Bayern have hand on title but put celebrations on hold

Bayern open a 12-point lead over Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 with four matches remaining, but Ottmar Hitzfeld's side has a vastly superior goal difference over both rivals.

 After winning the German Cup last week, Bayern will at the most need just another point to make absolutely sure of the league and cup double.

 "Of course, practically nothing can happen to us now unless they suspend the championship," Hitzfeld said.

 General manager Uli Hoeness said: "You can congratulate us on the league title because no other team is going to make that up."

   However celebrations are being put on hold ahead of Thursday's UEFA Cup semi-final return leg at Zenit Petersburg. It promises to be a tough trip after the Russian champions held Bayern to a 1-1 draw in the first leg in Munich last Thursday.

 "I asked the players if they wanted to celebrate, but they said no, they want to focus completely on the game on Thursday - and that was something that pleased me a lot," Hoeness said.

 In the day's other game, Bayer Leverkusen moved fourth but their Champions League qualification hopes were badly dented in a 2-2 with visiting Wolfsburg

   In Munich, Hitzfeld rested six players including Ribery ahead of the trip to Russia, but kept Italy striker Luca Toni in the side.

 It did not take long for Toni - who had been suspended for the first-leg tie against Zenit - to notch his 21st Bundesliga goal of the season, courtesy of a gift from Stuttgart's Matthieu Delpierre.

 The defender failed to deal with a cross in the eighth minute from Dutch midfielder Van Bommel, laying the ball straight at the feet of Toni, who netted with relish from close range.

 Stuttgart were back on level terms 11 minutes later when an Antonio da Silva free-kick was deflected by the head of Van Bommel past Michael Rensing, deputizing for the injured Oliver Kahn in goal.

 Van Bommel made amends for his own goal by firing a free-kick through the defensive wall to put Bayern back in front 10 minutes into the second half.

 Then it was time for Ribery to steal the show with two wonderful goals after coming off the bench with Ze Roberto in the 57th minute.

 In the 75th minute he blasted the ball from well outside the left of the area into the top left-hand corner of the net, and just over 90 seconds later sent two Stuttgart defenders the wrong way before drilling in his second.

 "A normal person would not normally shoot from that angle, but how he did it - unbelievable," said Hoeness of Ribery's first strike.

 Hitzfeld said: "These were two dream goals from him. I am glad I rested him. He showed he is really motivated even when he comes off the bench."

   Ribery and Brazilian midfielder Ze Roberto were among those given a rest by Hitzfeld, while defenders Philipp Lahm and Lucio joined Kahn among players nursing slight injuries.

 But Miroslav Klose, who suffered a broken nose in last Thursday's first leg against Zenit, was a surprise starter, before being replaced in the 70th minute by Lukas Podolski.

 Bayer Leverkusen's hopes of qualifying for a Champions League took a blow after a 2-2 home draw with Wolfsburg, leaving them six points adrift of Bremen and Schalke.

 Edin Dzeko put the visitors in front in the 13th minute when he followed up a shot against the post by Brazilian striker Grafite.

 Theofanis Gekas levelled for Leverkusen in the 33rd, but Japanese midfielder Makoto Hasebe slid the ball over the line in the 44th after good work from Grafite to give Wolfsburg a half-time lead.

 Leverkusen at least rescued a point when Ricardo Costa put the ball into his own net in the 73rd minute.

By Barry Whelan, dpa