Schalke 04 season at risk against struggling Stuttgart

Berlin: Schalke 04 are hoping they can snap their six-match winless streak in the Bundesliga against struggling VfB Stuttgart on Saturday and remain on course for a Europa League spot.

With the title already secured by Bayern Munich last week with four games to spare, the battle is raging for the European spots and relegation with almost no team other than the champions certain of their final standing.

Schalke, who competed in the Champions League this season, are currently in fifth place on 42 points after failing to win any of their last six league games, having scored only three goals.

The top three teams qualify for the Champions League group stage while the fourth-placed team go in to the competition`s qualifying round.

Spots five and six are awarded a place in the Europa League and the seventh-placed finisher could also go through if second-placed VfL Wolfsburg win the German Cup.

"We have to use up all possibilities to change things in order to secure qualification for the Europa League," coach Roberto Di Matteo said.

The Italian took over in October and initially looked to be driving the Ruhr valley club back into the top positions.

But their recent slump has seen them miss out on Europe`s premier club competition for next season and even their Europa League spot is far from certain with Augsburg at sixth also on 42, and Hoffenheim two points behind at seventh.

Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen are on 39 and in with a chance to claim a top-six spot with four matches left.

That is why Di Matteo ordered his players to attend a four-day mini training camp as he tries to focus on the task at hand.

Schalke have been plagued by injuries this season and will be without Jefferson Farfan, Joel Matip or Julian Draxler among others.

Stuttgart on the other hand have a completely different battle on their hands, with the 2007 Bundesliga champions in last place on 27 but only two points from safety.

Stuttgart coach Huub Stevens, a hero at Schalke after leading them to the UEFA Cup title in 1997, will have no time for nostalgia on his return to Auf Schalke arena.

"I expect a motivated Schalke team," said Stevens, who twice coached the Royal blues in the past. "I had good times there but that`s all yesterday`s news. I concentrate on our situation."

Bayern, preparing for next week`s Champions League semi-final first leg at Barcelona, take on fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen, who are desperate to rein in Borussia Moenchengladbach, in third two points ahead.