Title Race Homestretch

Schalke have the toughest foe -- at least as far as the standings are concerned.

Coach Hans Meyer has had fifth-place Nuremberg playing consistently well all season. Their clash with Schalke pits the Bundesliga's two best defensive teams against one another, so goals could be at a premium.

What's worse for Schalke, Nuremberg have only lost six times -- compared to 15 draws and 10 wins. After blowing a lead at Bochum last week and seeing their advantage over Stuttgart reduced to a single point, Schalke know that anything less than a victory would probably cost them the top spot and confirm their reputation as perennial runners up.

But Schalke are playing at home, and Nuremberg may lack motivation. Having already qualified for the UEFA Cup by reaching the German Cup final, it doesn't really matter to Meyer's minions where they end up in the table.

Of Mainz and men

Stuttgart's next foes, on the other hand, have all the motivation in the world. Second-to-last Mainz are in acute danger of relegation and are sure to fight their hearts out when they visit Gottlieb Daimler Stadium.

Mainz have one of the league's hottest strikers in Mohamed Zidan. The Egyptian has scored 12 goals since coming from Bremen during the winter break, almost single-handedly giving the team a chance to stay up and Mainz fans something to talk about.

The good news for Stuttgart fans is that Mainz are on a six-game winless streak, while Stuttgart themselves have won their last five. The hosts could also be bolstered by the long-awaited return of striker Mario Gomez from injury.

A tour through the capital

On Sunday, Bremen travel to Berlin to take on ever-enigmatic Hertha. Hertha have vacillated this season between playing just like a top-five team and just playing terribly -- usually within the space of a week.

So perhaps it's good omen for Bremen that Berlin thrashed Aachen last week. That win removed all fears of relegation, and Hertha could well let down their guard amidst their usual day-dreaming about how they're going to win the league next year.

But Marko Pantelic -- the league's most dangerous striker in the season's first half -- has finally broken a long scoring drought, and seventh-place Hertha still have an outside chance of qualifying for the UEFA Cup.

Of all the top three, Bremen most need a victory. Should they lose, and Schalke and Stuttgart win, they would five points adrift with only two games to play.