Tension builds in Bundesliga with five teams in relegation danger

Players to watch

Bayern’s Lennart Karl made his return from a hamstring injury in the final minutes against PSG on Wednesday. The 18-year-old Karl should get more playing time in Wolfsburg to prove his fitness for Germany at the World Cup. Patrik Schick is hitting form at just the right time for Leverkusen with his hat trick against Leipzig last weekend taking his tally to six goals in three games. Harry Kane has 55 across all competitions including the German Supercup. Heidenheim’s Budu Zivzivadze and Eren Dinkci scored at Bayern last weekend. If Frank Schmidt’s side does somehow pull off a great escape, it will be down in large part to his two forwards.

Who is out?

St. Pauli’s survival hopes have been dealt a blow by injuries to defenders Jannik Robatsch, Karol Mets und Manolis Saliakas likely ruling them out for the rest of the season. Borussia Dortmund defender Ramy Bensebaini is out of the last two rounds against Eintracht Frankfurt on Friday and Bremen the following week with a foot injury. Coach Niko Kovač says his World Cup participation with Algeria is not in doubt.

Off the field

Bayern captain Manuel Neuer’s future remains uncertain as the club awaits the 40-year-old goalkeeper’s decision on whether he’ll play another year. He may well wait till the German Cup final — Bayern plays Stuttgart in Berlin’s Olympiastadion on May 23 — before deciding. Defender Konrad Laimer’s contract with the club runs for another year. Talks over a new deal are ongoing and the player will likely have to rein in his expectations after comments from Bayern powerbroker Uli Hoeneß. “He works incredibly hard for the team. But he’s not Maradona. And players like that have to accept there are limits,” Hoeneß said. \\\_ AP soccer: