Bayern Munich can secure
themselves another first in a record-breaking campaign when they travel
to Eintracht Frankfurt looking to clinch the Bundesliga title. No other
team has ever has been crowned champions with six games to spare but
that will be the case if results go Bayern's way this weekend.
They
are currently 20 points clear of nearest challengers Borussia Dortmund
and therefore a victory in Frankfurt would see them crowned German
champions for a 23rd time. Even if they do not manage a three-point haul
at the Commerzbank-Arena, they would still win the title if Dortmund
fail to beat struggling Augsburg at home.
Bayern have already
broken a number of records this season, including their current
ten-match winning streak in the league and becoming the earliest autumn
champions in the 50-year history of the Bundesliga, and winning the
title this weekend would be a suitable testament to their stunning
campaign.
Midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri
is hoping that will be the case, although the Switzerland international
insists his side cannot afford to take fifth-placed Frankfurt lightly.
"We're determined to win the league there. It would give us a boost for
the game in Turin," he said, referring to next Wednesday's UEFA
Champions League second leg against Juventus, where Bayern will defend a
2-0 lead. "But Frankfurt are having a great season and we mustn't
underestimate them."
His team-mate Javi Martinez added: "It won't be easy in Frankfurt. They are one of the biggest surprises of the season."
Xherdan Shaqiri, Bayern Munich midfielder
While
the title race looks done and dusted, the battle for the final
Champions League berth looks certain to go to the wire. Bayern and
Dortmund are on course to finish one-two, while Bayer Leverkusen can
consolidate third place with a home win over Wolfsburg.
However,
fourth place is anything but decided. Schalke are currently ahead of
Frankfurt by virtue of a greater goalscoring record, while Mainz and
Freiburg are both just three points behind. One point further back are
Borussia Monchengladbach and Hamburg, while Hannover are not out of the
running either as they lie just five points adrift of Schalke.
On
Saturday, Schalke travel to Werder Bremen, Gladbach host last-placed
Greuther Furth while Hamburg and Freiburg meet in the evening encounter.
Schalke forward Raffael said on his club's website: "We face a
difficult task at Bremen. We'll have to be very focused because we need
every point we can get in our bid to qualify for the Champions League."
Hannover
are last in action against Stuttgart on Sunday, when Mainz travel to
Nurnberg. Finally, in the fight to avoid relegation, second-bottom
Hoffenheim desperately need a victory to reduce the nine-point gap on
15th-placed Fortuna Dusseldorf in Markus Gisdol's first game in charge
tomorrow night.
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