Hoffenheim – which only qualified for the play-off after a remarkable 2-1 win at Bundesliga runners-up Borussia Dortmund on the last day of the regular season – started superbly in front of its home fans at the Wirsol Rhein-Neckar Arena.

Brazilian Roberto Firmino fired Hoffenheim in front after just 11 minutes, converting Bosnian Sejad Salihovic's assist.

And Firmino doubled his account just before the half-hour mark as Hoffenheim carried a two-goal advantage into the half-time break.

Kaiserslautern – which were relegated from the Bundesliga in 2012 – claimed a lifeline through Cameroon forward Mohammadou Idrissou.

Idrissou's 18th goal of the league season was scored 13 minutes into the second half and energised the visitor.

But a substitution from Hoffenheim coach Markus Gisdol changed the course of the match, as Sven Schipplock bagged the sealer in the 67th minute.

Schipplock had been on the pitch for just two minutes but his strike restored Hoffenheim's two-goal cushion, a lead it will carry into the second leg at the Fritz-Walter Stadion in Kaiserslautern on Monday (Tuesday AEST).

The striker, who had been on loan from Bayern Munich, scored 11 goals in the Bundesliga last season and was delighted to secure a long-term deal with the side.

"This is the news I've been waiting for, now I am very happy that everything turned out the way I liked it," he told the club's website.

"I am highly motivated for the new season. I want to help so we again make a big step forward."

Petersen first caught the eye after scoring 35 goals in 56 league games for Energie Cottbus before Bayern came calling.

The German found opportunities limited with the Bavarians, making just nine Bundesliga appearances in 2011.

This led to a loan spell with Werder, which has been impressed with his contribution since his arrival.

"We are very pleased that Nils will spend the coming years with Werder, hunting for goals," said club chief executive Thomas Gauge.

"He has shown in the past season he fits perfectly here. We are sure he still has huge potential and will develop, and will continue to be a strong pillar of the team."

The Bundesliga club announced both parties agreed to end their partnership after a majority of the club's board failed to back the Dane for a contract extension.

Hamburg said on its website that the decision was based on financial considerations and differing views for the club over the long term, adding that the "sporting performance of our team this season is a success of his work".

Hamburg finished seventh in the Bundesliga, just missing out on European qualification.

Ex-Hannover sporting director Joerg Schmadtke and former Wolfsburg, Bayern and Schalke coach Felix Magath are possible candidates to replace Arnesen.

The 56-year-old Arnesen joined Hamburg in 2011, signing a three-year deal after fulfilling a similar role at Chelsea, which he joined from London rival Tottenham Hotspur in 2005.

Hamburg, the only side to have played every season in the top division since the Bundesliga was formed in 1963, was close to relegation in Arnesen's first season when he was forced to coach the side briefly after Michael Oenning was fired.

The most recent season was better for Hamburg but frustrating nonetheless, with home and away wins over Borussia Dortmund offset by a humiliating 9-2 loss at Bayern Munich.

Arnesen is a former Danish international who played for Ajax, Valencia, Anderlecht and PSV Eindhoven.

He won the European Cup in 1988 with PSV.

His managerial career began in 1991 as assistant coach to Bobby Robson at Eindhoven.

He rose to sporting director of the club in 1994, staying for 10 years before beginning his career in England.

The 20-year-old attacking midfielder has lost his battle to be fit for what would have been his last game for the club ahead of his €37million ($49million) move to Bayern.

Gotze suffered a hamstring injury in the semi-final second-leg against Real Madrid and suffered a setback in his recovery when he had to cut short his first training session back with the team.

"The final was my big goal and I've been working really hard over the last few weeks," Gotze said.

"I'm really sorry I won't be able to help the team in such an important game, but I believe in the squad and of course I'll be travelling to London to support the lads from the sidelines."

The 24-year-old was operated on by renowned knee specialist Dr Richard Steadman in Colorado on Monday.

A club statement said: "Due to extensive ruptures, the player's cruciate ligament is no longer functional and was removed. Before the cruciate can be reconstructed using a surgical tissue graft replacement, the incisions and holes from the original op must heal completely.

"Until then, Holger Badstuber will maintain his physical fitness in sports rehab. The doctors in charge of the case estimate the player will be fit again in around 10 months. The injury is not career-threatening."

Badstuber last week suffered his second cruciate ligament rupture this season, having only returned to training following the initial injury in December.

The 24-year-old, who is fighting to shake off an ankle injury to allow him to face his former club Bayern Munich at Wembley, has been linked with a move to Barcelona and even back to Bayern in the northern summer.

However, he has pledged his future to Dortmund by telling Kicker magazine that he will still be wearing a yellow and black shirt next season.

"I've not had any contact with Barcelona or any other club," he said.

"I don't think it's my duty to dismiss rumours which other people invent.

"If there was to be any truth in them, I would say so. If I say that there is nothing behind the speculation, then people should believe me."

When asked whether Saturday will be his last game for Dortmund, Hummels replied: "Of course not."

Hummels joined Dortmund from Bayern in 2008 after making just a single appearance for the Bavarian side, in the 5-2 win over Mainz on the final day of the 2006/07 season.

His initial loan spell with the Westphalian outfit was made permanent in 2009 and he has been an almost ever-present since.

The 24-year-old moved to Old Trafford from Dortmund last northern summer, but has been far from a first-team regular and even then has often had to play out of position.

The departure of Kagawa is part of a pattern for Dortmund coach Klopp, who this season has seen Mario Gotze agree to join UEFA Champions League final opponent Bayern Munich, with Robert Lewandowski looking likely to follow.

Klopp told the Guardian: "Shinji Kagawa is one of the best players in the world and he now plays 20 minutes at Manchester United - on the left wing! My heart breaks. Really, I have tears in my eyes. Central midfield is Shinji's best role. He's an offensive midfielder with one of the best noses for goal I ever saw.

"But for most Japanese people it means more to play for Man United than Dortmund. We cried for 20 minutes, in each others' arms, when he left.

"One year before that Nuri Sahin went because Real Madrid is the biggest club in the world. If players are patient enough we can develop the team into one of the biggest in the world."

His side's run to the Champions League final has brought Klopp to the attention of some of the world's biggest clubs, but for now he is happy at Dortmund.

He said: "In this moment I don't think of anything else.

"If I went to many clubs now and said: 'Hello - bring me offers', maybe some would start running. But I'm not interested because, for me, this is the most interesting football project in the world.

"In three or four years, if someone wants me, we can speak. But, for now, this is the best place for me."

The Germany international has missed the second half of the season after tearing his ligaments back in December and his recovery suffered a setback when he tore the very same ligaments in training.

He had only commenced light work at the end of April and now must undergo surgery once again, meaning another break of up to six months.

"Of course we will give him all the time in the world to get healthy again," said Sammer.

"We are optimistic. I am certain that he will come back stronger than ever."

The 24-year-old will go under the knife in Colorado this week in the clinic of renowned surgeon Dr Richard Steadman.

His last appearance was in a 1-1 draw with Borussia Dortmund on 2 December.

A 12-game winless streak cost Fortuna dearly as it went down after a 3-0 defeat to Hannover on the final day of the league season, but Meier, who took charge of the club in 2008, is likely to be given the chance to lead them back up again.

"Norbert Meier has a contract until 2014 and we have no intention, either today or tomorrow, of making any other decision, contrary to reports," the club's president Peter Freymuth said.

"There is not going to be any knee-jerk reaction."

Freymuth will hold talks with Meier and the club's director of sport Wolf Werner in the coming days to resolve the coach's future and he understands the calls for a change to be made.

"That's perfectly normal," he said. "When you only get nine points in the second half of the season, then there is bound to be lots of discussion and criticism.

"You have just got to live with that."

And Meier says he has no intention of abandoning a sinking ship.

"Fortuna is far more for me than just a football club," he is quoted as telling sport.de.

"When you see the fans here and experience this, then that (resigning) does not even cross your mind."

The 28-year-old spent the 2011-12 season on loan at the Spanish club, winning the Europa League with them before returning to Wolfsburg this season.

His contract with the Wolves still has a year left to run on it and he is keen to find out whether he will be remaining in the Bundesliga or going back to Spain next season.

"It's important for my mind and for the preparations for next season," he told reporters after Saturday's 2-2 draw at Eintracht Frankfurt.

"The president and coach of Atletico have both told me that they want me and I have a concrete offer.

"We now just have to talk to Wolfsburg and see what's best."

The Bundesliga club will listen to offers, but is not ruling out extending his contract instead.

"Anybody who saw Diego playing today can understand that we will receive offers for him," said its coach Dieter Hecking.

"Out of respect for Diego, we will listen to everything, but I cannot imagine us selling him, unless an offer is so good that we can't turn it down."

Diego scored 10 goals for the Wolves this season, setting up a further eight.

The 26-year-old, who has made 19 appearances for Japan, is the capital city club's third new signing since it won the second division title and automatic promotion.

Hosogai joined Bayer from Urawa Red Diamonds in January 2011 and was immediately loaned out to Augsburg, but made 17 appearances for Leverkusen this season, mostly starting at right or left-back.

He joins left-back Johannes van den Bergh, from Fortuna Dusseldorf, and centre-back Sebastian Langkamp from Augsburg as Hertha's new signings.

Officers were attacked with bottles and flagpoles outside the stadium after striker Didier Ya Konan's two goals sealed Fortuna's defeat.

With Hoffenheim earning a shock 2-1 win at Borussia Dortmund, the defeat meant automatic relegation for Dusseldorf, which had gone into the final round of games outside of the bottom three.

Ten officers were hurt in the rioting and two were unable to continue their duties due to their injuries, while two of the 19 arrests were for breach of the peace.

The other arrests were for various offences including breach of the Explosives Act after flares were set off by Fortuna fans inside the stadium during the game.

Needing only a draw to remain ahead of its opponents and take a place in the Champions League play-off round, Jens Keller's side prevailed, with a little luck, to fulfil its objective for the season.

Schalke was out of the running for a top-four finish when Huub Stevens was relieved of his duties just before Christmas.

Keller took over and last week was given a contract for the next two seasons, yet Heldt did not appear overly impressed with the season.

"For many people, what's important is winning the derby (against Borussia Dortmund), while others are desperate for us to play in the Champions League," he said.

"Everybody has their own criteria of success. I think we've done all right.

"I would have preferred a higher league position - we finished third last season.

"Of course fourth is very, very important. I'm just going to enjoy the day and then we can look back on the season next week."

Captain Benedikt Howedes was rather more upbeat, telling the club website: "I think after a season like this, we can certainly celebrate with a few cold beverages."

Freiburg coach Christian Streich saw his team, which was expected to battle relegation, finish fifth and qualify for the Europa League, but he too was not satisfied.

"We made too many individual errors and conceded two goals because of it," he said.

"I cannot be happy about us finishing fifth because we've lost a game we should not have lost."

Fortuna Dusseldorf went down 3-0 at Hannover to finish the season second bottom of the table, with its two relegation rivals both ending their campaigns with victories.

Mame Diouf put Hannover ahead in the 36th minute and Didier Ya Konan put the result beyond doubt with a second-half double.

The visitor could not muster any sort of response - with Bayer Leverkusen-bound Socceroos attacker Robie Kruse introduced in the 68th minute - as a fifth straight defeat, and eighth in 10 league games, condemned it to an immediate return to the second tier.

Hoffenheim, which started the day two points behind Dusseldorf, scored two late goals to win 2-1 at UEFA Champions League finalist Borussia Dortmund and make the relegation play-off.

Things looked bleak for the visitor when Robert Lewandowski put Dortmund ahead after six minutes, but Sejad Salihovic equalised with a penalty in the 77th minute.

Three minutes later Dortmund goalkeeper Roman Weidenfeller saw red for bringing down Sven Schipplock when he was through on goal and, with no substitutions left, winger Kevin Grosskreutz went in goal for the resulting penalty.

Salihovic took it again, and scored again, to complete the comeback.

Hoffenheim now faces Kaiserslautern, which came third in the second tier, in a two-legged play-off for the right to stay in the Bundesliga.

Augsburg guaranteed its top-flight status with a 3-1 win at home to relegated Greuther Furth, a result that lifted them out of the bottom three for the first time all season.

Tobias Werner put the host ahead after 30 minutes after Edgar Prib had seen a penalty saved at the other end, and Jan-Ingwer Callsen-Bracker made it two 10 minutes after the break.

Florian Trinks made things nervous for Augsburg by halving the deficit just after the hour mark, but Ji Dong-won allowed it to breathe easy with a third 15 minutes from time.

Schalke took the fourth and final Champions League place by winning what was effectively a play-off with Freiburg 2-1.

Julian Draxler put the Royal Blues ahead after 20 minutes and, even though Jonathan Schmid levelled in the 54th minute, Julian Schuster's own goal three minutes later handed victory to Schalke.

Eintracht Frankfurt joined Freiburg in the Europa League thanks to a 2-2 draw with Wolfsburg meaning Hamburg missed out as they lost to third-placed Bayer Leverkusen.

Things looked worrying for Eintracht when it fell 2-0 down inside 20 minutes thanks to goals from Jan Polak and Diego.

But the Wolves had Makoto Hasebe sent off in the 35th minute and Alexander Meier immediately pulled one back from the spot before Ricardo Rodriguez's last-minute own goal earned them a draw.

Bayer Leverkusen also went down to 10 men before the break, Michal Kadlec seeing red in the 39th minute, but it won it 1-0 against Hamburg in the last minute thanks to Stefan Kiessling's goal.

Champion Bayern Munich recovered from conceding three times in the opening 10 minutes to win 4-3 at Borussia Monchengladbach, with Franck Ribery scoring twice.

Goals from Martin Stranzl and Mike Hanke had Gladbach two up after five minutes and, even though Javi Martinez pulled one back two minutes later, Havard Nordtveit made it 3-1 with only 10 minutes gone.

Ribery got Bayern's second in the 18th minute and then equalised in the 53rd minute.

And Arjen Robben got the winner six minutes later to earn Bayern victory.

Werder Bremen ended a miserable season, which earlier this week cost Thomas Schaaf his job, with a 3-2 loss at Nurnberg.

Kevin De Bruyne put Bremen in front after 37 minutes, but goals in the final 30 minutes from Per Nilsson, Sebastian Polter and Tomas Pekhart turned the game around.

