The Guide: Bayern vs Schalke

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Manuel Neuer welcomes former club Schalke 04 to the Allianz Arena on Saturday as FC Bayern München look to cement their grip on a record fourth consecutive Bundesliga title.

Bayern on the cusp

The Royal Blues would love to play spoiler for the champions-in-waiting, though, with their chances of qualifying for Europe next season beginning to wane. bundesliga.com takes a closer look…

Read: Bayern vs. Schalke preview

Bayern stretched their lead at the top of the Bundesliga to seven points on Matchday 29 with a 3-1 win at VfB Stuttgart. The Bavarians' next opponents Schalke subsequently did them a favour, twice coming from behind to draw 2-2 with Revierderby rivals Borussia Dortmund, the Bundesliga's second-placed club. There are still 15 points left to play for, but no side has ever overturned a seven-point deficit with five matches to play to conclude the season as champions, and the safe money is now on Bayern becoming the first team to win four German titles in a row.

- © imago / Chai v.d. Laage

Ribery back to his best

After missing 11 months with ankle and then thigh problems, 33-year-old Franck Ribery has come roaring back to form at just the right time for Pep Guardiola's side. His winner in Matchday 28's 1-0 win against Eintracht Frankfurt was the Frenchman's 70th, and arguably best, Bundesliga strike. The winger has featured for 90 minutes in each of the three games since, including both legs of Bayern's 3-2 aggregate win over SL Benfica in the UEFA Champions League quarter-finals.