Top-four chasing Borussia Monchengladbach will be looking to make it back-to-back victories when they travel to already-relegated SC Paderborn on Saturday afternoon.
Gladbach cruised to victory over Wolfsburg in midweek and are one point off a Champions League spot, while defeat to Union Berlin brought an end to Paderborn's survival hopes.
Match preview
© Reuters
Following successive defeats at the hands of Freiburg and Bayern Munich, it was important that Gladbach responded against seventh-in-the-table Wolfsburg on Tuesday night.
Respond they did thanks to a couple of Jonas Hofmann goals and one from Lars Stindl in a routine 3-0 win at Borussia-Park.
Bayer Leverkusen also returned to winning ways the following night, though, so the gap on the top four remains at one point with two games to go.
After taking on Paderborn this weekend, Marco Rose's side then play host to Hertha Berlin on the final weekend, while Leverkusen have Hertha and Mainz 05 to come.
It is a battle that will go right down to the wire, but one thing is clear - Gladbach cannot afford to drop points in this weekend's trip to Paderborn.
© Reuters
Steffen Baumgart's side's one-season stay in the Bundesliga was officially brought to an end with a deserved 1-0 loss at Union on Tuesday.
The division's bottom side are winless in 13 matches either side of the three-month shutdown, a run that stretches all the way back to a 2-0 win at Freiburg in January.
They have taken just eight points all season at the Benteler Arena - the second-worst home return in the division - but Gladbach are three without a win on their travels.
No side has conceded more goals than the 68 Paderborn have let in, meanwhile, with their last two home matches ending in 6-1 and 5-1 losses to Borussia Dortmund and Bayern respectively.
Gladbach racked up a couple of goals in the reverse meeting - a 2-0 win in December - but will be looking for more this time around given the importance of goal difference.
Leverkusen are five goals worse off in that regard and, with just a point between the sides, it may well be that goal difference determines which of the two will compete in Europe's showpiece competition next season.
Paderborn's Bundesliga form: DDLDLL
Gladbach's Bundesliga form: LDWLLW
Team News
© Reuters
Paderborn will be without Christian Strohdiek after the defender picked up a knock against Union last time out.
January recruit Dennis Srbeny started that midweek match on the bench but is set for a recall here, as are Sven Michel and Abdelhamid Sabiri after serving one-match bans.
Antony Evans is also in line for just a second Bundesliga start, with coach Baumgart possibly tempted to give fringe players a chance with his side's fate already known.
Gladbach have been rocked by the news that key man Marcus Thuram will miss their final two matches with a knee injury.
Fellow Frenchman Alassane Plea is also ruled out because of a groin issue that has likely curtailed his campaign.
In better news for Rose, Ramy Bensebaini is back from suspension and should return to the side at left-back.
Paderborn possible starting lineup:
Zingerle; Drager, Rumpf, Hunemeier, Collins; Holtmann, Ritter, Gjasula, Antwi-Adjei; Srbeny, Michel
Gladbach possible starting lineup:
Sommer;Lainer, Ginter, Jantschke, Bensebaini; Kramer, Neuhaus; Herrmann, Stindl, Hofmann; Embolo
We say: SC Paderborn 0-2 Borussia Monchengladbach
Unlike their opponents, Gladbach have it all to play for in this penultimate fixture of the season. The visitors returned to winning ways in midweek with an impressive victory and are strong favourites to come out on top at the Benteler Arena on Saturday.
