With eight games left to play defending champions Bayern Munich are 10 points clear at the top and with just two defeats and on track to celebrate a 25th German title and their 24th Bundesliga crown, since the top league’s introduction in 1963.
Coach Pep Guardiola’s team has shown superb consistency despite struggling with a long injury list that has included Bastian Schweinsteiger, David Alaba, Philipp Lahm, Thiago Alcantara, Javi Martinez, Holger Badstuber and Franck Ribery.
They have conceded only 13 goals in 26 games so far, scoring 70 for the best offensive and defensive records in the league.
Champions League
With the top spot all but decided, there are three Champions League qualifying places up for grabs, two of them leading to the group stage and one to the last qualifying round.
Second-placed VfL Wolfsburg are on course to take one of them, having opened up a seven-point lead over Borussia Moenchengladbach in third.
Led by Belgium midfielder Kevin De Bruyne and Dutch striker Bas Dost, the Volkswagen-backed club should comfortably hold on to second place and secure a retur to the Champions League for the first time since the 2009/10 season.
Gladbach, on 47 points, look set to battle it out with Bayer Leverkusen, who are two points behind them, and possibly Schalke 04, on 39, for third and the last automatic group stage spot.
Surprise package Augsburg, who are a further point behind, also have an outside chance of a top-four finish though their form as dipped since the league restarted in January
Europa League
Last season’s runners-up Borussia Dortmund have launched a recovery since the winter break and are hoping for a top six finish and Europa League action next season.
However, competition is tight with Schalke, Augsburg and Hoffenheim, on 37, separated by just two points.
Dortmund have 33, one behind Eintracht Frankfurt and Werder Bremen, another comeback team who imploded during the first half of the campaign but are now eyeing a European spot.
Relegation
A bitter relegation battle has been raging for months with bottom side VfB Stuttgart, champions in 2007, showing signs of a recovery, having lost one of their last four games.
Paderborn are a point ahead on 24, with former European champions Hamburg SV on 25, level with Freiburg. Hanover 96, who have 27 points, and Hertha Berlin, on 29, are also still in the mix, although the capital club have also been improving.
Cup
Dortmund could also secure a European ticket through the German Cup where they face Hoffenheim in the last eight. Holders Bayern take on Leverkusen, ensuring one of the Bundesliga heavyweights will not reach the semi-finals. With Gladbach on track for a Champions League spot, the chances are even higher for Dortmund to grab a plae in Europe via through the Cup.
Promotion
Ingolstadt are edging closer to their maiden Bundesliga promotion as the Audi-backed team dominate the second tier competition with just three league defeats all season and a three-point lead over Kaiserslautern, who have 46.
Darmstadt, another former Bundesliga club, are third, a further point behind, with that place leading to a relegation/promotion playoff with the 16th-placed Bundesliga finisher.
