Bundesliga round 32

Bochum v Stuttgart
Nurnberg v Dortmund
Hertha v Schalke
Monchengladbach v Bayern
Leverkusen v Hannover
Mainz v Eintracht
Bremen v Cologne
Hoffenheim v Hamburg
Freiburg v Wolfsburg

This is the last chance saloon for Bremen and Leverkusen. Nine points behind league leaders Bayern, should either slip up, they're out of the title race. Even as it stands, they need a minor miracle given the number of goals they have to make up on the Bavarians, especially after that seven-goal haul last week. That came against Hannover and they're up against Leverkusen this week. Bremen should be favourites to beat Cologne too, but it's out of their hands. Schalke are the only realistic challenger and they're away in Berlin this week. Hertha are desperate for points, but Schalke ought to be too strong. Either way, everyone's waiting for Bayern to slip up. Despite the ongoing scandal involving Franck Ribery, they have quality in the squad that nobody else in the league can boast. Young Diego Contento, for instance, has burst onto the scene and looks a terrific prospect. Good luck Gladbach. You'll need it.

It's derby time on the River Main as Eintracht take the short trip out of the city up the road to Mainz. Local bragging rights are very much at stake with Mainz just a point behind their bigger neighbours but with a very good home record. That's the main point of interest in mid-table. Once again, it's the bottom end where the most interest lies. Freiburg, Bochum and Nurnberg are all locked on 28 points above the bottom two. Bochum kick the weekend off on Friday at home to Stuttgart - hard to see them get anything out of that - while Freiburg are at home to Wolfsburg - again... - and Nurnberg are also at home to Dortmund. BvB will be without Mohamed Zidan, indeed he's gone for six months with a cruciate ligament injury, but surely look too strong for Nurnberg. Time is running out for all these three.

Finally, there's a game between Hamburg and Hoffenheim. Hoffenheim could probably use some points as they're in a small amount of danger of getting sucked into it at the bottom. They should be OK, but it's getting a bit too close for comfort.