Season Finale

The league title

Wolfsburg are in the driver's seat, thanks to a two-point advantage over Bayern and Stuttgart and a superior goal difference. Indeed, coach Felix Magath is so confident he gave an interview on the balcony of the Munich Rathaus – the spot Bayern traditionally celebrates titles.

The Wolves can clinch the title with a win or – barring a freakishly lopsided result between their two competitors – a draw against Werder Bremen. They're playing at home, where their record is 15 wins and one draw, and their opponents are coming off a midweek dogfight and morale-crushing defeat in the UEFA Cup final.

The X factor is Bremen, who despite a middling season in the league remain one of the few teams with the offensive firepower to compete with the Wolves. If Werder show up to play, that could open the door for Bayern and Stuttgart.

Those two teams square off in Munich, with Stuttgart on a roll and Bayern trying to salvage at least second place from what's been, by their standards, a humiliating season.

A draw would likely do nothing to satisfy either team's ambitions so you can expect both squads to throw caution to the wind if the score is close in the later stages of the matches.

And if the testy exchanges between Bayern and Stuttgart's players and management this week are an accurate indication, this is going to be a very ill-tempered affair.

Spots in Europe

Hertha Berlin go into Saturday in fourth and out of contention for the league championship, but they have their fate in their own hands regarding a place in the Champions League.

Because Bayern or Stuttgart or both will drop points this weekend, a victory for Hertha against last-placed Karlsruhe would guarantee Berlin at least third place. And if Bayern and Stuttgart draw, Hertha could even shoot up to second and qualify directly for European football's premier club competition.

But it won't be easy. Karlsruhe have the chance to move up to third to last, which would qualify them for a relegation tie against the third-best team from division two – with the winner staying in the top flight next season.

Meanwhile Dortmund can claim fifth place and a spot in the UEFA Europe league with a victory away to Mönchengladbach. But Gladbach, who finally escaped the bottom three last week, will no doubt fight tooth and nail for the single point they need to ensure their survival in the top flight.

If Dortmund do slip up, Hamburg could write a conciliatory end to their dream-turned-nightmare season. To do that, though, they'll need at least a draw and probably a win against Frankfurt.

The relegation battle

Sandwiched in between Gladbach (30 points) and Karlsruhe (26) are Bielefeld and Cottbus, who are both on 27 points.

The best-case scenario – a convincing win of their own together with bad losses for the competition -- would see either team escape the drop zone entirely.

Bielefeld are currently in 16th and have the advantage of playing at home against the league's worst away team, Hanover. But the club is in utter chaos, having fired their coach this week and brought in veteran skipper Joerg Berger to oversee a campaign for survival that could only last a single match.

Cottbus also play at home, and their opponents Bayer Leverkusen are even less predictable than Bremen. But owing to their inferior goal difference vis-à-vis, the best the eastern German club can realistically hope for is a chance at the relegation tie.

Karlsruhe need both of Cottbus and Bielefeld to drop points to avoid going down.

But hope springs eternal, and hoping is what the majority of fans around Germany will be doing on Saturday, as probably the nost nail-biting Bundesliga season ever draws to a conclusion.

Author: Jefferson Chase

Editor: Nick Amies