The fight against relegation gets some extra spice in the penultimate Bundesliga round on Saturday when SV Hamburg visit VfB Stuttgart for a showdown in the Bundesliga.
The coaches of both teams — Bruno Labbadia and Huub Stevens, have saved the opponent from the drop in the past.
Labbadia was in charge in Hamburg 2009-2010, then moved on to Stuttgart for three years, taking over when they were second bottom.
Labbadia is now back at Hamburg where he has garnered seven points in the last three games to revive their hopes of survival.
Stevens kept Hamburg in the top flight during his term there between 2007 and 2008, saved Stuttgart from the drop last season and is now back there again since November.
“Stuttgart is a special game,’’ Kicker sports magazine quoted Labbadia as saying.
Stuttgart may be at the bottom of the table but have their fate in their own hands with the games against Hamburg and Paderborn in a fight against relegation in which the bottom five are separated by just two points.
Number 14 Hamburg have 32 points, Freiburg 31, Hanover are also on 31 in the relegation play-off spot, while Paderborn (31 as well) and Stuttgart (30) are in the direct drop spots at the moment.
The Stuttgart v Hamburg duel is the followed by two more battles between strugglers on the last matchday May 23 when Stuttgart go to Paderborn and Freiburg visit Hanover.
But first Freiburg host already crowned champions Bayern Munich, who after their mid-week Champions League exit against Barcelona and a German cup semi-final defeat against Borussia Dortmund have nothing more to play for.
Bayern gave it all they had against Barca in spite of a 3-0 first leg defeat, winning 3-2, and Freiburg’s rivals hope that they will make an effort as well on Saturday in the Bundesliga where they have lost against Bayer Leverkusen and Augsburg since clinching the title.
“It would be important for a fair competition that Bayern field their best team in Freiburg. It is not only about us but all teams fighting relegation,” Paderborn coach Andre Breitenreiter told Sport Bild Plus.
Freiburg’s Karim Guede said “it doesn’t change our situation’’ as they need the points anyway after losing at home against Paderborn two weeks ago and then conceding a last-minute 1-1 equaliser in Hamburg.
“This is like a semi-final and a final or like two finals ahead of us. We must garner as many points as possible,’’ Guede said.
Others take a similar approach, with midfielder Christian Gentner saying: “We are in cup modus and have two vital finals ahead of us.’’
SV Hamburg goalkeeper Rene Adler said “we face another cup final in Stuttgart.’’
Hanover meanwhile are on a winless run of 16 games when they visit fifth-placed Augsburg and Paderborn are at number six Schalke, and there is plenty to play for.
Augsburg (46) and Schalke (45) – who suspended Sidney Sam and Kevin Prince Boateng after a dismal 2-0 loss in Cologne – hold the Europa League berths but are under threat from Dortmund and Werder Bremen (43 each).
Dortmund visit second-placed Wolfsburg and Bremen host Borussia Moenchengladbach who just need one point to make of direct Champions League qualification.
The other games are Bayer Leverkusen v Hoffenheim, not fully safe Hertha Berlin v Eintracht Frankfurt and Mainz v Cologne.
