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Sports

Hamburg hopes to take advantage of reeling Bayern

By Sports Network
Published | Updated

Hamburg, Germany (SportsNetwork.com) - Hamburg's status as the only club in Germany to take part in every Bundesliga season is under threat, and the team faces a big challenge on Saturday with a home match against champions Bayern Munich.

But Mirko Slomka's men will be hoping that Bayern brings a deflated mood into the contest and that his team can take advantage of the Bavarians indifference.

Bayern wrapped up the Bundesliga title weeks ago, and the club is licking its wounds after a heavy 4-0 defeat to Real Madrid in the Champions League semifinals on Tuesday.

With little incentive, Bayern can't be expected to be the dominant force it was for much of the season, and Hamburg is hoping to take advantage.

Hamburg is currently 16th in the Bundesliga table and occupies the relegation playoff spot.

However, Nurnberg is just one point back and last-place Braunschweig is within two points, so both sides will be eager to take advantage of a Hamburg slip.

Stuttgart is one place above Hamburg but five points clear, so Hamburg's best chance at avoiding relegation will be to maintain 16th place and play a two- legged playoff against the third-place team from the second tier.

Hamburg enters the match on a three-game losing streak and the club will close out its campaign next weekend at Mainz.

Nurnberg hopes to get itself into 16th with a home win against Hannover, while Braunschweig entertains Augsburg.

At the other end of the table, Borussia Dortmund needs a point to clinch second place and will host Hoffenheim, while third-place Schalke can secure a Champions League spot with a win at Freiburg.

The race for fourth place continues to heat up and Bayer Leverkusen enters the weekend one point clear of fifth-place Wolfsburg.

Leverkusen will visits Eintracht this weekend and Wolfsburg also hits the road to face Stuttgart, which can secure its place in the Bundesliga for next season with a win.

Monchengladbach's European hopes can be boosted with a win over Mainz, while Werder Bremen and Hertha Berlin tangle at the Weserstadion.