Europe the incentive as Stuttgart tackle Bayern's juggernaut
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Your support makes all the difference.VfB Stuttgart need to end Bayern Munich's eight-match winning streak to secure a Champions' League place as Germany's Bundesliga season ends today with a scramble for Europe.
VfB Stuttgart need to end Bayern Munich's eight-match winning streak to secure a Champions' League place as Germany's Bundesliga season ends today with a scramble for Europe.
Bayern clinched the title three weeks ago and Freiburg, Hansa Rostock and VfL Bochum have all been consigned to relegation, but five European places - two in the Champions' League and three in the Uefa Cup - are still being contested.
Second-placed Schalke face the simplest task of the four sides still in with a hope of making Europe's top club competition next season. Ralf Rangnick's team need a win away to the bottom club, Freiburg, to clinch second place and automatic Champions' League entry, while a draw would be enough to guarantee third and a place in the competition's final qualifying round.
By contrast, Stuttgart are faced with the challenge of winning at home to Bayern to be certain of hanging on to third place. Failure for either side would open the door for Hertha Berlin and/or Werder Bremen, the outgoing champions.
In France, Marseilles have their European future at stake when they host the champions, Lyon, in their penultimate match today. Marseilles are still fourth in the table but, with only one victory from their last 10 league games, have conceded ground in the chase for a Uefa Cup place.
With two matches to go, Marseilles have 54 points and cannot catch third-placed Monaco on 61. But they are only two points above Auxerre and Stade Rennes, level on 52, while St-Etienne and Racing Lens are three points further adrift on 49.
Lyon, on 75 points, claimed their fourth consecutive title two weeks ago and are aiming to break Monaco's record of 79 points in one season by winning their last two matches at Marseilles and at home to Nice next week. At the bottom of the table, four points separate seven clubs threatened by relegation.
In Italy Roma secured a place in next season's Uefa Cup with Thursday's Italian Cup semi-final win over Udinese, but they have yet to make sure of a place in Serie A next season as they go to Atalanta today just three points off the relegation zone.
Bruno Conti's side, who have picked up three points from the last 11 games, are still without their captain, Francesco Totti, who is serving the last game of his five-match suspension. Defeat for the bottom club, Atalanta, could send them down if other results go against them.
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