Champagne on ice as Bayern prepare title party

Bayern Munich midfielder Michael Ballack. Bayern Munich fans will be packing the champagne bottles for Saturday's trip to Kaiserslautern, with the Bavarian giants assured of their 19th German championship if they claim all three points.

Bayern Munich fans will be packing the champagne bottles for Saturday's trip to Kaiserslautern, with the Bavarian giants assured of their 19th German championship if they claim all three points.

Bayern are nine points clear of second-placed Schalke 04 with a superior goal difference of 23, and a win would all but clinch another domestic title.

"It will not be easy at the Betzenberg," warned German international Michael Ballack. "Kaiserslautern will do everything to stop us winning."

Ballack made his name at Kaiserslautern, winning the Bundesliga crown in 1998 and it would be sweet for him to pick up the title at his old stamping ground in Bayern's colours.

Mid-table Kaiserslautern do not having anything to play for on Saturday but former Bayern favourite Ciricao Sforza is psyched up for the duel.

"We have to win our tackles to have any chance against Bayern," said Swiss midfielder Sforza.

While Bayern will be keen to pick up the decisive three points at Kaiserslautern they know the title will still head for Bavaria if Schalke do not equal or better their peformance.

After losing four of their last five games Schalke need to return to winning ways at home to Bayer Leverkusen.

"Securing second spot would be a real achievement," insisted Schalke forward Ebbe Sand. "We also have the cup final to look forward to."

While the cup final against Bayern on May 28 is set in stone, second place in the Bundesliga is all to play for with VfB Stuttgart just one point behind and Hertha Berlin three points adrift with four games remaining.

Leverkusen have won just four of their 15 away games but should need no motivation with a spot in the UEFA Cup still a realistic goal.

Another season in the UEFA Cup is not what Stuttgart want and they head to struggling Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday needing full points to ward off Hertha.

"We are too dependent on scoring the first goal," said Stuttgart captain Zvonimir Soldo.

Stuttgart are one of the least resilient teams in the league and have won just one league game this season after going behind in the match.

Gladbach will aim to score the first goal at the Nordpark Stadium as they bid to beat the drop into the second division.

The five-time German champions are two points clear of third from bottom VfL Bochum but have a horrendous run-in with Hamburg, Hertha and Leverkusen their last three opponents.

Hertha are the form team at the moment, just three points off the Champions League spots, ahead of Saturday's visit to Hansa Rostock.

"If we had not started so poorly we could have rivalled Bayern for the championship," declared Croatian midfielder Niko Kovac

Hansa are five points from safety and require maximum points if manager Jorg Berger is to pull off his own version of the great escape.

Reigning champions Werder Bremen have 18 points fewer than they did at this stage last season and face a battle to qualify for the UEFA Cup.

"The team has been nowhere near as strong as last season," admitted Bremen chief Thomas Schaaf.

Bremen, five points off the Champions League berths, entertain Arminia Bielefeld looking to open up a gap on Hamburg and Leverkusen.

Hamburg are level on 50 points with Bremen and hope to slip into the UEFA Cup with a late charge.

Fixtures:

Saturday

VfL Bochum v Mainz 05, Kaiserslautern v Bayern Munich, SC Freiburg v Borussia Dortmund, Werder Bremen v Arminia Bielefeld, Schalke 04 v Bayer Leverkusen, Hansa Rostock v Hertha Berlin, Borussia Monchengladbach v VfB Stuttgart

Sunday

Hannover v FC Nuremberg, VfL Wolfsburg v SV Hamburg