Bayern Munich winger Douglas Costa. (Photo : Getty Images)
Reigning German top flight champions FC Bayern Munich (24-2-3, 75 points) is looking to finish the 2015-2016 Bundesliga season on a high note as they aim to capture their fourth straight Meisterschale. The team is scheduled to play middling team FC Schalke 04 (13-10-6, 45 points) on April 16th, Saturday at the Allianz Arena.
Bayern Munich is currently on a four-game winning streak after getting tripped by Mainz and Borussia Dortmund in their previous matches. The winningest German club is comfortably ahead by seven points over BVB in the overall standings with only five matchdays left in the season, which more likely will end up with another title for the Munich residents.
The Bavarians are coming off a customary 3-1 victory over lowly squad VfB Stuttgart at the Mercedes-Benz Arena last Saturday, as reported by Goal.
With team leader Thomas Müller taking a rest, other players stepped up to provide the goals for outgoing coach Pep Guardiola's side in the said fixture.
An own goal from Stuttgart's vice-captain, Georg Niedermeier, at the 31st minute gave the visitors the lead at the break. Der FCB defender David Alaba doubled the lead after halftime with a left-footed shot at the 52nd off a header assist from fellow defender Juan Bernat.
Die Schwaben scored a consolation goal three minutes after the hour mark courtesy of midfielder Daniel Didavi before Brazilian winger Douglas Costa sealed the win one minute before full time.
Meanwhile, Schalke held second-running team Borussia Dortmund to a stunning 2-2 draw at the Veltins Arena on Sunday to bounce back from their 0-3 loss to Ingolstadt in the previous matchday, via ESPN.
After a scoreless first half, Dortmund midfielder Shinji Kagawa broke the deadlock at the 49th, which was quickly leveled by Schalke's Leroy Sane two minutes later.
The Borussians' Matthias Ginter gave the lead back to Die Schwarzgelben with a header from center box at the 56th, but the hosts found the equalizer once again ten minutes later via a penalty kick from vice-captain Klaas-Jan Huntelaar.
Schalke is currently at the no. 7 spot of the league table, tied on points with fifth and sixth-placed teams Borussia Monchengladbach and Mainz, which mathematically still gives them a chance to occupy a Champions League berth with five games left in this season's campaign.
The predicted result is a 3-0 romp for Bayern Munich.
Bayern Munich starting lineup (3-4-3 formation): Neuer; Kimmich, Martinez, Alaba; Alonso, Rafinha, Bernat, Vidal; Götze, Lewandowski, Ribery
Schalke starting lineup (3-4-3 formation): Fahrmann; Riether, Matip, Neustadter; Caicara, Geis, Hojbjerg, Kolasinac; Sane, Huntelaar, Belhanda
