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Normally any club sitting 10th in the Bundesliga with just seven games of the season remaining would be planning next season's campaign or their summer holidays. This however, isn't a normal season. Hamburg are in 10th place with 32 points, but have just three more than two of the teams in the relegation zone. With so many teams under the threat of relegation it is going to be an exciting run-in. Follow the action with 60% better odds at PinnacleSports.com .
Werder Face Bundesliga Draw Specialists
After flirting with relegation for so many seasons, FC Nurnberg appear to be becoming a force to be reckoned with in the Bundesliga. Consolidating on last season's eighth place finish, FCN currently sit in sixth, just one point out of a UEFA Cup berth and are in the last four of the DFB Cup. Manager, Martin Bader, has used limited resources to make some shrewd transfers, including Tomas Galasek, the vastly experienced captain of the Czech national side. On Sunday FCN face a tough away game against title chasing Werder Bremen, and will be without one of their most dependable defenders. Dominik Reinhardt had up to this point played every single minute of this campaign, but will be out for up to four weeks. This is a crucial week for Bremen, as the table-top clash against Nurnberg is sandwiched between two UEFA Cup quarter-finals against Dutch side, AZ Alkmaar. Werder have received some good news as captain Frank Baumann, and Tim Borowski returned to full training following injury. They are unlikely to feature heavily after such a long absence, but do provide coach, Thomas Schaaf, with options in a fixture congested week. Bremen have been in excellent recent form at the Weserstadion, winning their last three games with a 7-0 aggregate. They will need another positive performance against the Bundesliga's draw specialists. Nurnberg have produced 14 stalemates, eight on the road, half of which ended goal-less. Despite this PinnacleSports.com price the goals total at 1.870 (over 2.5 & 3.0), and favour Bremen on the Asian Handicap 2.14 (-1) with FCN 1.806 (+1). Top Meets Bottom at Veltins-Arena
On Saturday afternoon league leaders, Schalke, face the side propping up the Bundesliga, Borussia Monchengladbach. S04 will look to bounce back from the disappointment of losing away to Bayern Munich, eroding their lead at the top of the table, and their chances of a first title since 1958. The defeat at the Allianz Arena dealt another blow as Danish striker, Peter Lovenkrands, lasted just 35 minutes of his come-back from injury, before pulling up with another problem. Schalke coach, Mirko Slomka, is not distracted by involvement in any other competitions, but expectation of success is high, particularly after the heartbreak in 2001, when the club were cruelly robbed of the title. With 30,000 members Gladbach might be the fourth biggest club in Germany, but they are struggling to revive the glory of the 70's when they won five titles. Even though this is one of the tightest league finishes in recent memory, BMG are five points from safety at the foot of the table, and have won just one away game all season. They have failed to score in their last three away games, which all ended in defeat, so facing the league leaders they are unsurprisingly considered under-dogs by PinnacleSports.com for Saturday's game. Pinny price Schalke 1.758 (-1), with Gladbach 2.220 (+1). Bayern Making Late Charge in Title Defence
Ottmar Hitzfeld returned as manager of Bayern Munich on February 1st, with the club in a degree of disarray, but the legendary coach looks to be turning the club around. Growing confidence was evident in the German giants' win last week over league leaders, Schalke - which kept their title chances alive - and the gutsy Champions league draw at the San Siro on Wednesday night. Hitzfeld has been helped by the return of Owen Hargreaves to full fitness - following his broken leg - as the England international helps fill the vacuum left by Michael Ballack in midfield. Munich are unbeaten in eight games at the Allianz Arena, but their away form remains shaky, losing four of their last five on the road, and they are without French defender, Willy Sagnol. They play away to Hannover 96 who beat them 1-0 in the reverse fixture. Luckily for the champions, Hannover are in the midst of a mini-slump. 96 are without a win in their last five games, registering just a single goal in that sequence. Currently in seventh place, Dieter Hecking's side are aiming for a European place, but have a poor profile playing at home, winning only three times at the AWD-Arena. However, before backing Munich at 1.943 (-0.5) on PinnacleSports.com .com's Asian Handicap, bear in mind that Hannover remain unbeaten at home in eight games; they can backed at 1.980 (+0.5) for Saturday's game. 60% better odds at PinnacleSports.com !
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