Bayern try to clinch title in Ingolstadt

Bayern have dominated the Bundesliga this season, but they've yet to wrap up their fourth-consecutive league title. But with a win in Ingolstadt on Saturday, Pep Guardiola's team would clinch their 26th league championship and take away a little of the sting of their Champions League semifinal loss to Atletico Madrid.

"We need a point or a victory, that is what we are focusing on today and tomorrow," said Guardiola in his press conference on Friday.

But ninth-placed Ingolstadt came close to defeating the Reds in the Allianz Arena back in December and have beaten Borussia Mönchengladbach and Schalke this season. Allowing their Bavarian neighbors to seal a title on their turf is the last thing they want after their impressive first season in the top flight.

"We don't want an outsider to celebrate a championship when they play us," forward Stefan Lex said on Friday.

Guardiola said Ingolstadt have had an "insanely good season." But Bayern captain Philipp Lahm does not want to delay the title any longer.

"We want to save ourselves the pressure of needing to a point or a win next week against Hannover," Lahm said.

Relegation battle reaches home stretch

Hannover are already doomed to be relegated to the second division, but the second club to go directly down has yet to be determined. Seven teams - Hamburg, Augsburg, Hoffenheim, Darmstadt, Bremen, Frankfurt and Stuttgart - are all still mathematically eligible for the drop.

Augsburg are the most in-form team of the bunch, collecting 10 points in their last four matches. A win against against Schalke would ensure the Bavarian club's safety.

"We are only concentrated on the game," said Augsburg coach Markus Weinzierl, who reportedly could leave the club at the end of the season. "We do not want to rely on a 'maybe' or hope for a result on the last day of the season."

By contrast Stuttgart has returned to the relegation zone after climbing as high as tenth. Sporting director Robin Dutt told the "Stuttgarter Zeitung" that his team will need "all of Stuttgart" behind it in its final home game this season against Mainz.

"We need to want the result more than our opponents," said Stuttgart coach Jürgen Kramny. "We need to feel that in the stadium from the first minute on."

Four teams vying for the Champions League

In the day's top match, fourth-placed Gladbach are looking to solidify their bid for club football's premier competition against Leverkusen. They may be lucky to face their local rivals right now. Leverkusen sewed up third place and the last automatic Champions League spot in round 32, so they may take their foot off the gas. On the other hand, this is derby-like battle for bragging rights so Gladbach are going to have to show up and play.

Points have been hard to come by against tough opposition in the past few weeks for fifth-placed Hertha Berlin, and they should find Darmstadt something of a relief. Hertha need to get a result in this one, or they can kiss the Champions League good-bye.

"Everything is in our own hands," Hertha coach Pal Dardai said, not entirely correctly. "60 thousand fans will be there, the team has prepared well, and we want to win."

But Darmstadt need a result, too, or they risk falling into the relegation zone for the first time this season.

Schalke and Mainz also have an outside chance of reaching the Champions League.

Bundesliga Matchday 33

Hannover vs. Hoffenheim (Saturday)

Eintracht Frankfurt vs. Dortmund

Ingolstadt vs. Bayern Munich

Gladbach vs. Leverkusen

Stuttgart vs. Mainz

Schalke vs. Augsburg

Cologne vs. Werder Bremen

Hamburg vs. Wolfsburg

Hertha vs. Darmstadt