Bundesliga round 30 in pictures
Leverkusen solidify their hold on third place while Schalke put their Champions League ambitions in jeopardy. Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund hold successful dress rehearsals for Barcelona and Real Madrid.
Schürrle puts Leverkusen on course for the CL
André Schürrle scored two lovely goals and provided an assist, as third-placed Leverkusen hammered lowly Hoffenheim 5-0. English club Chelsea are reportedly negotiating with Leverkusen in an attempt to secure the 22-year-old's services. The transfer sum mooted is 20 million euros ($28 million).
Bastos miss proves costly for Schalke
Schalke needed a win to keep pace with Leverkusen in third, and the Royal Blues got off to a bright start, culminating in a penalty after 20 minutes. But midfielder Michel Bastos' effort was too weak. The miss seemed to drain Schalke's momentum, and Frankfurt ended up winning 1-0.
Bayern's championship party continues
Big scorelines are nothing unusual when Bayern plays this season. And on Saturday, Hanover became the latest victim, getting thrashed 6-1. The match was an ideal tune-up for a far tougher opponent. On Tuesday, the Bavarians go up against Barcelona in the Champions League.
Dortmund dispatch Mainz
Mindful of their Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid on Wednesday, Dortmund took it easy against Mainz, easing to a 2-0 win. Marco Reus scored just seconds after the opening whistle, and Robert Lewandowski completed the scoreline just before time. The Polish striker has now scored in 12 straight Bundesliga matches.
Van der Vaart puts the hurt on Düsseldorf
Hamburg's Rafael van der Vaart had one of his good days against Düsseldorf. The Dutch playmaker scored both of the goals in his side's 2-1 win over their relegation-threatened opponents. The goals included van der Vaart's first ever after a header in the Bundesliga. Hamburg's challenge for international competition is now back on.
Red card dooms Augsburg versus Gladbach
Augsburg's bid to avoid relegation took a knock after they went down to a 1-0 defeat in Mönchengladbach. Kevin Vogt (R) picked up an early red card for a professional foul on Peniel Mlapa, and the southern Germans never really recovered. Augsburg remain stuck in sixteenth place.
Stuttgart do the double on Freiburg
On Sunday, Stuttgart racked up their second win in four days over southern German rivals Freiburg. Having beaten Freiburg 2-1 in the German Cup on Wednesday, the Swabians achieved the same scoreline in the Bundesliga. The 2-1 loss means that Freiburg miss the chance to leapfrog fourth-placed Schalke in the table.
Fürth get a rare win over Nuremberg
Greuther Fürth may be heading back down to division two, but 19-year-old Johannes Geis gave fans something to cheer. The youngster blasted in a lovely goal from distance in Fürth's 1-0 victory over their local rivals. The win was only the third for Fürth in their maiden Bundesliga season.
Wolfsburg get big away win in Bremen
Eighteen-year-old Maxi Arnold has only started two Bundesliga matches, but he's scored in both of them. The youngster kick started the Wolves, who went on to down struggling Werder Bremen 3-0. The result all but secures Wolfsburg's first-division status, while Bremen still have some work to do. They're only five points clear of 16th-placed Augsburg.