Bayern Munich have beaten Cologne 2-0 to delay Bayer Leverkusen's title party for at least another day and leave the second-bottom Billy Goats five points from absolute safety.
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Raphael Guerreiro's effort from distance on 65 minutes and Thomas Muller's late strike handed Bayern the win at their Munich fortress, but Xabi Alonso's Leverkusen will still clinch their first ever Bundesliga title if they win at home to Werder Bremen on Sunday.
"It is tough if you don't score early and don't take your chances. But I think 2-0 was fair," Bayern defender Matthijs de Ligt told Sky.
A win on Sunday will give unbeaten Leverkusen an unassailable 16-point lead with only five matches left.
Later on Saturday, Stuttgart beat Eintracht Frankfurt 3-0 to join Bayern on 63 points but with an inferior goal difference.
In a relegation battle, fourth-bottom Bochum and new coach Heiko Butscher drew 1-1 at home to Heidenheim after Keven Schlotterbeck scored at both ends.
Bochum nudged five points above Cologne, who were also hampered by third-bottom Mainz - in the relegation play-off spot - coming back to beat Hoffenheim 4-1 and go four points above Timo Schultz's side.
In the Champions League race, fourth-placed RB Leipzig beat Wolfsburg 3-0 at home thanks to Dani Olmo, Benjamin Sesko and Lois Openda while 10-man Borussia Dortmund - on the same points in fifth - prevailed 2-1 at Borussia Monchengladbach after Marcel Sabitzer's double.
Six new faces were in the Dortmund line-up as Edin Terzic rotated ahead of Tuesday's Champions League action but injured Sebastien Haller lasted less than 10 minutes and was replaced by Youssoufa Moukoko.
Sabitzer's thumping finish and penalty made the difference for Dortmund, who saw Maximilian Wober pull one back, another spot-kick chalked off by video review and Karim Adeyemi sent off for two yellow cards.
Germany could end up with five entrants in next season's revamped Champions League depending on results in the remainder of the European season.
Bayern coach Thomas Tuchel, in the stands after too many bookings, made seven changes to the side which drew 2-2 at Arsenal in their Champions League quarter-final. The second leg is on Wednesday.
Relegation-threatened Cologne had their chances in the first half but Bayern's Harry Kane and Mathys Tel also hit the post.
Australian Associated Press