De Bruyne got a second in the 89th minute, but it was too little too late.

Stuttgart draw 2-2 at home with Mainz.

Chinedu Ede put Mainz ahead in the 16th minute, but goalkeeper Christian Wetklo's own goal six minutes later made it 1-1.

Arthur Boka then gave Stuttgart the lead just after the half-hour mark, only for Nicolai Muller's goal shortly before half-time to make it 2-2.

Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp revealed it would be "tight" whether the defender, who was so impressive in the semi-final second leg against Real Madrid, would be fit for the meeting with Bayern Munich at Wembley.

"His ankle is a bit swollen. There is a chance for Wembley, but it will be tight," Klopp told the Dortmund website.

There was better news regarding Bayern-bound Mario Gotze, though, who suffered a hamstring tear at the Bernabeu.

The club said it looked "good" for the 20-year-old, who will resume full training on Tuesday.

The Germany international had returned to training after initially tearing the cruciate in his right knee against Borussia Dortmund in December last year.

But while his team-mates were concluding their title-winning Bundesliga season with a 4-3 away win over Borussia Monchengladbach, Badstuber was reeling from the news of a fresh rupture that will require additional surgery.

Bayern director of sport Matthias Sammer told the club's website: "Obviously, we'll give him all the time in the world to get fit. We're optimistic. I'm confident he'll be back, stronger than ever."

"A possible transfer is not a subject up for discussion at the moment," the 24-year-old told Polish news channel TVN 24.

"There are two games left this season and I want to concentrate on those. I think everything will be clear after that."

Dortmund hosts Hoffenheim in its final Bundesliga match of the season on Saturday, then takes on Bayern Munich at Wembley on May 25 in the Champions League final.

Lewandowski has a contract with Borussia until June 2014, but after he turned down an extension, Dortmund set a deadline for prospective offers, which passed on Wednesday.

Coach Jurgen Klopp says he expects Lewandowski will be in his squad for next season.

The Poland star has scored 23 goals in 30 league games this season, plus ten in the Champions League, including four in the semi-final against Real Madrid.

The 30-year-old has been on loan at the Whites this season, becoming a key part of manager Martin Jol's side.

The right back has made 34 league appearances and represented Germany twice during his career.

The 32-year-old former Germany international will hang up his boots after Saturday's (Sunday AEST) trip to Freiburg.

"I am just being honest with myself and I feel that I am no longer physically able to play consistently at this level," he said.

"And after 13 years, the fire inside me, which is necessary for this job, has burnt out."

Metzelder ends a career that saw him wear the colours of Schalke's local rival Borussia Dortmund and Spanish giant Real Madrid, while he also pulled on a Germany shirt 47 times.

"I look back with gratitude on a fantastic career," he said on his current club's website.

"I passed my A-levels when I was 19 and, two weeks later, I was making my debut in the Bundesliga, and I was capped for the first time just a year after.

"When I look back, I see nothing which could have gone any better. Even the injuries were part of my story."

Metzelder missed a full year due to an Achilles tendon problem while his three seasons in Spain were blighted by knocks and niggles.

"I was very close to having to end my career back then - I still have a letter from my health insurance company declaring I was unable to play sport again," he said.

"I was only 23, but I fought my way back and experienced many great years, including participating in the 2006 World Cup and Euro 2008."

Reaching the semi-finals of the World Cup on home turf seven years ago remains the stand-out moment for the centre-half.

"That is the highlight of my career," he said. "Those seven weeks, from the first training camp with Jurgen Klinsmann in Sardinia to the reception in front of a million fans in front of the Brandenburg Gate was the greatest time I ever experienced as a professional footballer.

"It was amazing and certainly none of us will ever forget it. I wrote a diary at the time and maybe I should publish it sooner or later."

Metzelder will have plenty of time to do that after this weekend, although he will be kept busy with other ventures, including commentating and charity work.

"I am going to join Sky (Television) as an expert for Bundesliga and Champions League games," he said.

"In addition to that, my Christoph Metzelder foundation takes a lot of my attention and I invest a lot of time in that.

"Our work for disadvantaged children is more important than ever and it is something which has a prominent place in my heart."

Schaaf has spent his entire footballing career at the Weserstadion, overseeing some of its greatest successes as both a player and coach.

However, Werder has stagnated in the last couple of years under the 52-year-old and they will finish a disappointing 14th in the Bundesliga this season, irrespective of the outcome of Saturday's final round of fixtures.

"We have analysed, as announced in recent days, our sports development and have come to the conclusion that we want a fresh start," general manager Thomas Eichin told the club's official website.

"We thank Thomas for everything he brought to Werder Bremen in more than 40 years of belonging to the club as a player and coach.

"The club celebrated excellent sporting success with him and he characterised Werder."

Schaaf first joined the north west club in 1972, when he was just 11 years old, as part of its youth academy before turning professional six years later.

The former defender would go on to make nearly 300 appearances for Werder, with whom he won the Bundesliga title twice, the DFB-Pokal three times as well as the UEFA Cup Winners' Cup in the 1991-92 season.

He started his coaching career while still carrying out his duties as a player, taking charge of Werder's youth teams.

Schaaf was then given the top job on May 9 1999, succeeding Felix Magath, and guided them to a league and cup double five years later.

Before Wednesday's announcement, he was the longest-serving manager in the Bundesliga but has endured a frustrating time recently, with Werder currently in the midst of a 12-game winless run.

It was in danger of being sucked into a relegation battle on the final day of the season but a 1-1 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt last time out has ensured its top-flight status.

"I had an extraordinary time here, connected with a lot of positive experiences and great successes. I would like to thank everyone who accompanied me along the way and supported me. I wish Werder Bremen a successful future," Schaaf said.

Assistant coaches Wolfgang Rolff and Matthias Honerbach will take charge of Werder for its final game of the season at Nurnberg this weekend.

The striker's contract was due to expire in the northern summer of 2014, but he has now penned a fresh deal until 2017 with the Bundesliga club.

"I feel settled in Hanover and at this club. My next aim it to be a regular starter at the club," Sobiech told the club's official website.

"It's important for my development that I get more game time so I can also push for more international call-ups."

The 22-year-old came to the AWD-Arena in 2011 from Polonia Warsaw and while he has only scored six times in 37 league matches, he is clearly viewed as part of Hannover boss Mirko Slomka's future plans.

"Artur gives you everything you expect from a quality striker: goal-scoring instinct, assertiveness and athleticism," said sporting director Dirk Dufner.

"This early contract extension is a sign of our faith in him. I'm delighted that he will be a long-term part of the club."

Slomka added: "His potential and his attitude is outstanding. Artur has proved over the last two years, mostly as a substitute, that we can rely on him."

Red Devils boss Sir Alex Ferguson confirmed over the weekend that Rooney had made a transfer request, heightening speculation over the England international's future.

Of potential foreign destinations, German champion Bayern has been the club most heavily linked with Rooney's services, but Sammer has moved to play down such talk.

"I don't know what Rooney would bring to the Bundesliga," Sammer is quoted by the Daily Telegraph as having said at the pre-UEFA Champions League final media day. "I can't answer that.

"I can answer that we have great respect for Wayne Rooney, but there has been no contact with him.

"He's not on the agenda. No, no. Absolutely not."

The 'Kiwi Messi' links up with his new Stuttgart team-mates on 21 June for pre-season training carrying a weight of expectation from his domestic deeds in Australia - but also imbued with a healthy dose of realism.

Rojas, 21 - also the A-League's Young Player of the Year - admitted that a massive learning curve lies ahead as he seeks to emulate the likes of another former Melbourne Victory export, Robbie Kruse.

The Australia star has sealed a dream move to Bayer Leverkusen next season but is currently embroiled in a tense relegation battle with Fortuna Dusseldorf after a breakout Bundesliga season.

"I'm going to have to lift to another level because there's no doubt the Bundesliga is a big step up from the A-League," said Rojas, who struck 15 goals and conjured nine assists for a Victory side which fell at the last hurdle in its bid to reach the A-League grand final.

"I am trying to improve almost every part of my game and I think Germany will be a great place to do that.

"Although there was interest from a few clubs out there (two in particular from the English Premier League), I came to the decision that Stuttgart would be the best place for me to develop as a player.

"I want to go there and ultimately make a difference. That's my ambition but I know there's a lot of hard work ahead."

Rojas is taking inspiration from Kruse, adding: "You look at how well Robbie Kruse has done at Fortuna, and there's also Mitch Langerak when he's been given the chance (to play in goal) at Borussia Dortmund.

"It shows with good coaching, hard work, desire and the right attitude you can make great strides anywhere if you have the talent.

"I plan to rise to challenge ahead of me. Robbie Kruse has done it and he's set a great example.

"When you see the A-League producing players who get a shot at playing overseas, it shows that the competition is growing and maturing and it gives a lot of belief and confidence to players coming through that they can achieve a lot in the game."

Though he always dreamed of one day playing in one of Europe's leading leagues, Rojas - who has signed a four-year deal with Stuttgart - insisted he was happy at Victory and would have been content to remain under the wing of coach Ange Postecoglou had overseas interest in him not become impossible to ignore.

"I feel I learned a lot under Ange and he's one of those coaches who tend to bring out the best in his players," said the darting and diminutive danger man whose penchant for the spectacular set him apart from many of his A-League peers.

"I enjoyed my time there and I liked the style of football we played. I wasn't necessarily looking to leave and really didn't give it too much thought but when a few clubs started to show some serious interest it then became hard to ignore and I am glad the opportunity has arrived.

"I think Stuttgart is going to be the right fit. In my dealings with the club, all I've got are good vibes and I am really excited about going over there and trying to make an impression."

The 68-year-old will make way at the Allianz Arena for Pep Guardiola in the northern summer and said this weekend's match at Borussia Monchengladbach would be his last in the Bundesliga.

It will be followed by the UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley and the DFB-Pokal final against Stuttgart as Heynckes, who said he was no longer interested in coaching abroad, looks to sign off with a treble.

"For me it will not be an easy game on Saturday, not a normal game," he told reporters.

"It will be my last Bundesliga game as coach. I grew up in Monchengladbach. It is a good game to prepare for Wembley."

Heynckes has also coached in Spain with Real Madrid, Athletic Bilbao and Tenerife and in Portugal with Benfica.

He added: "If I was 10 or 15 years younger I would think again about a position abroad. But I have to bear in mind that I am no longer the youngest.

"Clubs want generational change - you naturally don't get that with a 68-year-old."

Bayern winger Arjen Robben has also been linked with an exit, with that speculation intensifying after the signing of Mario Gotze, who will join from Dortmund in the northern summer.

Robben was linked with Manchester City in reports in Germany, but when asked about his future he said: "I am not concerned with that, there are always so many rumours.

"I still have two years on my contract. Why should I go?

"I have shown in the last games that I can play my part at Bayern. That is the most important thing for me."

Bayern, already Bundesliga champion, will bid for European glory on 25 May.

The Bavarian giant has played in, and lost, two of the last three finals, most recently losing on penalties to Chelsea in its own stadium last May.

And attacking midfielder Thomas Muller admitted this time Bayern had to come away victorious.

"The spice is there in the final," he said. "I like spice. There is a lot at stake for both sides, which makes it fun, right?

"But seriously, it's high time we won the thing. If you have lost three times, then you have the stamp of a loser and not without justification - but no one wants that."

Robben added: "It is nice to play in a final. But now we also have to win one. Last year was a huge disappointment. Now we have improved again."

Robben also revealed he was looking forward to returning to Wembley, having won the FA Cup there with Chelsea in 2007.

"We are all looking forward to Wembley," he added. "I know the stadium. I played there in an FA Cup final for Chelsea. There is no better atmosphere than in Wembley. The atmosphere there is unique."

In an accusation which is bound to heighten tension between the two sides in the lead-up to their clash in the UEFA Champions League final at Wembley on 26 May (AEST), Watzke said Bayern actively seeks to poach the best players from its main rivals to weaken them.

"I think Bayern have followed the same calculated scheme for many years, which is to weaken the competition," Watzke said.

Dortmund is reportedly on the hunt for a replacement for its star attacking midfielder Mario Gotze, who stunned his club in April with the revelation he had activated a clause in his contract to join Bayern in a move that prompted a grim warning from Watzke.

"We reckon on more attacks from Munich," he said.

Gotze joins the likes of Brazilian defender Dante, who joined Bayern from Borussia Moenchengladbach and Germany goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, who left Schalke 04 for the Bavarian club.

"It's Bayern Munich's strategy to not only strengthen their own team, but to also directly weaken their direct rivals," he said.

"Dortmund are the main competition. So there is a clear strategy."

Striker Karl Del'Haye's transfer to Bayern brought the alleged practice to light. Arriving from Moenchengladbach in 1980, he was benched behind Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and Dieter Hoeness.

Rising Germany star Jan Schlaudraff was signed from Aachen in 2007 to stop him going to rival Werder Bremen.

Schlaudraff only made eight league appearances in the 2007-08 season before Bayern sold him to Hanover and he was never called up to the national squad again.

"You have to show sometimes that no one can hold a candle to FC Bayern," Hoeness said at the time as the Bavarian club also lured Germany striker Miroslav Klose from Bremen, which kept Schlaudraff on the bench.

Before then ex-Germany captain Michael Ballack and Brazil's Ze Roberto were snapped up from the Bayer Leverkusen team which reached the 2002 UCL final.

Days before the Goetze deal came to light, Hoeness made some poorly-timed comments calling for 'solidarity' in the Bundesliga so that the German league avoids a "Spanish experience" where two teams, Barcelona and Real Madrid, tend to dominate.

Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has said he fears more of a "Scottish experience" in Germany, after Celtic, shorn of traditional rival Rangers, romped to its 44th title this season.

"I just hope we can get a piece of the pie in future," Klopp said after Dortmund finished second this season, having won the 2010-2011 and 2011-2012 league titles.

In february 2012 Bayern Munich president Uli Hoeness defended his club's policy saying: "Honestly, it's not our intent to weaken other teams."

Recently he echoed that sentiment in Sport Bild: "We have done that a few times in the past, but it's a side issue now."

The only obstacle to the move is Bremen's asking price, but Leverkusen's general manager Wolfgang Holzhauser still hopes to negotiate a deal this northern summer.

"We want Sokratis and we're not making any secret about it," he said. "We are very far down the line, even with the player.

