Bayern on the brink of title glory

FC Bayern München are on the verge of their 22nd German title after winning 3-1 against VfL Bochum 1848 and nearest challengers FC Schalke 04 lost 2-0 at home to Werder Bremen.

Bayern and Schalke started the penultimate round of Bundesliga fixtures level on 64 points, but their respective results mean the Bavarian club are now three clear of the Gelsenkirchen outfit and with a far superior goal difference of +17. Thomas Müller struck a hat-trick for Bayern, his first two coming within three first-half minutes (18, 20) before he completed his treble after the break.

Schalke fell behind to a Mesut Özil goal ten minutes after half-time and Hugo Almeida added a second soon after. Third-placed Bremen cannot catch Schalke, but are fighting off two pursuers for the final UEFA Champions League qualifying berth. The first of those, Bayer 04 Leverkusen, dropped two points behind Thomas Schaaf's side following a 1-1 home draw with bottom club Hertha BSC Berlin – who needed a win to avoid relegation. Raffael had given the visitors early hope with a 12th-minute effort, but Manuel Friedrich's equaliser just before the hour ended Hertha's 13-year Bundesliga stay.

BV Borussia Dortmund also drew and remain fifth. They fell behind to champions VfL Wolfsburg, Edin Džeko (69) firing his 21st league goal of the season, but 19-year-old substitute Marco Stiepermann hit back late on in only his second top-flight appearance. Elsewhere, Hamburger SV went some way to soothing the pain of their UEFA Europa League semi-final loss on Thursday by comprehensively defeating 1. FC Nürnberg 4-0, Mladen Petrić scoring twice.

Hannover 96 also enjoyed a big home win, thrashing VfL Borussia Mönchengladbach 6-1 and jumping above Nürnberg and Bochum to ease their relegation worries. A double strike from Romania forward Ciprian Marica helped VfB Stuttgart come from two down and earn a point against 1. FSV Mainz 05, while 1. FC Köln and SC Freiburg also drew 2-2. Elsewhere, Prince Tagoe scored twice in the last ten minutes as TSG 1899 Hoffenheim won 2-1 at Eintracht Frankfurt.