Bundesliga Preview: Bayern on brink of title

The defending champions are 12 points clear at the summit with five matches left to play, so simply need to better Wolfsburg's result to be sure of retaining their crown.

Bayern host Hertha Berlin on Saturday on the back of a thumping 6-1 win over Porto in midweek, which sent them into the semi-finals of the UEFA Champions League as 7-4 aggregate victors.

And Guardiola's men will be confident of keeping their end of the bargain, having won their last 10 meetings with Hertha - including an away game last March that saw them seal the 2013-14 title.

Wolfsburg, meanwhile, are on the road at Monchengladbach. Realistically, their chances of reeling in leaders Bayern are so slim, the best they hope can hope for is to delay the championship party.

And fourth-placed Monchengladbach have plenty to play for, as they tussle with Bayer Leverkusen - both teams currently on 54 points - for an automatic Champions League berth.

A win for the home side would move them within four of Wolfsburg.

Leverkusen travel to Cologne on their continued bid to keep their noses ahead of Monchengladbach.

Schalke - currently occupying the automatic UEFA Europa League qualifying spot - will be desperate to halt a run that has seen them go five matches without a win.

They head to Mainz on Friday, with home coach Martin Schmidt having signed a contract until 2018 this week.

At the other end of the table, Hamburg - winless in nine and four points adrift of safety - host Augsburg, while second-bottom Stuttgart are at home to Augsburg.

Paderborn are in the relegation play-off position, but could lift themselves out of trouble with a win against Werder Bremen depending on other results, but Hannover will be keen to keep their heads above water against Hoffenheim.

In the weekend's remaining fixture, Borussia Dortmund - fresh from the news that Thomas Tuchel has been chosen as Jurgen Klopp's successor - welcome Eintracht Frankfurt.