Bayern try to stop the rot
Jurgen Klinsmann's bruised and battered Bayern Munich face Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday desperate to restore some respect after heavy defeats against Wolfsburg and Barcelona.
Tuesday's 4-0 rout at the Nou Camp on top of last weekend's 5-1 drubbing by Bundesliga leaders Wolfsburg has left the German giants reeling, and no place to hide.
With club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge conceding Bayern's Champions League hopes lay in tatters the aim now he said was to qualify for next season's competition.
"What I want to say is that we must now concentrate on our next match against Frankfurt on Saturday. We have to react after this second heavy defeat in a row.
"We have no more hope in the Champions League, that is obvious," he said.
"Now we have to concentrate on the Bundesliga and at least make sure of our place in this competition (for next season)."
German media are speculating on Klinsmann's future as coach after a rocky first season.
Klinsmann has come out fighting, insisting he still had control of the locker room and that his job now was to overhaul the three points Bayern trail joint-leaders Wolfsburg and Hamburg.
Victory over mid-table Frankfurt would go some way to steadying a ship that has leaked nine goals in its past two games.
Klinsmann's fourth-placed side certainly can't afford to slip up with Wolfsburg, winners of their last eight league matches, favourites to take all three points in their away trip against relegation strugglers Borussia Moenchengladbach.
Martin Jol's Hamburg, who lie second on goal difference only, face a tough assignment on Sunday at fifth-placed Stuttgart.
Hertha Berlin, one point clear of Bayern in third, will fancy their prospects of keeping the pressure on the leaders at Hanover 96, who are hovering three points above the drop zone.
Fixtures
Saturday
Borussia Moenchengladbach v Vfl Wolfsburg, Bayern Munich v Eintracht Frankfurt, Hanover 96 v Hertha Berlin, Schalke 04 v Karlsruhe, Hoffenheim v Vfl Bochum, Energie Cottbus v Arminia Bielefeld, Borussia Dortmund v FC Cologne
Sunday
Bayer Leverkusen v Werder Bremen, Stuttgart v Hamburg
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