"We just have to negotiate with Werder because their demands are still too high for us."

Negotiations with Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne are not at such an advanced stage, however.

Leverkusen is keen on the Belgian, who has spent the season on loan at Werder Bremen, as part of a deal which could see Andre Schurrle join the Blues, but Holzhauser says the negotiations are currently on ice.

"Chelsea have always told us that he should go out on loan, but a decision will be taken when the new Chelsea coach is appointed," Holzhauser told the Bild newspaper.

Bayern lifted its 23rd domestic league title aloft on Saturday and, with one game of the season remaining, the Bundesliga is slowly losing appeal and significance to the London finalists.

Dortmund has already secured second spot and its place in the Champions League next season and both sides are likely to field weakened sides next Saturday.

Their priorities now are Wembley and, for Bayern, the chance to win the second trophy of a potential treble, and for Dortmund, the opportunity to win silverware for a third season running.

The fifth meeting between the two sides this season is going to be the most important of them all, and Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp believes there is nothing to choose between them.

"The difference between Bayern and us is not so great that I would not be confident about us being that little bit better in the final," he told Kicker magazine.

"We know that we are good. We also know that we've got to perform to our very, very best if we are to beat Bayern."

After getting the better of the Bavarians in the past two seasons, winning back-to-back Bundesliga titles and the DFB-Pokal last season, Dortmund has seen Bayern wrestle back superiority this season.

Victory in the pre-season German Supercup was followed by two draws in the league and a 1-0 win in the quarter-finals of the DFB-Pokal.

It has also impressed in Europe, eliminating the likes of Arsenal, Juventus and Barcelona on the way to the final, but Klopp still believes that, over 90 or 120 minutes in London, his side has nothing to fear.

"We are uncomfortable opponents for anybody on this planet," he said.

And Klopp plans to make it an uncomfortable few weeks for Bayern too by "reminding them now and again that it has lost one or two big finals" in recent years.

The 21-year-old Denmark international has caught the eye of clubs across Europe with his performances this season, with Liverpool and Dortmund among those courting the player.

With just a year remaining on his contract, Ajax is set to cash in on Eriksen this summer and he admits he is tempted by a move to Germany.

"Dortmund are a club where I would like to play," he told De Telegraaf. "I think I would be a good fit there with the football there.

"Dortmund play nice, attacking football. The Bundesliga has never really been my preferred choice and a few years ago I would not even have considered it, but now I do.

"The competition is getting stronger and it is no coincidence the two Champions League finalists are German clubs.

"I know there has been contact between the two clubs, and both Ajax and Dortmund have already talked to my agent.

"I will consider all the clubs and quietly make a decision. I want clarity when preparing for the new season, that's the best thing - for everyone."

Eriksen is being lined up by Dortmund as a replacement for Mario Gotze, who will join Bayern Munich at the end of the season.

Frankfurt lie two points ahead of Hamburg and, taking into account its significantly superior goal difference compared to its rivals, realistically need just a draw from its final game against Wolfsburg to clinch sixth spot.

Hamburg, meanwhile, need to beat Bayer Leverkusen to stand any chance of snatching a place in the Europa League.

Despite the odds being against his side, Fink is in bullish mood heading into the final round.

"We have a lot to gain, but nothing to lose," he is quoted as saying in the Bild newspaper.

"Frankfurt need to get at least a draw against Wolfsburg and that is psychologically difficult.

"For us, the situation is easier. Furthermore, Wolfsburg are no easy opponents at the moment."

Defender Marcell Jansen added: "We've got to do our own job first and win this tough game."

Effenberg had been linked with the record German champions after another potential employer, Schalke, extended the contract of its head coach Jens Keller at the weekend.

However, Bayern's director of sport Matthias Sammer says Effenberg has turned down the offer.

"I am and was always in contact with Stefan," he told Sport1 television. "In the talks we held, it became clear that this is not what he wants to do.

"I certainly cannot imagine him coaching our reserve team in the fourth division."

Effenberg, who has completed studying for a coaching badge, has made it clear he would be keen on starting his coaching career in the Bundesliga next season.

Rode has an agreement to join Bundesliga champion Bayern Munich at some point in the future, but Bruchhagen says he expects the Germany Under-21 player to see out his contract with Frankfurt.

"Rode intends to move to Bayern in 2014," Bruchhagen told Sport1 television. "He has told me that he will fulfil his contract, so he will be staying with us until 2014 for sure.

"We have not yet given up hope that he will stay beyond that. A young player could always change his mind."

Rode is set to be playing Europa League football for the Eagles next season after a 1-1 draw against Werder Bremen at the weekend gave it a two-point advantage over Hamburg going into the final weekend of the season.

Its seven-goal superior goal difference also means that a draw against Wolfsburg next Saturday night (AEST) will probably be enough to see it finish sixth, although Bruchhagen rued a missed opportunity to wrap up a place in Europe.

"It would have been nice if we had taken the last step," he said. "We had the chance to win it, but Bremen played well too."

Streich's men nailed down a place in the Europa League thanks to a 2-1 win over Greuther Furth at the weekend, while Schalke's home loss to Stuttgart by the same scoreline means the race for fourth place will go down to the wire.

The two protagonists in that lucrative race meet in a winner-takes-all encounter at Freiburg's Mage Solar Stadion next weekend, but Streich is not about to get carried away.

"There are moments in life when the sun is shining, but then the moments of shade are always just around the corner," he said.

Streich has been coy on his side's European hopes throughout their season of over-achievement, but admitted that even he was distacted by the crucial events in Gelsenkirchen, which leaves Schalke with a one-point lead over Freiburg.

"The scoreboard kept going ding-dong with the results and I react like any other Pavlovian dog and look in the direction of the noise when I hear it," he said.

While Streich is keeping his emotions in check, the gravity of next week's match is not lost on club president Fritz Keller.

"It's fantastic that we have such a final game in front of our own fans," he said.

"The lads and our fans have deserved it. It's sensational."

It took the Bavarian giant 69 minutes to get going at the Allianz Arena but Thomas Muller (69), and substitutes Xherdan Shaqiri (82) and Luiz Gustavo (87) then struck to give the Champions League finalist another win and lift it to a record 88 points for the season.

Shortly after the final whistle, Bayern picked up a first trophy in three years before setting off on a parade from the stadium to the city centre, where 20,000 fans were expected to greet them on the balcony of the City Hall.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes was filled with pride, saying: "No team in the history of the Bundesliga have ever played football the way we have this year."

Heynckes, who will be replaced by Pep Guardiola at the end of the season, added: "We played at a consistently high level and that fills me with pride."

As he took to the balcony of Munich's City Hall to greet an estimated 20,000 fans, Heynckes saw what the title meant to a club without a major success since its league and cup double of 2010.

"Your excitement tells me that you were starved and that you've been waiting for what feels like a decade to be back here," he told supporters.

"We'll now do all we can to ensure we get what we are all dreaming about on May 25."

That is the date of the Champions League final, when Bayern will hope to complete the second part of its treble bid with victory over Bundesliga rivals Borussia Dortmund at Wembley.

A week later, on 1 June, Heynckes' last match at the Bayern helm will come against Stuttgart in the final of the DFB-Pokal.

"We've not finished yet," added Bayern captain Philipp Lahm. "We want two more titles."

Reflecting on yesterday's title celebrations, Lahm said: "It's a dream to see how many people are here. It's sensational. This trophy is back in Munich, where it belongs."

Wolfsburg and Borussia Dortmund shared six goals in a pulsating encounter at the VW-Arena.

Dortmund went ahead through Sven Bender in the fifth minute, but three goals in the space of 12 minutes turned the game on its head.

A brace from Ivan Perisic was followed by goal from Naldo as the Wolves took control of the game and it looked like they were on track for a fantastic win.

However, Germany international Marco Reus scored two late goals to earn Dortmund a share of the spoils.

Stuttgart ruined Schalke's potential Champions League qualification party on the day the host's coach Jens Keller extended his contract with a 2-1 win at the Arena AufSchalke.

Vedad Ibisevic's double helped the Swabian side take all three points and leave Schalke needing to avoid defeat on the final day of the season in a UCL decider against Freiburg to achieve its aim for the season.

An own goal from Georg Niedermeier in the last minute was too little too late for the Royal Blues, who hold on to fourth place by a single point.

Freiburg came from behind to beat relegated Greuther Furth 2-1.

The visitor recovered from conceding a third-minute opener to Matthias Zimmermann to win thanks to second-half goals from Jonathan Schmid and Max Kruse.

Werder Bremen celebrated securing its place in the Bundesliga next season with a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt.

Kevin de Bruyne gave the northern club the lead midway through the first half before Srdjan Lakic levelled for the Eagles.

But with Augsburg and Fortuna Dusseldorf both losing, the point was all Bremen needed to move four points clear of the relegation zone and ensure top-flight football will be played at the Weser Stadion again next season.

Dusseldorf threw away a half-time lead in the 2-1 defeat against Nurnberg.

An own goal from Hanno Balitsch put the struggling host in front midway through the first period, but quickfire goals from Robert Mak and Marvin Plattenhardt turned the match on its head.

Hamburg pushed Hoffenheim closer to the 2. Bundesliga with a convincing 4-1 win that keeps its own hopes of European football next season alive going into the final round of matches next weekend.

Son Heung-min, Dennis Aogo, Petr Jiracek and Arjoms Rudnevs were all on target for Thorsten Fink's men with Kevin Volland's goal worthless for a Hoffenheim side that remains two points adrift of safety and now needing something special to avoid relegation.

Hannover's lingering hopes of qualifying for the Europa League next season were ended in emphatic fashion by Bayer Leverkusen at the BayArena.

Two goals from Jens Hegeler and a header from the Bundesliga's top goalscorer Stefan Kiessling earned Leverkusen a comfortable 3-1 win with Artur Sobiech grabbing a consolation for the visitor.

Twenty-year-old striker Branimir Hrgota hit a hat-trick to open his account for Borussia Monchengladbach in style as his side earned an entertaining 4-2 win at Mainz.

The Sweden Under-21 international had failed to score in his previous 11 games for Gladbach, but ended the drought with a penalty just before half-time to cancel out Shawn Parker's opener.

Hrgota put the visiting team in front in the 59th minute and, after Mike Hanke had added a third, completed his treble 10 minutes from time.

Andreas Ivanschitz got Mainz's second with an injury-time penalty, but it could not stop Gladbach keeping its, admittedly very slim, European hopes just about alive.

The 68-year-old, who will hand over the Bayern hot seat to Pep Guardiola in the northern summer, was speaking ahead of this weekend's home match against Bavarian neighbour Augsburg, at the end of which the champion will receive the Bundesliga trophy.

"It looks like goodbye," said Heynckes, who celebrated his 68th birthday on Thursday and appeared to open the door to retiring from coaching altogether.

"Once you have coached a club like Bayern Munich, who break all records, there is not much interest in coaching another team in the Bundesliga," added Heynckes, whose side has lost just one league game all season and has already set a new record for most points in one campaign in Germany's top flight.

Bayern will celebrate winning its 22nd Bundesliga title, and 23rd national championship overall, before turning its attentions to the UEFA Champions League final against Borussia Dortmund at Wembley on 25 May.

It will then have a German Cup final against Stuttgart to prepare for on 1 June as the Bavarian side aims to win an unprecedented treble.

Heynckes has already dismissed suggestions that he might return to former club Schalke, where he previously coached in 2003-2004, and Real Madrid, which he led to Champions League glory in 1998.

Madrid is expected to be on the lookout for a successor to Jose Mourinho this northern summer.

Heynckes' final league game at the helm will be away to Borussia Monchengladbach, where he enjoyed a glittering career as a player and later began his coaching career.

Gotze will resume jogging next week and join the squad for regular practices.

Klopp says 'one week of jogging and one week of training with the team is optimal'.

Gotze injured his left hamstring in the return leg of the Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid. Dortmund advanced 4-3 on aggregate.

The final in Wembley will be Gotze's last game for Dortmund, before he moves to Bayern. The 20-year-old is considered Germany's top prospect.

The 19-year-old has committed himself to the Royal Blues, with whom he started his career at the age of seven, going on to become the youngest player ever to reach 100 appearances for them in March at the age of 19 years and 170 days.

He made his debut for the club in January 2011 and has quickly become a fans' favourite in Gelsenkirchen.

The Germany international was also attracting attention from a host of clubs, with local rivals Borussia Dortmund rumoured to be interested this week.

However, via an image on their club website, Schalke has on Friday confirmed that he will be playing for it until 2018.

The duo will not be retained by the club along with midfielder Marco Caligiuri and defender Radoslav Zabavnik.

They join centre-half Jan Kirchhoff, who has signed a pre-contract agreement with Bayern Munich, in having their exits from the Coface Arena this northern summer confirmed.

"These were human painful decisions but we have decided to make changes," general manager Christian Heidel told a press conference.

Midfielder Ivanschitz has made 29 appearances for the Karnevalsverein this season, scoring six goals and providing six assists, with Caligiuri featuring 21 times and Zabavnik making 15 appearances.

Striker Klasnic has had less of an impact since his much-heralded move from Bolton in the northern summer, playing just three times.

Five sides are battling it out for European qualification while no fewer than four teams are still in danger of following Greuther Furth down into the second division.

Schalke is in pole position to join Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League, and a win over Stuttgart would seal its place should fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt fail to beat Werder Bremen.

"We're already sure of a place in the Europa League, but that's not enough," said Schalke midfielder Jermaine Jones on his club's website.

"We want to get back into the Champions League. That is where we belong.

"We are heading in the right direction, but nothing is decided yet."

Should the Royal Blues fail to pick up maximum points, sixth-placed Freiburg could set up a final-day showdown at its Dreisamstadion by beating Furth.

Yet should either Frankfurt or Freiburg slip up, Hamburg and Borussia Monchengladbach are keen to pounce.

"It is not over yet mathematically," said Hamburg coach Thorsten Fink, who takes his side to Hoffenheim.

Gladbach captain Filip Daems, whose side travels to Mainz with four points to make up on Freiburg and five on Frankfurt, added: "We've got to be there if they slip up."

Things are even tighter at the bottom, although Bremen could end its relegation fears if it manages to end its 11-game winless streak when it faces Frankfurt.

For that to be enough, it would still need either Fortuna Dusseldorf or Augsburg to slip up in its games against Nurnberg and Bayern Munich respectively.

