Stuttgart take on Dortmund with second-placed Bayern in sight
BERLIN: Stutgart travel to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday just three points behind second-placed Bayern Munich with seven games remaining, chasing their best Bundesliga finish in 17 years.
If not for Xabi Alonso’s unbeaten Bayer Leverkusen, who are 13 points clear and cantering towards a maiden top-flight crown, Stutgart would have undoubtedly been the story of the season.
Needing to win a two-legged playoff against second-division Hamburg to stay in the Bundesliga last campaign, Stutgart are on the cusp of Champions League qualification for the first time since 2009-10. In going down 2-0 at home to Dortmund last weekend, Bayern played like a side who knew their hopes of catching Leverkusen were purely mathematical.
Dejected Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel sent his
“congratulations to Leverkusen” ater the game.
Bayern play at promoted Heidenheim on Saturday.
With Bayern now expected to focus on their Champions League quarter-final tie with Harry Kane’s old foes Arsenal, Stutgart could do the unthinkable and finish above the likely outgoing German champions, securing their highest placing since winning the title in 2006-07.
Although the Bavarians travel to Stutgart in May, Sebastian Hoeness’ side could take a major step towards overtaking Bayern by beating Dortmund on Saturday, cementing their top-four hopes in the process.
Stutgart have soundly beaten Dortmund twice this season -- at home in the league and in the German Cup -- and are one of only four teams to take points off Leverkusen in 40 matches in any competition.
German League fixtures (1330 GMT unless stated) Saturday: Freiburg vs RB Leipzig, Mainz vs Darmstadt, Cologne vs Bochum, Heidenheim vs Bayern Munich, Union Berlin vs Bayer Leverkusen, Borussia Dortmund vs Stutgart (1630) Sunday: Hoffenheim vs Augsburg, Wolfsburg vs Borussia Moenchengladbach (1530)