and although he has led a revival of some sorts since his arrival in early March, Stuttgart aren't out of the woods yet. Bar Bayern, Schalke have had the best Ruckrunde and with just one defeat since the Winter break, they have almost cemented a Champions League position. They're still chasing rivals Dortmund hard in the race for best of the rest, so they too want the points here.
Prediction: Stevens has helped Stuttgart find their feet a little, but Schalke are in excellent form and look the team to back for the victory. Stuttgart 1-3 Schalke.