Berlin (AFP) – Bayern Munich put Freiburg to the sword on Sunday amid reports that their opponent’s coach Christian Streich has been approached about taking the reins at the Bundesliga leaders next season.

At the other end of the table, Hamburg, the only team currently in Germany’s top-flight never to have been relegated, need a “miracle” to avoid dropping into the second division after a goalless draw with Mainz.

Bayern continued their relentless march towards the title, opening up a 20-point lead at the top of the table with a 4-0 romp at Freiburg.

Borussia Dortmund slipped to third, but remain unbeaten under Peter Stoeger after they earned a hard-fought draw away to RB Leipzig.

Cologne are in an even worse state than Hamburg, anchored to the bottom after a disastrous goalkeeping error saw them lose to Stuttgart.

Here are five talking points from this weekend’s Bundesliga action.

Streich’s audition

Bayern’s trip to Freiburg on Sunday was billed as an audition for Streich, a surprise candidate to succeed 72-year-old Jupp Heynckes as Munich head coach, but the man 20 years his junior laughed it off.

Streich, who has coached Freiburg since 2011, denied that he had been in contact with the Bayern hierarchy, before watching his team lose 4-0 to the runaway Bundesliga leaders.

“There seems to be a new name every week, I’d almost be insulted if I wasn’t considered a candidate,” joked Streich.

With Heynckes adamant he will step down at the end of the season, the hunt is on to find a new head coach. 

According to one report this weekend, Bayern hope to announce Heynckes’ successor “in the next three or four weeks”.

Unbeaten Stoeger

Peter Stoeger remains unbeaten in ten league games as Borussia Dortmund coach after his side battled to a 1-1 draw with RB Leipzig on Saturday.

Marco Reus scored for the third game in succession to pick up a point for Dortmund and extend Stoeger’s unbeaten run.

His sole defeat in his 13 games since taking charge last December was the 2-1 German Cup last-16 reversal at the hands of Bayern Munich.

“I am very happy with my team,” said Stoeger. “We were in the game from the very beginning today.”

The draw, though, saw Dortmund slip down to third, a point behind arch-rivals Schalke.

Hope fades for Hamburg

Relegation now looks unavoidable for top-flight stalwarts Hamburg after being held to a goalless draw at home to bottom three rivals Mainz on Saturday.

Hamburg remain the only team to have played in every Bundesliga season since the league was founded in 1963, but their 55-year run in the top flight now looks set to end.

Despite having 20 shots, a disallowed goal and a missed penalty, Hamburg just could not find the net.

With his team seven points adrift of safety, Hamburg coach Bernd Hollerbach admitted it would take “a small miracle” to avoid the drop.

Horn howler

Relegation seems equally certain for bottom side Cologne, after a calamitous error from Timo Horn helped Stuttgart to a 3-2 come-from-behind away win.

After Hamburg’s defeat, Cologne blew the opportunity to lift themselves off the bottom of the table for the first time since August when a Horn allowed a Mario Gomez shot to bobble over him on the stroke of half-time. Andreas Beck added to Gomez’s double and Milos Jojic’s late goal was in vain.

Bizarre incident at Schalke

Hertha Berlin fans had little to smile about as their side lost 1-0 at Schalke, but one Hertha supporter was involved in a bizarre incident before kick-off.

The unidentified fan was ejected from the Veltins-Arena by stewards after being caught in an act of self-gratification in the stands.

Charges have reportedly been filed against the man.