A third successive Bundesliga title could be clinched this weekend when leaders Bayern Munich host Hertha Berlin at the Allianz Arena.
Despite being forced to rely on results elsewhere to secure the triumph, Bayern can do their part by claiming a win over a side eyeing a late bid for a top-half finish.
Bayern Munich
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It has been a dramatic week for Pep Guardiola, his players and Bayern's followers, and they were in the headlines for the right reasons on Tuesday evening as they stormed to a 6-1 victory over Porto in the second leg of their Champions League quarter-final.
A stunning performance which saw Bayern score five goals inside the opening 45 minutes came less than a week after Guardiola's side had lost 3-1 in Portugal and parted company with the team doctor, who suggested that he had been blamed for the recent injury crisis at the club.
Recovering in such emphatic fashion should hand a boost to Bayern, who have won nine of their last 10 Bundesliga games to move to the brink of wrapping up a third successive title.
The Bavarian club need to achieve a better result against Hertha than Wolfsburg manage when they meet Borussia Monchengladbach on Sunday evening to secure title success once again, and Guardiola will be hopeful that the triumph can be confirmed as quickly as possible.
Winning the title may have been an inevitability for a number of weeks, but securing it with four games remaining will allow Bayern to focus their efforts elsewhere as they look to keep their treble bid alive.
A DFB-Pokal semi-final against Borussia Dortmund awaits them on Tuesday evening and all eyes will be on the Champions League semi-finals when their opponent is named, so the pressure to maintain the momentum will be vital for Guardiola and his players.
Recent form: WWLWWW
Recent form (all competitions): WDWLWW
Hertha Berlin
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In a season filled with highs and lows, Hertha supporters may finally feel that now is the time to relax as the threat of relegation from the Bundesliga fades away.
Pal Dardai's side appeared to be in serious trouble just a couple of months back as they struggled to collect points, but their resilience has been clear in recent weeks and they are edging closer to safety with five league games remaining in the season.
A run of seven matches without a loss has moved Hertha up to 13th in the table, seven points clear of 16th-placed Paderborn, and another couple of positive results should clinch their Bundesliga spot for another season.
However, with games against Borussia Monchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund to follow in the next couple of weeks, it could be their recent fine run which Dardai looks back on as the most important stage of the campaign.
Continuing their impressive run of results against the champions elect is a difficult task for Hertha, but with confidence high in the Hertha squad, they will be hopeful of causing an upset.
Recent form: DDWWDD
Team News
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Despite getting back on track with an excellent performance in midweek, Bayern's injury list remains a lengthy one and they will still be without Arjen Robben at the weekend.
Robben is recovering from an abdominal problem and is not expected to be available for selection for another two weeks, while Javi Martinez is closing in on a return from a knee injury after training with his teammates earlier this week.
Bastian Schweinsteiger should be involved after being an unused substitute against Porto, but it remains unclear whether Franck Ribery will be fit enough to play following his own injury troubles.
Hertha have no new injury concerns to worry about, but Jens Hegeler could be handed a recall in place of Nico Schulz as they look to move a step closer to safety.
Bayern Munich possible starting lineup:
Neuer, Lahm, Boateng, Dante, Bernat, Schweinsteiger, Thiago, Rode, Gotze, Lewandowski, Muller
Hertha Berlin possible starting lineup:
Kraft, Langkamp, Pekarik, Plattenhardt, Brooks, Skjelbred, Lustenberger, Stocker, Hegeler, Haraguchi, Kalou
Head To Head
Robben scored the only goal of the game to give Bayern all three points in the reverse fixture back in November, and it was a familiar feeling for Hertha, who have struggled to cause an upset in recent years.
Bayern have won the last seven league games against Hertha, and the team from the capital have only recorded one victory in the previous 22 games between the two sides.
We say: Bayern Munich 3-0 Hertha Berlin
Bayern will be full of confidence after their Champions League heroics in midweek, and despite taking on a side who have impressed in the battle against relegation in recent weeks, Guardiola's men should move a step closer to the title with a comfortable win.
Callum Mulvihill
