Key Week in Bundesliga

Written off a few weeks ago, the two-time reigning league champions Munich have returned into the frame with two wins in a row while their rivals are struggling.

Wednesday's 2-1 over Real Madrid, which saw them advance into the Champions League quarterfinals, has further boosted confidence.

"Every victory is good for the confidence, especially if it comes against Real," goalkeeper and captain Oliver Kahn told Thursday's edition of Kicker sports magazine. "This has further strengthened my belief that a lot is possible this season."

Munich coach Ottmar Hitzfeld said he also believes Bayern can defend the German league title they won last season, but emphasized that there is still plenty to be decided.

Bundesliga work remains

"We have made it to the quarterfinals but in the Bundesliga we are not in the Champions League places," he said. "It's still a critical situation and we haven't achieved anything yet. We have come back into contention in the Bundesliga and in Europe. Now we need to concentrate on the Bremen match."

Bremen's confidence is also on the rise after a victory last week over Bochum.

"Our crisis is over," said defender Clemens Fritz. "We can achieve both, advancing into the UEFA Cup final and winning the Bundesliga."

Perennial runners up?

Schalke hope to end their misery at mid-table Hanover 96, but the loss of Brazilian forward Lincoln, who will be serving the second match in a five-game ban, and defender Dario Rodriguez, who will be out after picking up a fifth yellow card, will make the endeavor a challenge.

In third place by a four-point margin, Stuttgart look to have the least pressure on them this weekend playing at home against Wolfsburg, who are only two points away from the relegation zone.

Despite being kicked out of the top spot by Bayern a number of times in recent years, neither Schalke nor Stuttgart are willing to admit to a gnawing feeling in the back of their minds that the Bavarians could be approaching.

Schalke coach Mirko Slomka shrugged off Munich's comeback, saying, "We are not looking at teams behind us." His Stuttgart counterpart Armin Veh agreed, "We are not looking at Bayern."

Kahn: Forget us at your peril

But Munich keeper Kahn said he thinks they should be.

"There are 10 games left and we have a six-point deficit," the keeper said. "There would be something very wrong if we didn't believe in our chance. You always have to watch out for us, until the very last second of the season."

Elsewhere, improving SV Hamburg run into Bayer Leverkusen in the other Sunday game. Hamburg have won their last four games, including success in Bremen and Schalke. Leverkusen have two wins in a row, at Schalke and against Stuttgart.

The other weekend games are Nuremberg vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Hertha Berlin, VfL Bochum vs. Borussia Dortmund, Mainz 05 vs. Arminia Bielefeld and Energie Cottbus vs. Alemannia Aachen.