Hoffenheim's relegation to the second division could be confirmed if it fails to beat Hamburg and both Augsburg and Fortuna win.

Dortmund travels to Wolfsburg while Leverkusen hosts a Hannover side which, with a six-point deficit on the top six with two games to play, still has a slender chance of sneaking into Europe.

The right-back, who is out of contract mid year, has confirmed he will miss the rest of the season due to a thigh injury sustained while playing for the second-string in the 3 Liga on Tuesday.

"The only good news is that I will not require surgery," he told www.bvb.de.

The 33-year-old has not featured for the first team since April last year due to a calf injury and a stress fracture in his heel and confirmed last month that talks were yet to begin over any potential new contract.

"At the moment, it looks like the club is no longer planning with me," he told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

"But it is fair enough that they don't go out of their way for a player who has been out injured for a year and is now 33."

Capped 11 times by Germany, Owomoyela last pulled on his national team's shirt in March 2006.

The 21-year-old New Zealand midfielder - as first revealed by The World Game - has completed his switch from Melbourne Victory to Stuttgart after spending time in Germany sorting out personal terms.

He will now realise his dream of playing in Europe after Stuttgart confirmed on Wednesday it had signed him to a four-year deal on a free transfer.

Victory will reportedly receive $180,000 in compensation under FIFA laws.

Rojas scored 15 goals and provided nine assists in his second season with Victory, having joined from Wellington Phoenix.

That eye-catching form also attracted reported interest from several European clubs, including heavyweights Liverpool and Juventus.

He said he felt wanted by the German outfit.

"My father and I have spoken to the key people at VfB and they gave the impression that they would be really happy to have me here," Rojas told the club's website.

"For a player, it's a great thing when the club lets you know that they definitely want to have you, but it will certainly be a huge challenge."

Stuttgart, which won the 2007 Bundesliga title, is currently mid-table in the league with two games left and Rojas said he was looking forward to eventually running out at the 50,000-capacity Mercedes-Benz Arena.

"I watched last Saturday's game against Fuerth and the atmosphere is impressive," he said. "I'm used to the Australian league crowds, so to see 50,000 spectators is of course something special."

His arrival has generated excitement, particularly after Rojas was dubbed the "Kiwi Messi" by some last season, but the player is keen to play down the hype.

"That's obviously an exaggeration, the Australian media like to use nicknames, but it could have been a worse one," Rojas said.

"I don't want to say too much. At the moment, I just want to get prepared for the new season and then hopefully prove myself."

Stuttgart's director of sport Fredi Bobic said the club was attracted by Rojas' pace and ability out wide.

Rojas will join fellow former A-League players including Robbie Kruse, Mitch Langerak and Nikita Rukavytsya in Germany's top flight.

The 30-year-old joined Bayern in July 2007 from Marseille and has scored 51 goals, with 74 assists, in his 154 league games for the Bavarians to become a fans favourite at the Allianz Arena and was a key factor in Bayern winning its 23rd German league title.

He told German magazine Kicker he would be happy to extend his stay in Munich.

"I'd be glad to! I am very happy here. If it is possible to sign a new contract, why not?" he said as he prepares for his second Champions League final with Bayern on May 25 at Wembley.

Ribery has been in superb form this season on the left wing, scoring eight goals in the Bundesliga, he was outstanding in Bayern's 3-0 win at Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, second leg.

It was his pass across goal which Barcelona's Gerard Pique turned into his own net for Bayern's second goal and he supplied the lofted cross for Thomas Mueller to head home the third to seal Bayern's 7-0 semi-final win on aggregate.

Last week, Bayern's director of sport Matthias Sammer said he wants to tie up Ribery with a longer deal with the new contract expected to be signed soon.

Hoeness recently made a self-denunciation to the German tax authorities that he had not declared taxes on an account he held in Switzerland.

He is currently being investigated on suspicion of tax evasion and has offered to resign from his position while the investigation took its course.

However, the Bayern advisory board "unanimously" turned down Hoeness' offer and Beckenbauer has thrown his support behind the decision.

"It says everything about Uli that the advisory board turned his offer down," he said in the Bild newspaper.

"It's an amazing show of faith for Uli. Now he can hope to get out of this tax affair as well as possible."

Bayern said its decision is based on the current factual situation surrounding Hoeness' private affairs, and it will be "open for review" depending on the results of the investigation.

Leverkusen has reportedly received an offer for the Germany international, but it is still busy hammering out the finer details of a deal.

Striker Schurrle, 22, has so far refused to comment on the speculation other than to express his disappointment that a move to the Blues failed to materialise last northern summer.

He may be satisfied this northern summer, though, as Holzhauser hinted that a deal could soon be struck.

"Andre Schurrle has probably signed a pre-contract deal with Chelsea," Holzhauser was quoted as saying by Kicker magazine.

"It all depends on whether we let him go. We have received a concrete offer for a fee which we are considering.

"But the price alone is not decisive. We must also have alternatives, which we don't have yet."

The one alternative Bayer is keen on is Chelsea midfielder Kevin de Bruyne, who has caught the eye while playing on loan in the Bundesliga for Werder Bremen this season.

However, dislodged Bundesliga champion Borussia Dortmund is also understood to be interested in the Belgian, who could be the key to Schurrle's move to the Premier League.

"He still has a few talks to hold with Chelsea," said Holzhauser.

"It looks like there is an offer from Dortmund to sign the player for a relatively high fee.

"According to our information, Chelsea don't want to sell him but just loan him out."

However, Leverkusen has not yet spoken with De Bruyne to 'find out if he actually wants to come to us and, if so, on what conditions'.

The Bayern board held an emergency meeting at the Allianz Arena to discuss the issue and Hoeness tendered his resignation.

"After intense discussion, the advisory board of FC Bayern Munich AG decided unanimously that Uli Hoeness should continue in his position of president," a statement from the club read.

Hoeness recently made a self-denunciation to the German tax authorities that he had not declared taxes on an account he held in Switzerland.

He is currently being investigated on suspicion of tax evasion and had offered to resign from his position while the investigation took its course.

"Uli Hoeness expressed his regret at the incident and apologised," the club statement continued, stating that the decision to turn down his offer to resign was made 'in the interests of FC Bayern, who need to concentrate fully on reaching further sporting goals with the Champions League final on 25 May and the German Cup final on 1 June'.

The 30-year-old joined Bayern in July 2007 from Marseille and has scored 51 goals, with 74 assists, in his 154 league games for the Bavarian side to become a fans' favourite at the Allianz Arena and was a key factor in Bayern winning its 23rd German league title.

He told German magazine Kicker he would be happy to extend his stay in Munich.

"I'd be glad to! I am very happy here. If it is possible to sign a new contract, why not?" he said as he prepares for his second Champions League final with Bayern on 25 May at Wembley.

Ribery has been in superb form this season on the left wing, scoring eight goals in the Bundesliga, and was outstanding in Bayern's 3-0 win at Barcelona in the Champions League semi-final, second leg.

It was his pass across goal which Barcelona's Gerard Pique turned into his own net for Bayern's second goal and he supplied the lofted cross for Thomas Muller to head home the third to seal Bayern's 7-0 semi-final win on aggregate.

Last week, Bayern's director of sport Matthias Sammer said he wants to tie up Ribery with a longer deal with the new contract expected to be signed soon.

The 32-year-old, who is closing in on 300 appearances for the side he joined in 2002, has reaffirmed his commitment to the back-to-back Bundesliga champion by putting pen to paper on a new deal ahead of the UEFA Champions League final with Bayern Munich later this month.

"Transferring to another club had never crossed my mind," said Weidenfeller.

"What has grown here at Dortmund over the past few years is a uniquely positive football story which I want to play a big part in writing in the years to come.

"I am proud to be part of this strong-willed side which is a homogenous mixture of young and experienced players."

Weidenfeller has played 288 times in over a decade with the Westphalian club, coming into his own in its two recent title-winning seasons.

"We are really pleased that Roman has committed to us," said the club's director of sport Michael Zorc.

"He is an extraordinarily strong goalkeeper who has shown constantly top performances and made a major contribution to us winning the German titles in 2011 and 2012, as well as reaching the final of the Champions League this season."

Former Melbourne Victory goalkeeper Mitch Langerak is Weidenfeller's deputy at the club.

The 23-year-old's contract with Hannover will run down and he will join the Swabians on a free transfer in the summer after five years at Die Roten.

"It is fantastic that Konstantin has chosen us given all of the options he had," said Stuttgart's director of sport Fredi Bobic.

"We have shown him clearly what we intend to do with him and our team.

"Konstantin is a young, German player who has established himself in the Bundesliga. He is versatile, passionate and has a good mentality."

Rausch, who has made 148 Bundesliga appearances and played 19 times in the Europa League already, is looking forward to his new challenge in Baden-Wurttemberg.

"I had some really good talks with Fredi Bobic and (Stuttgart coach) Bruno Labbadia," he said on Stuttgart's website.

"They convinced me and gave me a really good feeling that moving to Stuttgart was the right step.

"I am now looking forward to this new challenge."

The 27-year-old, who scored against Germany in a recent World Cup qualifier, makes the move for an undisclosed fee in the summer having appeared 18 times in the top flight this season.

"I had really good talks with the club bosses who were able to convince me of their concept, regardless of what league they will be playing in," said Schmidtgal.

"They really made an effort for me, even if I have not had the best of second halves of the season due to injury.

"I am convinced Fortuna will stay up."

With Furth's relegation already secured, Schmidtgal has not necessarily retained his place in the top flight by moving to Fortuna.

With two games of the season remaining, Fortuna is level on points with Augsburg, who is in the relegation play-off berth, and could yet follow Furth down into the second division.

A 2-0 victory gave Freiburg a three-point advantage over Hamburg in seventh place with two games of the season remaining.

Given itsr superior goal difference, one win from its final two games should be enough to secure a place in the Europa League, but Streich claims Augsburg would be equally worthy of a place in Europe rather than a place in the bottom three at present.

"At the moment, they belong to the six best teams in the Bundesliga," he said.

"Augsburg played a great pressing game for half an hour and if they had scored one or two goals, then we would have been beaten.

"They played how we expected they would, only we were the more effective."

You do not get any points for performance, though, much to Augsburg's director of sport Stefan Reuter's chagrin.

"It is really bitter," he said. "You have got to take the lead when you get chances like we did.

"We are very disappointed."

A win would have given the northern German club hope of catching either Freiburg or Eintracht Frankfurt in the race for European places, but Fink realises his side simply is not yet ready for a return to international football.

"I think this was a fair draw," he said. "Both teams played an open game and wanted to win and I'm pleased with the way we fought, but technically it wasn't very good, there's no doubt about it.

"Of course it's going to be even tougher now to reach the Europa League.

"We are heading in the right direction in terms of stability, but we are not mature enough for the Europa League.

"We want to take this club right to the top, but you can only do that with continuity."

Continuity has been Hamburg's bugbear for the past two years with dramatic falls being followed by equally dramatic rises.

Yet whenever its is within touching distance of achieving something substantial, it appears to stutter.

"We need to be more consequential," said Fink to Sky television. "We need players who are willing to go the extra mile for this club."

Dortmund is already resigned to losing Mario Gotze to arch-rival Bayern Munich at the end of the season, while star striker Robert Lewandowski could follow him out of the door with numerous clubs coveting the Poland international.

Centre-back Mats Hummels is another Dortmund player who is attracting plenty of interest, with Barcelona reportedly looking at the 24-year-old as the Spanish giant looks to strengthen at the back.

Reus has also been the centre of transfer speculation himself but the 23-year-old is hoping Dortmund manages to keep its 'family' intact.

He told Spanish newspaper AS: "I hope that no player leaves Dortmund, not Hummels, not anybody.

"We are a family and we have contracts. The atmosphere in the dressing room is very good and we feel very good at the club and in the city."

Regarding Hummels, Reus believes his fellow Germany international is going to become one of the top defenders in the game.

"In the next few years he will be world class, but even now, despite his age he already has experience.

"He can create attacks with his great vision at the back and, in case anyone forgets, Hummels is also good in the opposition penalty area, which makes him the complete player."

Cedrick Makiadi and Jonathan Schmid's goals were enough to get Freiburg back to winning ways after two defeats as it consolidated its sixth position, which would secure it a UEFA Europa League berth.

Augsburg remains in the bottom three with two games remaining.

Hamburg fell three points behind Freiburg in the race for the top six as it was held to a 1-1 draw against Wolfsburg.

Heiko Westermann scored the opening goal for Hamburg on the stroke of half-time before Makoto Hasebe levelled for the visitor in the 65th minute.

Speaking after his side's 2-0 defeat at home to relegated Greuther Furth, Labbadia expressed his disappointment at a problem he says has been "dragging on all season", and which must be eradicated if they are to end the campaign on a high.

"We started the game perfectly, we were aggressive and won a lot of possession, leaving Furth hardly any air to breath, and we played football," he said.

"All that we failed to do, and this has been dragging on all season, was create chances once again. We need to be cooler when things get hectic."

Furth coach Frank Kramer acknowledged his side was only still in the match at half-time as a result of Stuttgart's profligacy.

"We didn't have a chance in the first half," he said. "We simply could not get into the game.

"All we were able to do was prevent them from scoring. We lacked courage and we were lucky to be 0-0 at half time.

"We then made a few changes and showed a different face in the second half."

The win - Furth's fourth of the season - lifted it to within nine points of safety, although with only two games of the season remaining, it is now only playing for pride.

With two minutes to go, Bremen was on course for a win which would have seen it move five points clear of the relegation zone.

Sven Schipplock then struck twice to salvage a draw for Hoffenheim and keep Bremen just three points above the drop zone with two games of the season remaining.

"I am not going to blame somebody at all costs," said Schaaf. "We could have wrapped it up earlier when we should have scored a third goal, but we lacked a bit of composure.

"I saw my team play with passion and to try to give something back to the fans.

"I think we managed that. It was an extraordinary game and life goes on."

His side's perilous league position contributed to it losing composure in the final five minutes as fear set in following Schipplock's first goal in the 85th minute.

"It all got a bit hectic in the end," he told Sky television. "Unfortunately, we lacked serenity then which we had seen over long periods of the game.

"We were unable to carry it through to the end, but we move on."

