Lukas Podolski could return to the Bayern Munich squad just in time to play against his past and future club.
The striker has overcome back problems and a flu that have kept him sidelined for more than three months and is fit. Now, all he has to do is persuade coach Juergen Klinsmann to let him play today against Bundesliga rivals Cologne.
"I have a couple of more days to push hard in practice and make a case for myself," Podolski said. "I have a good feeling but the decision is with the coach."
Podolski is not the only one doing the persuading - even club chairman Karl-Heinz Rummenigge and manager Uli Hoeness have urged Klinsmann to put Podolski back into the squad.
"For sure it's not a game like any other for me, but even if I am not there, it's not the end of the world," said the backup striker, who has been seldom used by Klinsmann.
Klinsmann usually starts Miroslav Klose and Luca Toni, but Toni has an Achilles' tendon injury and may not be ready to play against Cologne. Klinsmann has preferred to go with Landon Donovan as backup striker and the American has come off the bench in three Bundesliga games and a German Cup match. He hasn't scored and his future at the club seems over.
Rummenigge said this week that Donovan was unlikely to stay past the mid-March end of the loan deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy. But the club chairman also did not seem to close the door completely if the Americans reduced their transfer fee demands.
"We have three highly worthy strikers and Bayern cannot allow itself to fulfill the grand expectations of the Americans," Rummenigge told Thursday's edition of Kicker magazine.
Podolski is leaving the club but Bayern has signed Ivica Olic from Hamburger SV as a free agent starting next season.
Bayern are under pressure to win today's match after they lost at Hertha Berlin 2-1 last weekend. It was Bayern's second loss in three games and it allowed Hertha to go to the top of the league instead.
Klinsmann's team, which is fourth at 38 points, could finally seize the top of the league for the first time this season if all three clubs above them lose.
Hertha (40 points) travel to Wolfsburg, and Hoffenheim (39) are at Stuttgart. Newcomers Hoffenheim lost the lead when they went down 4-1 at home to Bayer Leverkusen. Third-place Hamburg (39 points) play at Leverkusen in the only match tomorrow and Leverkusen (36) could join the fray at the top with a win.
With all three top clubs having tough away matches, Bayern could profit and jump to the top.
Yesterday, Schalke kicked off the 21st round with a 1-1 home draw against Borussia Dortmund in the Ruhr derby.