Bavarian derby for Bayern Munich, Dortmund welcomes Hannover
BERLIN (AP) - Bayern Munich's quest for a treble in Pep Guardiola's final season in charge remains firmly on course after reaching the German Cup semifinals this week.
Next up is Augsburg for a Bavarian derby in the Bundesliga, nine days before the Champions League showdown with Juventus in Turin.
The games provide welcome distraction from the off-field issues that led to some turbulence at the club, with questions over Guardiola's ability to lead a successful campaign for Bayern while preparing for Manchester City next season, and both sporting director Matthias Sammer and chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge accusing the media of a lack of respect.
Augsburg, fighting for Bundesliga survival, is unlikely to show too much respect on Sunday. Markus Weinzierl's side was unbeaten in seven league games until last weekend's 2-1 loss at Ingolstadt left the side just two points above the relegation zone.
Tough-tackling Augsburg has committed more fouls, 320, than any other side in the league but it has also conceded the most shots on goal.
"Bayern are always going to be favorites because they are one of the best teams in the world. We have beaten them twice in the last two years but know that the timings of those matches were favorable," said Weinzierl, the only coach to have beaten Guardiola's Bayern twice in the league. "On Sunday, they will be well-prepared and highly motivated no doubt. We are, however, equally motivated and look forward to playing the underdog role. It will have to be our day."
Some things to know about the rest of the 21st round:
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DORTMUND'S CHASE: Borussia Dortmund's slip at Hertha Berlin last Saturday, when the sides played out a goalless draw, allowed Bayern the chance to go 10 points clear only for Bayer Leverkusen to hold the league-leader scoreless and preserve the eight-point gap at the top.
Dortmund's 45 points would normally be enough to be top after 20 games but few believe Bayern can be caught at this stage -- the draw in Leverkusen was only the third time Guardiola's side dropped points this season.
Dortmund is unbeaten in 2016 from three games in the league and a German Cup semifinal at Hertha to come following Tuesday's 3-1 win at Stuttgart.
Ilkay Gundogan, who was outstanding against Stuttgart, is likely to play his 100th Bundesliga game when bottom-side Hannover visits on Saturday. Hannover is on a six-game losing streak.
EUROPEAN RACE: Schalke is on a high after last weekend's 3-0 defeat of Wolfsburg lifted the side to fourth.
Next up Friday is a trip to Mainz, another side on an upward swing after two consecutive wins. Mainz's mean defense has helped -- the side has conceded just five goals in its last nine games -- and is on the verge of the European places, just three points behind Schalke.
"The race is nowhere near decided," Schalke chairman Horst Held said.
HOFFENHEIM LOSING HOPE: Huub Stevens resigned as coach of Hoffenheim due to heart issues, leaving the side five points off the relegation-playoff place and seven points from safety with little cause for optimism ahead of the trip to Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Though Bremen occupies the relegation-playoff place, it has showed improvement recently and is on a high after reaching the German Cup semifinals, where a trip to Bayern awaits.
Julian Nagelsmann was appointed Stevens's replacement on Thursday, when the 28-year-old became the youngest-ever coach in the Bundesliga.
WOLFSBURG WORRIES: Champions League participant Wolfsburg is in crisis after seven games without a win, the Volkswagen-backed club's worst run under coach Dieter Hecking. The European qualification places are slipping away.
Hecking's side hosts Ingolstadt on Saturday, no easy task as the visitors have conceded just 21 goals. The promoted side has two wins from its three games in 2016 and appears well-placed to survive its first season in the top flight.
"We had a brilliant opening half to the season and are coming closer to our goal of having a quiet season," striker Moritz Hartmann said.