The team received excellent support in the sold-out Weser Stadion and forward Nils Petersen expects the same again when they host Eintracht Frankfurt next weekend, and he expects the fans to be celebrating survival come the end of that game.

"I have no doubts about it," he said. "The fans recognised today that we had given it our all and they are going to make the same atmosphere next weekend.

"Then we will draw a line under this awful situation."

Leverkusen won the game 2-0 at the weekend but, having been successful from the spot once, Kiessling was looking to score his second of the game when he was brought down in the penalty area once more.

It would have been the chance for him to become the Bundesliga's leading scorer, having already set a new club record for goals in a season with his 23rd strike, but Sam stole the ball off him before hitting the post.

"He has apologised to me," said Kiessling. "Of course I wanted to take it myself, but that's all secondary anyway, I'm a sportsman."

Sam is likely to get away without any punishment from his club since Leverkusen held on to the points to qualify for the Champions League with two games to spare.

"This is an amazing achievement," said the club's director of sport Rudi Voller. "It was not to be expected before the season.

"It is not something a club like Bayer Leverkusen can take for granted with the likes of Schalke, Wolfsburg and Hamburg, to name but a few, all behind us."

"We have deserved it too," added Kiessling. "To be the first team behind the two best sides is fantastic and we can be really proud of it."

Neither side held back in an encounter which, following recent events, has assumed a new form of rivalry which will ensure this fixture will never be the same again.

"It was an intensive game and nobody gave even the hint of suspicion that they wanted to make friends - everybody was up for the battle," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp.

"That is what the fans expect when they pay for a ticket."

Klopp was involved in an altercation with Bayern's director of sport Matthias Sammer, who previously coached Dortmund to the 2002 Bundesliga title.

"He told me I should leave his player alone and then he said something else which I couldn't hear, which is why I moved in closer," said Klopp.

"I wasn't looking for new friends. We wanted to win the game and so too did Bayern."

Yet the rivalry is more about winning one single game in the Bundesliga.

Dortmund's domination of German football for the past two years has stung Bayern, which responded in record-breaking fashion this season by clinching the title earlier than ever before and breaking the points' record Dortmund set last year.

And the transfer of Mario Gotze from Dortmund to Bayern this northern summer has ended all hope of the two clubs forging a friendly rivalry in years to come.

"I don't think this game is ever going to be a friendly," said Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer.

"It's always a challenge for us to play against Dortmund. You could see that with the way we went into the challenges.

"It was borderline but never with evil intent. It's a man's game."

Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl's snub of Bayern when he joined Dortmund from Freiburg in 2002 was arguably the start of over a decade of bitterness between two giants of the German game.

And he believes the weekend's competitiveness is nothing compared to what the fans can expect at Wembley on May 26 (AEST).

"Certainly this game cannot be compared to the one in three weeks' time," Kehl said.

"That game is certainly going to be more explosive."

Both teams rested key players with the UCL final at Wembley in mind, but there was certainly no sense of taking things easy, with Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp having to be separated from Bayern director of sport Matthias Sammer as tempers flared late on.

Dortmund, without the injured Mario Gotze, rested the likes of Mats Hummels and Lukasz Piszczek, and Marco Reus came on late on, while Bayern was without Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Javi Martinez, as Thomas Muller came off the bench.

Dortmund went ahead through Kevin Grosskreutz after 11 minutes, only for Mario Gomez to level after 23 minutes.

Lewandowski, who has been strongly linked with a move to Bayern and linked to Manchester United, saw his 60th-minute penalty saved low down to his left by Manuel Neuer, perhaps an important psychological victory for the goalkeeper ahead of the final.

Rafinha was dismissed four minutes later after picking up two yellow cards in the space of three minutes.

Elsewhere, Stefan Kiessling scored against his former club to break a new club goalscoring record and take Bayer Leverkusen into the UEFA Champions League next season with a 2-0 win at Nurnberg.

Omer Toprak's first Bundesliga goal opened the scoring to help Sami Hyypia and Sascha Lewandowski's men clinch at least third place in the Bundesliga.

Kiessling then netted a 62nd-minute penalty to bring up his 23rd goal of the season, making him Leverkusen's record goalscorer for a single season.

Two goals from Alexander Meier and a Srdjan Lakic strike helped Eintracht Frankfurt beat Fortuna Dusseldorf 3-1 and remain on course for a a place in the Europa League next season.

Dani Schahin pulled a goal back for Fortuna, but it left with a defeat that could see it drop into the bottom three this weekend.

It is ahead of Augsburg only on goal difference with the Bavarians in action at Freiburg.

Hoffenheim fought back from two goals down to keep its survival hopes alive in dramatic fashion with a 2-2 draw at fellow struggler Werder Bremen.

An Aaron Hunt penalty in the first minute and a Kevin de Bruyne effort in the 24th appeared to have put Bremen on the way to three points, which would have been a decisive step towards safety.

However, two goals in the last five minutes from Sven Schipplock earned Hoffenheim a point and took them to within two of safety, leaving its opponent just three above the relegation zone.

Hannover and Mainz drew 2-2 at the AWD-Arena as both sides' slim hopes of European football next season all but disappeared.

Nicolai Muller scored the first and the last goal of the game for Mainz with Artur Sobiech and Mame Diouf turning things around in between.

Hannover ended the game with 10 men after a red card for Christian Schulz.

Relegated Greuther Furth stunned Stuttgart 2-0 to clinch only a fourth league win of the season.

An own goal from Sakai and Ilir Azemi's late strike earned Frank Kramer's men a fine away victory.

An 82nd-minute goal from Julian Draxler decided a tense affair at Borussia Park Stadion, which could have gone either way.

The win lifts the Royal Blues six points clear of fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt, which faces Fortuna Dusseldorf this round, while Gladbach remains a point behind the top six.

Not only was it a battle for places in Europe, it was also a battle between two local rivals and it was no surprise that it soon became a scrappy affair.

Chances were rare with Joel Matip almost putting through his own goal in the ninth minute when he turned a Juan Arango corner behind.

From the subsequent corner, Mike Hanke headed over the crossbar with the home team's first intended attempt on goal.

Arango was trying to carve out chances for his team-mates from corners and from open play, but Granit Xhaka sent the next shot over the crossbar while Schalke's answer was an effort from Michel Bastos, which Marc Andre ter Stegen saved easily.

The visitor showed some signs of improvement early in the second half and Klaas Jan Huntelaar tested Ter Stegen again midway through.

Julian Draxler also made the Gladbach custodian work in the 73rd minute before leaving him no chance to put Schalke ahead in the 82nd minute after being put through on goal by Raffael.

Gladbach responded and laid siege to the Schalke goal as the Gelsenkirchen side retreated and defended their slender advantage.

The closest the Foals came to equalising was when Martin Stranzl turned the ball over the crossbar from Arango's free-kick, but Schalke held firm for the points.

Bayern coach Jupp Heynckes says Bastian Schweinsteiger, Philipp Lahm, Arjen Robben and Franck Ribery iare out with knocks sustained in Wednesday's UEFA Champions League semi-final win over Barcelona.

Bayern is 20 points ahead of Dortmund, having claimed a record 84 so far, and Heynckes said he expected Dortmund to field a weakened side, too.

Dortmund beat Real Madrid on aggregate in the other Champions League semi-final for a final against Bayern in London on May 25.

Heynckes says Saturday's game has "no influence on the Champions League final for me."

Bayern has not beaten Dortmund in five league games but is on a record 14-game winning streak.

"It's true, we're agreed terms and it's all about the details now," the 24-year-old attacker said.

"I love the Duesseldorf club and the fans, but I want to develop myself as a player."

Leverkusen is third in the Bundesliga, which carries an automatic Champions League place, with three games left.

Leverkusen CEO Wolfgang Holzhaeuser confirmed Leverkusen's interested in signing Kruse, who has made 23 appearances for the Socceroos, but said the deal had not yet been finalised.

Kruse has scored four Bundesliga goals this season, with six assists, and could leave relegation-threatened Duesseldorf in a deal worth close to $2 million.

He joined Dusseldorf from A-League side Melbourne Victory in July 2011.

The 42-year-old, who will take over the Bayern Munich reins from Jupp Heynckes at the end of the season, led Barca to 14 major trophies during a glorious four-year tenure which ended when he stepped down last northern summer.

Speaking at an event in Buenos Aires the day after Barca's Champions League exit at the hands of Bayern, Guardiola was asked whether he would go back to his boyhood club and was quoted as saying by local press: "That chapter is closed. It was a fantastic chapter, but, as in life, one is born, grows and evolves."

He reflected on his "happy" time with the club and the "wonderful relationship" he enjoyed with the players and staff, but reiterated that it was over.

"I was happy at Barcelona," he said. "I had a wonderful relationship with the people I worked with.

"I am very proud to have been part of Barcelona, but life goes on and we need to pursue other goals. I felt a very large peace with myself when I left. I did the best I could.

"Everything has a beginning and an end. And the end comes when you discover that it's enough."

He added: "When you makes the decision to leave a club, it's better than when the decision is taken for you."

The 33-year-old, whose career has been plagued by injury, has not yet discussed a new deal with the club, and feels that is an indication that he will be a free agent in the northern summer.

"At the moment, it looks like the club is no longer planning with me," he told the Westdeutsche Allgemeine Zeitung newspaper.

"But it is fair enough that they don't go out of their way for a player who has been out injured for a year and is now 33."

Owomoyela's last appearance for Dortmund came just over a year ago, on 28 April.

He has since struggled with a calf injury and a stress fracture in his heel, failing with several attempts at a comeback.

Capped 11 times by Germany, Owomoyela - who played for an hour for Dortmund's reserves on Sunday - last pulled on his national team's shirt in March 2006.

The pair were dropped from the first-team squad at the weekend after being involved in a police check in the early hours of Friday morning - less than 48 hours before Saturday's 1-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen.

The club has now decided the pair will not feature again this term.

"We need the full concentration of every single player for this end of the season," the club's director of sport Thomas Eichin said.

"We have made it clear to Marko Arnautovic and Eljero Elia once again that their behaviour has damaged the team in this phase.

"Both will now follow individually adapted training schedules away from the first team between now and the end of the season."

With three games of the campaign remaining, Bremen is just two points above the bottom three and face 17th-placed Hoffenheim next weekend in a vital match for both sides.

Bremen has not won in its last 10 Bundesliga games and is enduring its worst season since Thomas Schaaf, the longest-serving coach in the Bundesliga, took charge nearly 14 years ago.

Jens Keller is currently calling the shots in Gelsenkirchen, but his contract only runs until the end of the campaign.

Despite being praised for the work he has done since replacing Huub Stevens in December, Keller is not understood to be a leading candidate to keep the job full-time, even if he succeeds in leading the club into the Champions League.

Effenberg's name was doing the rounds at the weekend and Heldt was non-committal when asked to comment on his club's link with the former Borussia Monchengladbach and Bayern Munich midfielder.

"I don't really have to say too much about it," he told Sky television.

"Everybody has a right to speculate about who will be our future coach, but all I can say for certain is that nothing has been decided yet.

"I see Stefan often and I cannot deny that I have met up with him because he works for Sky.

"Stefan was an excellent footballer and I like to listen to him - he is always knowledgeable, well spoken and never controversial.

"He has been incredibly successful in his career and he is certainly going to be a great coach in the future.

"Only time will tell what Stefan does. We are the ones who can determine when we announce our decision."

Sunday's 4-1 win over Hamburg lifted the Royal Blues three points clear of fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt and also boosted its goal difference in the race for the Bundesliga's fourth Champions League berth.

Effenberg, who has a coaching badge but has never worked in such a capacity, could therefore debut at the very top of his trade next season.

And he has not ruled out the idea.

"My aim is to be a coach aiming for success," he said. "That is possible with Schalke, but also elsewhere."

Sources close to the 24-year-old striker – currently battling to help Fortuna Dusseldorf avoid plummeting back to 2. Bundesliga after a season in the top flight – confirm he has agreed terms with German powerhouse Leverkusen with the club now just negotiating the finer points of a transfer fee in the region of $A2 million.

It’s understood Kruse will sign a three-year deal and Fortuna, which has him under contract for another 14 months, is planning for life without its key import.

Leverkusen, sitting third in the Bundesliga and with a UCL spot all but locked up, has been in discussions with Fortuna for several weeks – and now, with Germany forward Schurrle, 22, set to move to Stamford Bridge for $30 million, it has found itself a replacement at a bargain price.

With four goals and nine assists in 30 appearances this season, the former Brisbane Roar and Melbourne Victory attacking weapon has been one of the brightest sparks in a struggling team, which is facing the prospect of a relegation-promotion play-off following its 2-1 loss to Mitch Langerak's Borussia Dortmund at the weekend.

Fortuna sits in 15th spot with three games left – only separated from relegation zone dweller Augsburg on goal difference. Hoffenheim is three points further back and Greuther Furth (18 points) is already relegated.

A source in Germany close to the deal said: “Robbie has been so impressive this season, there is no way he would not be staying in Bundesliga.

“There have been various clubs keen on him and now an announcement is very close. He has shown what is possible if you have the talent and combine that with hard work and dedication.

“Joining a bigger club is obviously a huge opportunity for him.”

The Bundesliga runner-up in 2010-2011, Leverkusen has co-coaches, Sami Hyypia and Sascha Lewandowski, at the helm.

The Netherlands striker, back in the side for the first time since a 2-1 derby win over Borussia Dortmund on 9 March, set up the equaliser for Michel Bastos before scoring three himself after Marcell Jansen had headed HSV in front.

The win moved Schalke three points clear of fifth-placed Eintracht Frankfurt with four games left, while Hamburg remained a point behind the top six.

Frankfurt edged up to fifth thanks to a goalless draw in the day's other game - a keenly-contested local derby at Mainz.

The Brazilian is currently serving a three year and mine month prison term for arson after burning down his home in Munich in September 2011, but according to a report in Focus magazine, he may be given day release later this year.

Prison officers are currently discussing whether Breno could be given more liberties, enabling him to spend his days outside the prison where he is currently located in Munich, but return in the evenings.

"We would love to help Breno," said Nurnberg's director of sport Martin Bader. "He is a great lad with a super character, and it would also make sense for us since we would be getting a good central defender."

Breno played six months on loan for Nurnberg in 2010 before returning to Bayern, although the chances of him appearing for the club again are reduced by the fact he signed a three-year contract with FC Sao Paolo last year.

The Brazilian club is hoping he will be released from prison soon and be able to return to his home country to play for it.

The weekend 1-0 defeat at Bayer Leverkusen was Bremen's 10th game in a row without a win and it left it just two points clear of the Bundesliga relegation zone with three matches of the season remaining.

Next weekend, it hosts 17th-placed Hoffenheim in a pivotal relegation battle with the pressure mounting on Schaaf, whose near 14-year reign is on the brink of collapse.

However, he continues to enjoy the backing of the people who have to make that decision with Eichin insisting no change will be forthcoming.

"None of us had spoken about this being a final game," he said. "We made it clear before the game that we will be continuing with Thomas Schaaf.

"There is nothing else for us at the moment. We all want to get out of there together, and I am sure we can do it better with him than without him."

Eichin, who has yet to taste victory since being appointed as the club's new director of sport earlier this year, has called for unity in the club's unlikely and unexpected battle against relegation.

"We've all got to stick together and focus on how we go into our next game," he told Sky television.

"We've got to work well this week and prepare ourselves to be courageous and passionate in our next match."

That is no small task either considering the morale levels at the northern club who will now go a third season without qualifying for Europe.

The suspension of Marko Arnautovic and Eljero Elia, who were both stopped by police in the early hours of Friday morning, contradicts the sense of unity Eichin is pleading for, however.

"I am lost for words," said Clemens Fritz. "We all know what is at stake and we had been working intensively hard during the week, and then two days before a game this happens. That's not on."

Bayern set a new points record for the Bundesliga, bettering the 81 managed by Borussia Dortmund last season thanks to Xherdan Shaqiri's single goal in a tight encounter.

"I had warned my team before the game about Freiburg," said Heynckes.

"What (coach Christian) Streich has achieved at Freiburg is sensational. Something has grown there over the years and it was a really tough game for us today.

"But compliments also to my lads. We played very cleverly and professionally."

Heynckes changed 10 of his players from the side which started against Barcelona on Tuesday with only Jerome Boateng keeping his place, but even with a seemingly weakened side Bayern are in a league of their own, according to Streich.

"We had to play more defensively than ever before today, but there was no other way," he said.

"Bayern are so versatile that you can't play them in any other way. Of course Bayern fully deserved their win."

The 24-year-old Poland international boosted his already substantial reputation by scoring all four goals in his side's 4-1 win over Real Madrid in the UEFA Champions League last week.

The performance has inevitably seen him linked with a host of Premier League sides, as well as German champion Bayern Munich, which has already sealed the capture of Lewandowski's team-mate Mario Gotze.

And he appears to have a fan in Ferguson.

"If the right player comes along you have to be prepared to make a move," Ferguson was quoted as saying on the Guardian website. "I can find room for anybody here as long as they have the required quality.

"I am not sure Lewandowski will be sold to Bayern now. The Dortmund fans are not going to be happy and I don't think they will sell to their main rivals. I think they will either let his contract run out, or sell him somewhere else."

The 24-year-old Langerak was on the bench for Dortmund's 4-1 win over Real Madrid in last week's Champions League semi-final, first leg, but played the 90 minutes in the win at Dusseldorf.

After Dortmund took a 2-0 lead, Dusseldorf midfielder Adam Bodzek pulled a goal back with a header two minutes from time before Langerak pushed defender Martin Latka's shot onto the post to give his side three points.

"I am really happy with the game, Mitch pulled off a series of saves," said Klopp, as Langerak made his third Bundesliga appearance of the season as understudy to captain Roman Weidenfeller.

"If we had conceded a goal at the end of the game, it wouldn't have been undeserved."

Langerak joined the club from Melbourne Victory three years ago.

Midfielder Nuri Sahin put Dortmund ahead with a stunning goal from 35 metres out before Poland captain Jakub Blaszczykowski scored in the 70th minute, 60 seconds after coming off the bench.

Dortmund travels to the Bernabeu on Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning AEST) for the second leg with the Ruhr Valley club bidding for its second European final appearance having won the 1997 title.

Its director of sport Hans-Joachim Watzke said his side's win over Fortuna proved that there is not just one side in the Bundesliga with great strength in depth.

Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp made 10 changes to the side which had beaten Real Madrid 4-1 in the Champions League last Wednesday, keeping only defender Mats Hummels in his starting XI.

They were nevertheless too strong for Dusseldorf and cemented second place in the table, which it can clinch for certain next weekend.

"It has been said for weeks that there is only one club who can rotate and still win games," said Watzke.

"I'm very pleased that we have now done that successfully for a second time, just to show people that we also have players who can prove themselves in such a Bundesliga match.

"I am also very pleased that we got this result so that nobody can criticise us of playing only half-heartedly."

Nuri Sahin was one of the beneficiaries of the rotation, staking a claim for a place against his former club on Wednesday (AEST) with a dream goal to set Dortmund on its way to victory.

He also set up the second for Blaszczykowski and praised the atmosphere within the club, in spite of the ongoing transfer speculation surrounding the likes of Hummels and Robert Lewandowski.

"It is no secret that we all have a very good relationship with each other," he said on his club's website.

"The lads here are simply sensational."

As one of the Bundesliga's founding clubs, Eintracht, relegated in 1985, booked its Bundesliga ticket with a 1-0 win away to Ingolstadt.

"It's a huge dream come true. It is unbelievable, it's an incredible day. And it won't be the last," said Lieberknecht, 39, who took over in 2008 when it was in the third division.

It will join Hertha Berlin in Germany's top flight with the pair battling for the second-division title and a third team could follow them into the Bundesliga.

The side which finishes in third place takes on the team third from bottom in the Bundesliga in an end of season play-off.

Braunschweig president Sebastian Ebel said life in the Bundesliga would be 'brutally hard'.

"We know we'll be the first candidates for relegation, it's not going to be a walk in the park," he said.

Champion Bayern won 1-0 at home to Freiburg thanks to Xherdan Shaqiri's 35th-minute effort.

The Bavarian side rested the likes of Manuel Neuer, Philipp Lahm, Bastian Schweinsteiger and Thomas Muller, with Jerome Boateng the only starter remaining from the 4-0 demolition of Barcelona.

Freiburg's defeat denied it the chance to move about Schalke, which plays on Sunday afternoon (Monday morning AEST), and into fourth place.

Borussia Dortmund left, among others, midweek's four-goal hero Robert Lewandowski on the bench until the 69th minute ahead of its trip to Real Madrid, but still won 2-1 at Fortuna Dusseldorf.

Aussie goalkeeper Mitch Langerak produced a string of saves to secure the points for Dortmund while Socceroos attacker Robbie Kruse played the full 90 minutes for relegation threatened Dusseldorf.

Nuri Sahin opened the scoring after 20 minutes and Jakub Blaszczykowski made it two in the 70th minute, one minute after coming on.

Adam Bodzek got a consolation for the host two minutes from time.

Defeat plunged Fortuna back into relegation trouble as the two sides below it both picked up important wins.

Third-bottom Augsburg, in the relegation play-off place, moved level on points with Fortuna thanks to a 3-0 win at home to Stuttgart.

Sascha Molders broke the deadlock in the 61st minute before late strikes from Marcel de Jong and Ji Dong-won sealed the win.

Second-bottom Hoffenheim went to within three points of safety with three games to go with a 2-1 win at home to Nurnberg.

Two goals in the opening 19 minutes from Tobias Weis and Sejad Salihovic put the host in control, with Timmy Simons pulling one back from the spot after the break.

Elsewhere, third-placed Bayer Leverkusen won 1-0 at home to Werder Bremen thanks to Stefan Kiessling's 35th-minute penalty.

Wolfsburg beat Borussia Monchengladbach 3-1, Diego scoring one and setting up the other two.

Maximilian Arnold opened the scoring for Wolfsburg in the 34th minute, but Peniel Mlapa equalised soon after the break.

Ivica Olic put Wolfsburg back in the lead in the 61st minute and Diego finished the match with his strike in the 75th minute.

The breakthrough season of Brisbane-product Kruse has awakened Fortuna to the potential of raw Australian talent and the club has been tracking Halloran, 20, for some time and it’s understood a deal is close.

Halloran, who made 24 appearances and netted four goals as Roar came within a game of reaching this season’s A-League grand final, has two years left on the three year deal he signed last year after being snapped up by Brisbane from the ashes of Gold Coast United.

And should the kid from Cairns join fellow Queenslander Kruse in Dusseldorf, it is likely he will attract a transfer fee in excess of $400,000.

However sources in Germany say that Dusseldorf, which is in the midst of a relegation fight under coach Norbert Meier, will not make a final decision on any signings until its fate has been determined. It lies 15th on the ladder with four games left, three points ahead of fellow basement dweller Augsburg.

The side which finishes 16th will face Bundesliga 2 opposition in a promotion-relegation play-off.

Dusseldorf, which has relied heavily on the blossoming ability of Kruse this season, is without a win in eight games and faces the might of Mitch Langerak’s Borussia Dortmund early Sunday morning (Australian time) hoping that Jurgen Klopp rests some of his stars ahead of next week’s return UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Should it be relegated, Kruse will almost certainly be snapped up by another Bundesliga outfit – such is the impression he has made this season.

Reports in Germany suggested Lewandowski had signed a pre-contract with the Bundesliga champion and would move south either this northern summer - should Bayern agree a fee with Dortmund - or in 2014 when he becomes a free agent.

But a Bayern statement read: "FC Bayern, contrary to these reports, do not have any contract with Robert Lewandowski."

Dortmund insists it has not received an offer for the Poland international and has put a new deal to the 24-year-old after his virtuoso display in midweek, in which he scored four times as Jurgen Klopp's men thrashed Real Madrid 4-1.

"It would be negligent of us not to try to keep probably the best striker in Europe," general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke told the Bild newspaper.

"It's true that we have discussed new conditions once again."

Talk of Lewandowski leaving the Westfalenstadion intensified on Thursday when his agent claimed a deal had been agreed with an unnamed club.

"We have reached an agreement with a club and intend (him) to move this summer," Maik Barthel told Sport Bild, which suggested the club in question was Bayern.

"There is a very interesting offer for Robert which fulfils entirely the demands set by Dortmund and also the demands of Robert.

"Dortmund have assured us that Robert can move at the end of the season under these conditions.

"We stick to agreements and now it's up to the clubs to sort things out."

Earlier this week Bayern agreed to activate the 37 million euros ($46.86 million) release clause of Dortmund playmaker Mario Gotze.

Losing two of its best players to its closest domestic rival would be a major setback for Dortmund, which is also likely to meet Bayern in the UEFA Champions League final after the Bavarian side's 4-0 hammering of Barcelona in midweek.

"We are getting 37 million for Gotze which we don't even want," said coach Jurgen Klopp, echoing the words of Watzke, who said he could 'do without' a transfer fee for Lewandowski, as long as he stays for another year.

Watzke added on Sky television: "Our wish is explicit that he stays here."

Lewandowski has scored 34 goals in 42 games and has netted in each of his last 12 Bundesliga appearances.

Lewandowski underlined his status as one of the hottest properties in world football this week when he scored all four goals in Dortmund's Champions League semi-final thrashing of Real Madrid.

Had it not been for an Icelandic ash cloud, or the financial constraints of the board at Ewood Park - Allardyce cannot remember which - the Pole could have been fighting relegation to League One with Blackburn instead.

Blackburn was one of a number of clubs, including Tottenham and West Brom, who were offered Lewandowski by his then parent club Lech Poznan for just three million euros in 2010.

"It's true," the West Ham boss said. "He was put forward to sign very strongly by our recruitment staff and unfortunately it was one that got knocked back.

"My distant memory isn't that great but I think (former Rovers chairman) John (Williams) and the board said we are not going to commit that amount of money.

"I think they wanted three or four million euros but we were particularly strapped financially at the time at Blackburn.

"I watched him play. But I didn't get the chance to meet him.

"I think his agent said he couldn't come over because of the ash cloud, yes.

"He's probably worth 40 million euros after last night (Thursday morning AEST)."

It goes without saying that if Blackburn did have the man who ran rings around the Real defence in its team, it would not be at the wrong end of the Championship now.

And for Allardyce, who spent just under three years in charge of Blackburn, knowing that he missed out on coaching the talented 24-year-old is particularly galling.

"I think about it every time I see him play. Last night I was thinking it again," the 58-year-old said.

"He would have had a period of getting used to the level and the physical presence, but with a talent like that it wouldn't have been too long before he started to shine and score goals.

"The level he is playing at now is unbelievable, not just his scoring ability but his ability to retain possession.

"There were a lot of people looking at him at that time as well but we had the edge over every one else because of the attraction of the Premier League. He could have used us as a stepping stone but it didn't happen."

Manchester United has been linked with a big-money move for the striker, who has one year left to run on his contract, but Allardyce thinks the allure of English game is not as strong as it once was.

"I think we (English football) have had a bit of a knock-back this year," said Allardyce, referring to the lack of an English team in the last four of the Champions League.

"I am not sure if that will do anything to us just yet in terms of our status in the Champions League.

"I think that all those big (English) clubs will realise that they have to go out and invest even more again and hopefully we can grow back to where we were."

West Ham's opponent on Saturday (Sunday AEST) - Manchester City - is tipped to be the biggest spender in the market this northern summer despite the introduction of new financial fair play rules which mean clubs have to balance their books.

When asked whether the new rules will hurt last year's champions, Allardyce said: "It depends on the turnover and where they see how big the turnover is.

"How much did they get Etihad Stadium sponsored for? That has increased their revenues. They will probably find that their shirt sponsorship deal will be increased and is larger than before and that increases the turnover."

Caligiuri is the latest Freiburg player to leave the club.

Freiburg is fifth in the Bundesliga, with a chance to qualify for the Champions League or Europa League.

But some of its leading players are leaving.

Max Kruse is joining Borussia Monchengladbach, Jan Rosenthal and Johannes Flum are heading to Eintracht Frankfurt and sports director Dirk Dufner has gone to Hannover.

Club spokesman Markus Howick says the operation simply involved the removal of "a piece of cartilage" from the player's left knee.

Kroos was ruled out for the remainder of the season after suffering an adductor injury in the Champions League quarter-final first leg against Juventus on April 2.

The 23-year-old midfielder is expected to be back with the rest of the Bayern squad by the start of July, when new coach Pep Guardiola takes over at the Allianz Arena.

