DUESSELDORF, Germany (AP) — Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund are trying to bounce back from bruising losses in the Champions League quarterfinals when Bundesliga action resumes.
With a six-point lead over Bayer Leverkusen, Bayern will secure the title with three wins from the last five games and give Harry Kane the first major trophy of his career, barring a huge swing on goal difference. Bayern needs to recover quick from its Champions League exit at Inter Milan.
Even if it wasn't enough to reach the semifinals, Dortmund's 3-1 second-leg win over Barcelona showed the sort of fighting spirit it needs in the final Bundesliga games just to qualify for next season's Champions League. A win on Sunday against a local rival is crucial.
Key matchups
— Bayern must avoid a repeat of a notorious collapse when it visits Heidenheim on Saturday. The last time Bayern played there 12 months ago, it gave up a 2-0 lead and lost 3-2 in a heavy blow to its already-floundering title defense.
— Leverkusen needs to rack up wins and hope for Bayern mistakes. The next step is a win Sunday over St. Pauli.
— Dortmund is eighth and Champions League qualification is a long shot. Beating seventh-placed Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday is vital. Other teams above Dortmund have less challenging games, such as Leipzig's against Holstein Kiel on Saturday.
Players to watch
— Florian Wirtz returned for Leverkusen last week as a substitute after more than a month out injured, but couldn't stop the team dropping points in a 0-0 draw with Union Berlin. Coach Xabi Alonso says Wirtz could start Sunday's game.
— Serhou Guirassy scored a hat trick as Dortmund threatened to defy the odds against Barcelona.
— Midfielder Nadiem Amiri has had a big role in Mainz's bid to qualify for the Champions League. He returns from suspension when it plays Wolfsburg on Saturday.
Injury list
— Bayern's injury problems deepened as midfielder Leon Goretzka was ruled out of Saturday's game. The club said on Friday he has a “knock to his calf.” Longer-term injury absentees include goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, defenders Dayot Upamecano and Alphonso Davies and attacking midfielder Jamal Musiala.
— Dortmund captain Emre Can and midfielder Carney Chukwuemeka remain doubtful after they were ruled out just before Tuesday's game against Barcelona, though the team coped well.
— Mainz top scorer and captain Jonny Burkardt was ruled out with illness last week. It's not clear whether he'll return against Wolfsburg.
Transfer news
— Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso says “it is not a good moment to talk a lot about the future”, amid speculation linking him with Carlo Ancelotti's job at Real Madrid.
— Eintracht Frankfurt confirmed on Wednesday that Denmark right back Rasmus Kristensen's loan move from Leeds has been made permanent. Third-placed Frankfurt plays Augsburg on Sunday.
What they're saying
— “We shouldn’t let it spoil the season. We have the chance to regain the title in the Bundesliga." — Harry Kane reacts to Bayern's Champions League elimination.
— “It’s not easy, but if we still have a bit of hope, we want to try.” — Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso.
— “If we play with this intensity, in this way, we'll win a lot more games. We want to be playing internationally next season, too, and for that we definitely have to win Sunday against Gladbach.” — Dortmund sporting director Sebastian Kehl after Tuesday's game against Barcelona.
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AP soccer: https://apnews.com/hub/soccer
James Ellingworth, The Associated Press
