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Schalke aiming to seal Champions League spot

By Karolos Grohmann REUTERS - Schalke 04's season could have a happy ending at home to Borussia Moenchengladbach on Sunday when they hope to claim a Champions League spot after a rollercoaster campaign punctuated by injury problems. Schalke, who had several players including Marco Hoeger and Jan Kirchhoff back in training this week, can seal an automatic Champions League berth if they win and fourth-placed Bayer Leverkusen lose to Borussia Dortmund on Saturday. The Ruhr Valley club, who have lost only twice since the mid-season break, have 58 points, four ahead of Leverkusen with three games left. "If we do our homework then we will successfully defend the third spot," said midfielder Hoeger. "We have worked for this four-point lead and we are not ready to give it up." There was more bad news for Schalke on Wednesday when central defender Kyriakos Papadopoulos, who has missed much of the season through injury, pulled out of training with a shoulder problem. He looks set to miss Sunday's match with the club saying tests will be carried out to show how long he will be out. "We are still in control of our own fate," said Schalke sports director Horst Heldt. "I am totally convinced we will clinch automatic Champions League qualification. "The team will not start getting nervous now. Gladbach also still have some chances to finish fourth and they will give it all they have. We have to invest everything into those last three league games." Gladbach, sixth on 49 points, have only themselves to blame for leaving it so late, winning only four games since the mid-season break in an erratic second half of the season. While the pair battle it out for European qualification, four teams are locked in a fight to avoid the drop. Bottom club Eintracht Braunschweig have their backs to the wall when they travel to Hertha Berlin on Saturday, needing a victory to maintain realistic hopes of staying up. Nuremberg, a point ahead in 17th place, are hoping a change in coach following the sacking of Gertjan Verbeek on Wednesday will provide the necessary jolt needed to lift them to safety when they take on Mainz 05 on Saturday. Hamburg SV, occupying the relegation playoff spot in 16th position with 27 points, travel to in-form Augsburg on Sunday looking to avoid dropping out of the Bundesliga for the first time in their history. Stuttgart, on 31 points in 15th place, aim to secure their safety with a win over Hanover 96 on Friday. (Editing by Tony Jimenez)