Both scored four in first-leg victories over Barcelona and Real Madrid respectively to put them well on course to meet in next month's final at Wembley.

Using a points system where each country gets five points for a team winning the Champions League, four for each team reaching the final, three for each side reaching the semis, two for each side reaching the quarters and one for each side reaching the last 16, Press Association Sport gauges the performance of four of Europe's major leagues.

2008-09 to 2012-13 (to date)

SPAIN 76

ENGLAND 68

GERMANY 44

ITALY 33

However, if Munich and Dortmund both make it through, they will each gain an extra four points for reaching the final and the winner would bag a further five, boosting the German total by 13 and taking them to 57 points overall.

2008-09

1st: England 26

2nd: Spain 20

Tied 3rd: Germany and Italy 3

2009-10

1st: Italy 17

2nd: Germany 11

3rd: Spain 8

4th: England 7

2010-11

1st: Spain 20

2nd: England 17

3rd: Germany 6

4th: Italy 5

2011-12

1st: England 16

2nd: Spain 12

3rd: Germany 11

4th: Italy 4

2012-13 (to date)

1st: Spain 16

2nd: Germany 13

3rd: Italy 4

4th: England 2

2012-13 (projected)

1st: Germany 26

2nd: Spain 16

3rd: Italy 4

4th: England 2

The 25-year-old, who joined the club at the age of 11, has committed himself to another two years.

"I've been here since 1999 and Bayer have improved a great deal in this time," he said.

"The club gives the players the best possible conditions and great opportunities.

"I think we can still achieve a great deal with Leverkusen."

The midfielder has already made 232 Bundesliga appearances for Leverkusen, scoring 18 goals.

"He has taken another leap in terms of quality this season," said the club's director of sport Rudi Voller.

"Of course his consistently good performances meant he had other options, which makes us even more pleased that Gonzalo has opted for us once again.

"We want to build the Leverkusen of the future also around him."

Castro, who has been capped five times by Germany, was part of the Leverkusen side which won the DFB-Pokal in 2009.

Lewandowski scored all four goals as Dortmund thrashed Real Madrid 4-1 in the first leg of the sides' Champions League semi-final last night (Thursday morning AEST), but much of the post-match talk centred around his future.

His contract expires at the end of next season, leaving Dortmund in the unenviable position of having to decide whether to cash in now or risk seeing the 24-year-old leave on a free in 2014.

Reports in Germany suggest it has opted for the former with the player's agent Maik Barthel suggesting Dortmund has sanctioned his departure.

"We have reached an agreement with a club and intend [him] to move this summer," Barthel told Sport Bild.

"There is a very interesting offer for Robert which fulfils entirely the demands set by Dortmund and also the demands of Robert.

"Dortmund have assured us that Robert can move at the end of the season under these conditions.

"We stick to agreements and now it's up to the clubs to sort things out."

Barthel stopped short of naming the club in question but speculation suggests it is Bayern Munich, which earlier this week agreed to activate the 37 million euros ($47 million) release clause of Dortmund playmaker Mario Gotze.

Losing two of its best players to its closest domestic rival would be a major setback for Dortmund, which is also likely to meet Bayern in the Champions League final after the Bavarians' 4-0 hammering of Barcelona midweek.

"We are getting 37 million for Gotze, which we don't even want," said coach Jurgen Klopp, echoing the words of his club's general manager Hans-Joachim Watzke, who said he could "do without" a transfer fee for Lewandowski, as long as he stays for another year.

Watzke added on Sky television: "Our wish is explicit that he stays here.

"It all surprises me," said Watzke. "We are willing to do without a transfer fee for him [if he leaves as a free agent in 2014].

"I have had plenty of wishes in my life which have come true."

Gotze and Lewandowski combined for Dortmund's opening goal against Madrid night before the former Lech Poznan striker took centre stage, netting three more times to leave Jose Mourinho's men with an uphill task at the Bernabeu next week.

His performance was no surprise given his record this season. He has scored 34 goals in 42 games and has netted in each of his last 12 Bundesliga appearances.

Bayern Munich wrapped up the league title weeks ago while Dortmund secured its place in the Champions League last weekend.

Bayer Leverkusen need just two wins from its last four matches to join it, and then there is a lottery to join the top three in the Champions League, and to clinch the Bundesliga's two other places in Europe.

Just two points separate Schalke in fourth from Hamburg in eighth, and they both meet at the Arena AufSchalke on Sunday (Monday AEST).

Any of five teams could yet join cup finalists Stuttgart in the Europa League, and the race begins in earnest this weekend when Borussia Monchengladbach travels to Wolfsburg and Freiburg heads to the champion.

"We're right up there in the places for another qualification for Europe," said Gladbach striker Mike Hanke. "I will do everything I can so that our fans can travel throughout Europe again next season."

Freiburg, which has never made qualifying for Europe one of its objectives this season, could climb to fourth with a win at Bayern, which has shown in recent weeks that its Champions League and DFB-Pokal commitments have not distracted it from honouring the end of the season.

Fifth-place Eintracht Frankfurt is then in action at local rivals Mainz on Sunday (Monday AEST) before Schalke's pivotal clash with Hamburg, which itself is beginning to dream of the Champions League.

"If we win on Sunday, then of course we can think about that," said captain Rafael van der Vaart.

"But to do that, we have to play far better than we have lately."

Behind the top eight, four sides are still lurking in hope of a collective collapse above them, but for the likes of Mainz, Hannover and Nurnberg, European football is unlikely before 2014.

"If we do qualify for Europe, then we can safely say we've done a great job," said Hannover's new director of sport, Dirk Dufner.

At the bottom of the table, Greuther Furth's relegation to the second division is looking inevitable, despite a 1-0 win at Nurnberg last weekend, but Hoffenheim and Augsburg are still looking to avoid the drop.

Augsburg currently occupies the relegation play-off berth, but it can move level on points with 15th-place Fortuna Dusseldorf with a win over Stuttgart.

Fortuna hosts Borussia Dortmund on Saturday evening (Sunday morning AEST) while Werder Bremen, which is not safe yet, either, has a tricky trip to Bayer Leverkusen.

Hoffenheim needs to beat Nurnberg to keep its survival hopes alive, while Furth will be looking for its first ever top-flight home victory against Hannover.

The Netherlands international extended his contract until 2015 a while ago, but the Royal Blues' recent struggles – they have won just two of their last five Bundesliga games – have put European qualification in jeopardy.

Former Ajax and Real Madrid star Huntelaar insists, however, he will be in Gelsenkirchen next season.

"I am definitely staying," he told Kicker magazine.

"I feel great here and in the Bundesliga.

"I've never experienced a better atmosphere anywhere else."

With four games of the season remaining, Schalke currently occupies fourth place, which would earn it a place in the Champions League play-offs.

However, defeat to Hamburg this round could see it drop as low as eighth in the table, such is the tight battle for places in Europe next season.

"Not playing in Europe at all would be a catastrophe for us players and for the club," he added.

"But I don't think it will come to that. I am totally focused on fourth place."

Huntelaar has been unable to help Schalke in recent weeks with first an eye infection and then a knee injury keeping him sidelined.

However, he is in line for a return at the weekend.

"I have taken full part in two training sessions and am very, very optimistic," said last season's Bundesliga top scorer with 29 goals.

The 29-year-old has not played since scoring in his side's 2-1 victory over rival Dortmund in early April and his return to action would be a welcome boost for Jens Keller's side, who has won only two of six in his absence.

Schalke is currently fourth and occupies the last UEFA Champions League spot for next season's competition, however just two points separate it and the four sides below it, with four matches remaining.

Huntelaar has struck 11 times for Schalke this season and believes he could have an opportunity to add to that tally this weekend.

"For the first training session that was very good! I have had no problems with the knee. I am optimistic for Sunday," Huntelaar told German newspaper Bild.

Hamburg is one of those sides within touching distance of Schalke and after seeing his side miss multiple chances in last weekend's 1-0 defeat against Eintracht Frankfurt, captain Benedikt Howedes is desperate for the club's star striker to return.

"We were in Frankfurt too inconsistent in front of goal, six big opportunities missed," he said.

"Klaas-Jan is always good for a goal. He is a weapon. Even if it only was as a substitute, we would do well!"

A deal first revealed by The World Game last week is all but done with only the formality of a medical to undergo now as personal terms between the club and New Zealand international have already been agreed.

The A-League’s Johnny Warren medallist, and also Young Player of the Year, confirmed his departure from Melbourne Victory after landing both gongs last week and will join the ex-Victory duo of Mitch Langerak (Borussia Dortmund) and Robbie Kruse (Fortuna Dusseldorf) in what is arguably now the strongest league in world football.

Rojas has been coy over his next destination with a clubs in England also interested but reports in Germany have now surfaced pointing to Stuttgart as the new home of the 21-year-old striker who netted 15 A-league goals and conjured nine assists in a memorable campaign.

Father and manager Rodi Rojas was reluctant to confirm that five-time German champion Stuttgart was the ultimate destination when he and his son boarded the plane for Europe.

But he did speak glowingly of the strength of German football as Bayern Munich marches towards the UEFA Champions League final after crushing Barcelona in its semi-final first leg and Borussia Dortmund prepares to face Real Madrid in the other semi on Thursday morning (AEST).

"It's a terrific league and any player would only benefit from going there and lifting the level of his game," he said. "Playing there would hopefully bring out the best in Marco as it would any young footballer with ambitions to reach the top.

"You also look across Europe and a lot if the leagues are in financial trouble and that can play on the minds of players, but that is not the case in Germany.

"We are very close to securing something for Marco and there a just a few little things to do before we can confirm anything officially."

Stuttgart is coached by former German international Bruno Labbadia and won its last Bundesliga title in 2006-2007. It is currently 10th on the ladder with 39 points from 30 games.

Bayern confirmed the attacking midfielder would join it on 1 July after it agreed to meet the release clause in his contract.

The timing, on the eve of Dortmund's UEFA Champions League semi-final with Real Madrid, perhaps its biggest fixture this century, has not gone down well with club chiefs.

"It could have been timed better," Klopp told a press conference.

"I was told last night at 10pm that it had come out. I've known about it since a day after the Malaga game (the Champions League quarter-final on 10 April).

"Now I can say that time heals everything. It's going to take a while, this news is not good for us. The timing of it is not ideal.

"Anybody can make their own minds up as to why it's come out now, but it is out."

Gotze quickly came in for fierce criticism from irate Dortmund fans, who posted messages on his official Facebook page, while Lothar Matthaus, who won seven Bundesliga titles with Bayern, claimed they had every right to 'feel betrayed'.

According to reports, Dortmund requested a police presence at its training session on Tuesday afternoon for fear of reprisals.

"The fans feel betrayed. The comments Mario Gotze made in the recent past (about wanting to stay at Dortmund) don't make him credible. This damages the whole of football," Matthaus told Sky Sports.

"Anybody with mischievous thoughts will now think back to the (Champions League) quarter-final against Malaga.

"Gotze was a decisive player and wasted six or seven big chances. He showed nerves then and this whole thing has certainly been developing for a while. Maybe now it's just a relief for him that it's out in the open."

On the timing of the announcement Matthaus said: "It's not fair, it's unbelievable."

Bayern's apparent lack of contact with Dortmund over the deal has also seemingly upset the selling club, who earlier revealed Gotze's agent had informed it the 20-year-old wanted to move to the Allianz Arena, but stressed it had heard nothing official from the Bavarian side.

In announcing the deal, Bayern claimed it had kept quiet 'out of consideration' for Dortmund's clash with Madrid at the Westfalenstadion.

Dortmund pointed out that Gotze acted appropriately at all times.

Gotze was under contract at Dortmund until 2016, with his release clause reportedly set at 37 million euros ($46.96 million), meaning he will become the most expensive German player of all time.

Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke told the club's website: "We are obviously disappointed beyond measure, but emphasise that both Mario and his advisors have behaved within the terms of the contract."

Gotze could face a hostile reception from his own fans on Wednesday evening (Thursday morning AEST), but Klopp wants them to show understanding.

He added: "For everybody who is angry, all I can say is that, a year ago, we signed Marco Reus from (Borussia) Monchengladbach and they hardly broke out in celebration there, but he still played some excellent games for Gladbach. (Reus agreed a pre-contract in January before moving in the northern summer).

"We will do all we can to ensure our concentration is not disturbed. When you deal with things in life in the right way, then you can draw energy from them."

Klopp claimed the chance to work under former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola, who has signed a three-year contract to take over at Bayern in the northern summer, persuaded Gotze to move.

"I've spoken to Mario," he said. "Mario has not taken this decision to spite his team-mates in the slightest. He has not decided to spite the club - he has too much to thank them for.

"He is the player Pep Guardiola really wanted. He didn't want to pass up on the chance to work together with this extraordinary coach."

Losing Gotze, especially to its closest domestic rival, is a huge blow to Dortmund.

Klopp's side recently relinquished the Bundesliga title it won in each of the past two seasons, with Bayern winning the 'salad bowl' in record time.

Gotze has emerged as one of the most coveted players in European football since coming through the ranks at Dortmund and making his Bundesliga debut in November 2009.

He played a key role as Dortmund won back-to-back Bundesliga crowns and has made 22 appearances for Germany, scoring five goals.

Chelsea are reported to be interested in the Germany international and Leverkusen's director of sport Rudi Voller flew out to London last week to hold talks with the Blues.

However, no transfer has yet been agreed and Holzhauser wants to have time to act if Schurrle does decide to leave.

"Last year, we had an enquiry, but it came very late," he said. "This time, it is still relatively early, which is good.

"Andre is, alongside Mario Gotze, one of the best young players in Germany and if he leaves us, we will want cover for him.

"We want clarity as soon as possible."

According to Holzhauser, the bid his club have received for the 22-year-old does not yet match their expectations, which is why his appeal is not aimed only at Schurrle but at the Barclays Premier League club, too.

"We are still quite a long way apart in terms of certain details," he told Germany's SID agency.

"There are always two options: either Andre stays here or he leaves."

The sooner Holzhauser knows which option it will be, the sooner he can make plans for next season, with Bayer Leverkusen set to play in the Champions League once again.

The UEFA Champions League semi-finalist is prepared to meet the star's release clause in his contract with Borussia Dortmund.

Bayern announced the signing in a statement on its official website after Dortmund earlier revealed the player had told them he wanted to make the move.

Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said: "We are obviously disappointed beyond measure, but emphasise that both Mario and his advisers have behaved within the terms of the contract.

Gotze was under contract at Dortmund until 2016, with his release clause reportedly set at $47 million, meaning he will become the most expensive German player of all time.The timing of the announcement is certainly far from ideal for Dortmund, coming just a day before their first-leg meeting with Jose Mourinho's Madrid.

But the club have asked for fans to support Gotze and the rest of the players as it seeks a place in the Wembley final against Bayern or Barcelona.

A Dortmund statement said: "Coach Jurgen Klopp and sporting director Michael Zorc asks all fans of Borussia Dortmund to support Mario Gotze unconditionally as they would any other player in the final games of the season, but especially in the important Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid."

Losing Gotze, especially to their closest domestic rival, would be a huge blow to Dortmund.

Dortmund recently relinquished the Bundesliga title it won in each of the past two seasons with Bayern winning the 'salad bowl' in record time.

Gotze has emerged as one of the most coveted players in European football since coming through the ranks at Dortmund and making his Bundesliga debut in November 2009.

He played a key role as Dortmund won back-to-back Bundesliga crowns and has made 22 appearances for Germany, scoring five goals.

In January, Bayern announced former Barcelona coach Pep Guardiola will succeed Jupp Heynckes as boss this summer, having signed a three-year deal.

Dufner has reached an agreement to terminate his contract and is now expected to join Bundesliga rival Hannover, which parted ways with Jorg Schmadtke on Saturday.

"Dirk Dufner took on this role in a difficult time for the club and he has done a great job," said Freiburg chairman Fritz Keller.

"In the almost six years he spent in his role, we gained promotion to the Bundesliga in 2009 and next season will be our fifth consecutive in the top flight - longer than ever before.

"This is also down to Dirk Dufner and the club thanks him wholeheartedly for his efforts."

Dufner said: "It was always something special to work for this club.

"Freiburg is an amazingly-run club whom I will always have a special bond with."

Christian Gentner and Vedad Ibisevic were on target for Bruno Labbadia's side with Ivan Santini's first Bundesliga goal not enough for the visitor in the Baden-Wurttemberg derby.

Freiburg, which was also knocked out of the DFB-Pokal semi-finals by Stuttgart last week, remains fifth, one point behind fourth-placed Schalke, but with three sides within a point below it going into the last four games of the season.

The day's other Bundesliga game was also a derby - the oldest in German football - and saw Greuther Furth keep its slim survival hopes alive with 1-0 triumph over Bavarian rival Nurnberg.

Johannes Geis' first professional goal in the 26th minute was enough for Furth to win for only the third time this season and edge to within nine points of the relegation play-off.

Nurnberg hit the woodwork three times but came away with nothing to show for its efforts. It was the 256th Franconian derby, with the clubs having first met in 1902.

Pierre-Michel Lasogga scored the only goal in the 85th minute, moving Hertha 14 points clear of third-placed Kaiserslautern with four games remaining.

Two clubs are promoted automatically, with the third-placed club moving into the play-offs.

Hertha was relegated from the Bundesliga last season, the second time it had made the drop in the last three years.

Berlin had been the only major European capital without a top-flight club this season.

Lewandowski continued his excellent recent form as he scored his 10th goal in as many games, but before he struck in the last minute, the match was still on a knife edge.

"It was a strange game," said the Poland international. "We desperately wanted to win it, but we were thinking of Madrid.

"I want to score at least one goal in every game, then I am happy, and if I manage that against Madrid then that would be even better."

The win secured Dortmund's place in the Champions League next season, but it still has some unfinished business in the competition this year as it prepares for the semi-final first leg.

"We are proud to have qualified for the Champions League again," said defender Marcel Schmelzer on his club's website.

"On Wednesday, we then have the highlight of the current Champions League campaign for us."

Ilkay Gundogan added: "We can now go into the Real game with the wind between our sails.

"It's also important that we're all fit and didn't pick up any injuries."

Since clinching the title two weeks ago, Bayern has beaten Nurnberg 4-0 and Hannover 6-1, as well as thrashing Wolfsburg 6-1 in the DFB-Pokal semi-final - showing a hunger which Sammer says will not diminish.

"We wanted to win because we wanted to beat 81 points for a season, which is the record up to now," he said after this weekend's 26th win of the campaign.

"You've got to pay the team a huge compliment."

Victory took Bayern on to 81 points with four games of the season remaining, and set it up well for Wednesday morning's (AEST) Champions League semi-final first leg against Barcelona.

That game is now the priority, although Sammer insists future Bayern coach and former Barca tactician Pep Guardiola has not been contacted for advice.

"We certainly haven't spoken to him," Sammer told Sport1 television.

"It would be morally wrong towards (coach) Jupp Heynckes and Pep Guardiola to do such a thing."

The Bavarian side has already sewn up the league title this year, meaning it can go into the first leg of its semi-final with the Spanish giant at the Allianz Arena on Tuesday evening (Wednesday morning AEST) without looking over its shoulder.

Jupp Heynckes fielded a surprisingly strong line-up but no player seemed content to preserve themselves for the glamour tie next week with Bayern racing into a 3-0 lead before the interval.

Lars Stindl's 16th-minute own goal gave the visitor the lead, while Franck Ribery netted midway through the half, with Mario Gomez then striking either side of half-time.

Claudio Pizarro netted in the 71st and 86th minutes, with Andre Hoffmann grabbing a consolation for the overwhelmed host in between times.

Borussia Dortmund remains 20 points behind Bayern and eight ahead of third-placed Bayer Leverkusen after a comfortable 2-0 victory over Mainz.

Dortmund welcomes Real Madrid in the other Champions League last four encounter and it will also be buoyed by a comfortable win.

Marco Reus opened the scoring in the first minute before Robert Lewandowski sealed Dortmund's success three minutes from time

Bayer Leverkusen took full advantage of Eugen Polanski's dismissal to rout Hoffenheim 5-0.

The host was already ahead thanks to Stefan Kiessling's 16th-minute strike before Polanski saw red midway through the half, with Andre Schurrle putting Leverkusen two goals to the good before half-time.

Further strikes from Kiessling (65) and Schurrle (69) added to Hoffenheim's misery, while Stefan Reinartz added gloss to the scoreline.

Fourth-placed Schalke's position is looking increasingly shaky after a 1-0 defeat at Eintracht Frankfurt.

Marco Russ' 41st-minute goal helped the host move to within one point of Schalke, which could find itself in fifth if Freiburg wins at Stuttgart on Sunday afternoon (local time).

Fortuna Dusseldorf missed out on the opportunity to move further away from the drop zone after a 2-1 loss at Hamburg.

Rafael van der Vaart netted in the 14th and 20th minutes to put Hamburg in the driving seat and although Dani Schahin - a 17th minute substitute for Genki Omae - halved the deficit just after the half hour, Dusseldorf could not find a leveller and it remains just three points clear of the bottom three.

First-half strikes from Maximilian Arnold (13) and Ivica Olic (27) plus midfielder Diego's 66th-minute penalty sealed an emphatic 3-0 triumph for Wolfsburg at Werder Bremen.

Filip Daems converted a penalty in the 28th minute after midfielder Kevin Vogt was sent off for bringing down Peniel Mlapa in the area.

The home side missed several opportunities to increase the lead and almost paid the penalty in the last minute when keeper Marc-Andre Ter Stegen used his legs to keep out a shot by substitute Knowledge Musona.

Augsburg stays third last in the battle to avoid relegation but could be overtaken on goal difference if Hoffenheim wins at third-placed Bayer Leverkusen on Saturday.

Moenchengladbach moves to 44 points, two ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt who entertains fourth-placed Schalke on Saturday.

Also Saturday, Bayern Munich - already assured of the league title - travels to Hanover, while second-placed Borussia Dortmund is at home to Mainz.

With Bayern Munich winning the last-four clash against Wolfsburg, the second semi-final bestowed an automatic UEFA Europa League place on the winner.

That honour went to Stuttgart, but Freiburg could still be joining it in Europe next season.

Gaining revenge for the 2-1 defeat at the Mercedes-Benz Arena would give Freiburg at least a four-point advantage over seventh place going into the final four games of the season.

But Streich is happy to admit that he is already satisfied with his season's work.

"We were not good enough and Stuttgart deserved to win, but we have already achieved our goal for the season," he said.

"We are not going down and anything more than that is just a bonus."

For sides like Hamburg, Hannover and Borussia Monchengladbach, on the other hand, qualifying for Europe is closer to an obligation than an added extra.

They are three of six clubs chasing Freiburg for a place in the Europa League, with just four points between them.

Gladbach can land the first blow when it entertains struggling Augsburg, although its coach, like Streich, prefers not to get distracted by the lure of Europe.

"I don't want to talk about that anymore," he said. "We just want to take things game by game and fight for the points that are available."

Hamburg hosts Fortuna Dusseldorf on Sunday, when Hannover entertains champion Bayern Munich.

Mainz is another of the sides still in the running for a place in Europe and it travels to Borussia Dortmund, which may well have one eye on next Thursday's UEFA Champions League semi-final against Real Madrid.

Eintracht Frankfurt and Nurnberg are the other two teams still in the hunt for a top-six finish, and they face Schalke and Greuther Furth respectively.

Elsewhere, Bayer Leverkusen can strengthen its claim to a place in the Champions League when it hosts Hoffenheim and Wolfsburg's director of sport Klaus Allofs makes his first return to his former club Werder Bremen since leaving them after 13 years last November.

Schmadtke's contract was due to expire in June, but despite repeated statements from the club's president Martin Kind that he was eager for Schmadtke's partnership with coach Mirko Slomka to continue, it was instead announced that the former Fortuna Dusseldorf and Freiburg goalkeeper would be leaving.

"I regret this development," a statement from Kind on the club's website read. "Jorg Schmadtke has expressed a very clear desire to terminate his employment with us at short notice. We have complied with this request.

"Jorg Schmadtke has, over the past few years, worked very successfully here. He has made good and important decisions and is largely responsible for the positive development of Hannover in the sporting arena.

"For this we are very grateful to him and we wish him well for the future, both professionally and personally."

Schmadtke had worked in the club's hierarchy since 2009. The club has qualified for the UEFA Europa League in each of the past two seasons under Slomka, finishing a club record fourth in 2011.

It is 10th in the Bundesliga at present, four points from the European places with three games to go.

Schmadtke said: "This is a very intense emotional time for me. I thank the management, staff and fans for their strong support."

The highly-rated Germany international has been linked with a host of Europe's top clubs and Madrid is the latest side believed to be following the 19-year-old.

Draxler told Marca: "Real Madrid are one of the world's great clubs, it makes me proud that they like my style of play. I would be a dream to play at Real Madrid.

"I've always said that I would like to play in Spain. Every weekend I try to see the matches involving Madrid and Barcelona. I never miss the Classicos."

He added: "Right now I'm with Schalke and I have a contract until 2016.

"I'm having a very good season and I'm doing very well, I've scored eight goals in the Bundesliga and I feel very happy."

Sahin penned a six-year contract with Madrid in 2011 after catching the eye during Borussia Dortmund's Bundesliga tittle-winning campaign the previous season, but the Turkey international experienced a frustrating time in Spain.

Struck down by injuries, he played only a handful of times for Jose Mourinho's side before joining Liverpool on a season-long loan last summer.

The 24-year-old, who returned to Dortmund on loan in January after making only 12 appearances at Anfield, does not regret making the move to Madrid, though.

He told AS: "Of course I had different expectations when I went there. But I was injured. I didn't play well when I was able to return to the team and the whole time I was injured the team were really playing very well.

"Now, when I see how my game is improving, I think I took the right decision to go. I learned a lot. I was able to train day in day out with the best players in the world, like Cristiano (Ronaldo), (Karim) Benzema, (Gonzalo) Higuain.This helped me a lot to improve my game."

Dortmund will come face-to-face with Madrid later this month when they clash in the Champions League semi-finals.

The out-of-contract Rojas, who on Monday night scooped the A-League Player of the Year and Young Player of the Year accolades, has also not ruled out another season with Melbourne Victory, according to his father and manager, Rodi.

Marco Rojas reflects on winning the Johnny Warren Medal

But a move to Europe looks odds-on for the 21-year-old who lit up the A-League season with 15 goals and nine assists for a Victory side which failed at the last hurdle to reach Sunday's grand final.

One of the English clubs believed to be in the mix is Liverpool, which scouted Rojas in January, and plays Victory in a sold-out pre-season tour match at the MCG on 24 July. He has also been linked with Bundesliga oufits Werder Bremen, Nurnberg and Wolfsburg.

"Marco was always going to wait until the end of the season to make a decision on the next step, and he will most probably make that call by the end of the week," said Rodi Rojas.

"And that doesn't necessarily preclude him staying on at Melbourne Victory where he has been very happy. He has never said he would not consider signing another contract with the club. Whatever he decides Victory will be the first to know.

"There has been interest from Stuttgart who are of course a big Bundesliga club and also two Premier league teams have made approaches.

"It's a matter of weighing up what is the best move for Marco at this stage of his career - it's all about timing and making sure the decision is going to improve him as a footballer. That's the most important consideration."

New Zealand international Rojas - dubbed the Kiwi Messi - trialled at Werder Bremen, Hannover and Borussia Monchengladbach before making his first big A-League splash at Wellington Phoenix prior to his switch to Melbourne Victory.

"He's been very happy at Victory and if they were a European club he'd stay there - but like any player he obviously wants to perform at the highest level so he can reach his full potential," added Rojas senior.

"It's just a matter of when he should make that move. The interest is there - it's about deciding which path to take."

Rojas was still soaking in the achievement of his double awards night whammy, with Rodi adding: "He's just taking a little time to enjoy and reflect on the honour and he's justifiably pretty proud and we're all proud of him.

"To get the votes of your peers is the ultimate in any sport and he is delighted. It's been a memorable season for him and now he has some interesting opportunities to look at."

The offers on the table will take some of the hurt out of the weekend's 1-0 loss to Central Coast Mariners which ended Victory's season.

Liverpool boss Brendan Rogers was coy when asked if he had lined up a bid for Rojas, who would attract a training compensation fee of $180,000, telling The World Game: "It's not our club policy to talk publicly about any particular players we might or might not be interested in in the transfer market."