Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp’s latest row on television has been dominating the sports headlines in Germany during the past few days, although he hopes to play a more inconspicuous role on Saturday.
Klopp told a reporter from Germany’s ZDF channel “if you ask stupid questions, you’ll get stupid answers”, as he ridiculed him for suggesting Dortmund have nothing to play for in the second leg of their Uefa Champions League tie with Real Madrid next week.
Only a few weeks ago, Klopp had a verbal battle with former Bayern Munich goalkeeper Oliver Kahn on the same channel after he gave his opinion on an ongoing feud between the two clubs.
The Dortmund coach has been accused of being a bad loser by the German media, and he has the perfect remedy for that: winning, starting with Saturday’s home clash with Wolfsburg.
“We’ve just got to deliver the results and then everything’s fine,” Klopp said on Friday. “This is an absolutely crucial game and Wolfsburg are in good form.
“If we can maintain our gap over them, then that would certainly be a big step.”
Following Wednesday's 3-0 defeat at Real Madrid, Dortmund's hopes of progressing in the Champions League look slender, which is why ensuring a top-three finish is the Westphalians' new priority.
They lead Wolfsburg, who lie fifth, by eight points and could all but seal a top-four berth with victory.
Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking loses regular goalkeeper Diego Benaglio due to injury, meaning Max Grun will have the job of keeping out Dortmund's top scorer Robert Lewandowski, who is available after suspension ruled him out in Madrid.
Werder Bremen v Schalke
Werder Bremen coach Robin Dutt says he is delighted to have Aaron Hunt available for Saturday’s clash with Schalke, even though the midfielder has already announced his departure from the club in the summer.
The 27 year old has yet to reveal who he will be joining when his contract expires, but regardless, Dutt is just pleased to have him in his squad for the next six matches.
“In sporting terms, we’re really going to miss Aaron next year,” Dutt said. “But you can tell that he would like an overall happy ending here. I have the feeling that his departure is not affecting him in the least.”
Schalke coach Jens Keller’s men have four wins and a draw from their past five games, scoring 11 goals in the process and conceding just two. They have already opened up a six-point advantage over fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen in the search for a place in the Champions League group stage next season.
Augsburg v Bayern Munich
Augsburg are bidding to become the first side to beat Bayern Munich in the Bundesliga this season, and in 54 matches in all competitions, when they play their Bavarian rivals on Saturday.
Bayern have already wrapped up the title and were held to an out-of-character home draw by Hoffenheim last weekend.
With the focus now on the second leg of their Champions League tie with Manchester United next week, the Bundesliga is inevitably falling down the list of priorities.
Gaining more points for a new season’s record is merely a secondary target, which is why Augsburg and former 1860 Munich midfielder Daniel Baier sense their chance to strike.
“If all of us in the side believe 100 per cent that we can do it, then we really could do it,” Baier said. “It would be absolutely amazing if we became the first team this season to beat Bayern.”
Dante could come back to the Bayern defence after missing the trip to Old Trafford in midweek due to suspension.
Bastian Schweinsteiger is also likely to start for Bayern since he will miss Wednesday's clash due to suspension, but coach Pep Guardiola is otherwise likely to make numerous changes to his side.
Stuttgart v Freiburg
The stakes are clearly defined for Saturday’s Baden-Wurttemberg derby between Stuttgart and Freiburg, with points for survival, as well as local pride, on the table.
Stuttgart may be used to going into such a duel as favourites, but the boot is on the other foot this time, with Freiburg five points ahead of their illustrious rivals in the Bundesliga.
“I think it’s pretty clear what this game is all about,” said Freiburg coach Christian Streich, whose side are on a four-game unbeaten streak that includes three wins.
“I don’t think it matters so much to Stuttgart whether this is a derby or not. In the situation they are in, they will do all they can to win on Saturday.”
Stuttgart coach Huub Stevens needs his own team to mature fast with “time running out” for them to edge clear of danger.
“When I arrived here, I said that we had 10 finals. Well, now we only have six,” said the Dutch coach, who is without the suspended Georg Niedermeier and the injured Cacau and Rani Khedira. “It’s getting tighter and tighter.”
Nuremberg v Borussia Monchengladbach
The future of goalkeeper Marc-Andre ter Stegen was on everybody’s lips at Borussia Monchengladbach’s pre-match news conference ahead of their trip to Nuremberg on Saturday.
The Germany international has already announced he will be leaving the club in the summer and has been heavily linked with Barcelona.
Gladbach have already reacted to news of his departure by signing Switzerland custodian Yann Sommer from Basel.
However, with Fifa this week imposing a transfer ban on Barcelona, doubts have been raised as to whether Ter Stegen will be able to join the Spanish champions.
“I think you can see from how relaxed we are sitting here that our situation has not changed,” Gladbach’s director of sport Max Eberl said. “Marc will leave us in the summer and we will then have Sommer as our new goalkeeper.
“I cannot envisage any scenario that could arise that would mean [Ter Stegen] would be staying with us.”
Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz
Eintracht Frankfurt go into Saturday’s local derby with Mainz having announced the capture of Alexander Ignjovski from Werder Bremen from next season.
Frankfurt’s priority is to ensure Ignjovski will be playing Bundesliga football next season, with a few wins still required before they can plan for another season in the top flight.
More than 50,000 fans will help them in a local derby which sees their traditionally smaller rivals Mainz currently leading them in the standings, even if Armin Veh claimed his side are “not 12 points worse than Mainz”.
Mainz coach Thomas Tuchel begged to differ.
“Leave Armin to think what he wants,” he told the Bild newspaper. “Twelve points are four wins, and that sounds like a lot to me.
“It says a lot when Eintracht need a win against us to rescue their season. If it helps us get motivated, I will even hang his words on the wall.”
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