With just five rounds remaning of the 2015/2016 Bundesliga season, all 18 sides in German football's top flight will be hoping to pick up maximum points between now and May. Some teams are battling for survival. Others for a Europa League spot. Meanwhile, there are still others fighting for something even better - a Champions League berth. And at the top of the table, reigning champions Bayern Munich are aspiring to inch closer towards part one of a potential Treble - the Bundesliga title.
Bayern Munich
Unlike in past seasons when Bayern Munich romped to the league crown without much fuss, this time around, die Roten have had to work quite a bit harder. Currently, Pep Guardiola's men sit seven points ahead of Borussia Dortmund, which, in theory, appears to be a pretty comfortable lead. However, as we have seen in some of Europe's other big leagues - namely Italy's Serie A with Juventus overtaking Inter and Napoli and recently, Spain's La Liga with Barcelona's lead evaporating - any lead with enough time remaining is not enough to fend off competition for the domestic title.
As such, Bayern will be keen on making sure they close out the rest of this campaign on a high note. Die Roten will be coming into this match having had to settle for a 2-2 draw with Portuguese side Benfica in their Champions League quarter-finals tie earlier this week. Thankfully, Arturo Vidal's early goal from the first leg was enough to help them through 3-2 on aggregate, but they will now face a sterner test in the semi-finals against 2014 Champions League finalists Atletico Madrid.
Guardiola could opt to rotate his squad somewhat for this game, with Robert Lewandowski, who spent most of the time on the bench in clash with Benfica, likely featuring from the start. Jerome Boateng, Holger Badstuber, and Arjen Robben are all still out due to injury, whilst Xabi Alonso is banned, meaning that Sebastian Rode could be handed a chance to start this match.
Schalke
Meanwhile, André Breitenreiter's side are in seventh place, but with 45 points, are tied with Borussia Mönchengladbach and Mainz, who occupy Europa League spots, so a positive result at the Allianz Arena could start to put some serious pressure on those two sides. However, die Königsblauen have been quite inconsistent all season, which has put their chances at qualifying for European football in danger, and they will arrive at Bayern's home ground having drawn Borussia Dortmund 2-2 in last weekend's Revierderby.
The stalemate will certainly have pleased die Roten, as it pegged back their nearest rivals for the title and it was a decent way for Schalke to bounce back after suffering a humiliating 3-0 loss to Ingolstadt. Still, with only a quintet of games left, Breitenreiter's team will need to right the ship - and quickly - if they want to have any real opportunity to feature in the Europa League, let alone achieve their ultimate goal, which is the Champions League next season.
Unfortunately for the visitors, they will be arriving with a whole slew of injuries. In addition to skipper Benedikt Howedes, Leon Goretzka, Atsuto Uchida, Marco Hoger, and Fabian Giefer are among those who will miss out, whilst Sead Kolasinac is currently suspended.
Which channel is broadcasting Bayern Munich vs Schalke on TV or Online?
The Allianz Arena will be hosting today's game, and for anyone who has had a chance to visit it, they will be certainly aware that it is quite a lively and festive atmosphere packed with plenty of die Roten supporters.
However, if you're a Bayern or Schalke fan who is too far away to make the trip, no worries. LiveSoccerTV.com has put together options to tune in via TV, computer, phone, or tablet.
Here are some choices for fans residing elsewhere in Germany and in the following countries:
- In the USA at 12.30 EST on: Fox Soccer 2GO USA, FOX Network, GOLTV USA
- In Germany at 18.30 CET on: Sport1.FM, TeleClub Sport Live, Sky Go Deutschland
- In the UK at 17.30 BST on: BT Sport Europe, BT Sport Live Streaming
- In Canada at 12.30 ET on: Sportsnet World, Sportsnet World Now
Live elsewhere? Check out our Bayern Munich vs Schalke broadcast page for viewing time and options for your specific location.
*Note: Live broadcast data is subject to change*
Match details, result and original broadcast info
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Live TV coverage and streaming in United States
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