Dortmund turn to bitter rivals Schalke to keep title chase alive

Bayern host Schalke in Saturday's early game, mere hours before Dortmund's clash with Borussia Moenchengladbach. Reigning champions Bayern sit just one point clear and know any slip-up could allow Dortmund to reclaim top spot with two rounds to play. The rivalry between Dortmund and Schalke, two clubs located 30 kilometres apart in Germany's former industrial Ruhr region, is the fiercest in the top division.

Schalke are the least likely team in Germany to want to do Dortmund a favour, but the Royal Blues lie in 15th, one spot clear of the relegation play-off spot, and are in desperate need of points. Dortmund mayor Thomas Westphal this week said he would "invite the Schalke team to City Hall to sign the Golden Book" the council uses to mark special occasions if they pull off a miraculous result against Bayern.

Schalke coach Thomas Reis said on Thursday "the Dortmunders should come up with a few other ideas" but told reporters "if we succeed and others benefit, then that's fine." Schalke have lost their last 11 matches against Bayern, last beating the Bavarians in 2011. The Royal Blues have however won three of their last four to jump out of the relegation spots for the first time since September.

Dortmund coach Edin Terzic, who was born and raised as a BVB fan in the multicultural north of the city, was not in the mood to discuss Schalke being his team's saviour. "We need to win our three games - that's the only thing we can influence," Terzic said on Thursday. "We might keep an eye out for one or two push notifications (from the Bayern-Schalke game), but won't be hosting a watch party.

"Whether it's Schalke, Leipzig or Cologne who help us out at the end, doesn't matter to me at all." With several ex-Schalke players including Leroy Sane, Leon Goretzka, Eric Maxim Choupo-Moting and injured captain Manuel Neuer in their ranks, Bayern have been quietly getting back to form under Thomas Tuchel.

The Bavarians have won two in a row for the first time under Tuchel and know three more wins will secure an 11th straight title, regardless of what happens at Dortmund.

Fixtures (all times 13.30 GMT unless stated)

Friday

Cologne v Hertha Berlin (18.30)

Saturday

Bochum v Augsburg, Wolfsburg v Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich v Schalke, Eintracht Frankfurt v Mainz, Union Berlin v Freiburg, Borussia Dortmund v Borussia Moenchengladbach (16.30)

Sunday

Stuttgart v Bayer Leverkusen, RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen (15.30)