FOXNews.com: Dortmund tests unbeaten streak against Stuttgart

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Dortmund tests unbeaten streak against Stuttgart Mar 29th 2012, 22:54 Dortmund, Germany –  Borussia Dortmund last lost in Bundesliga play in September, and will test its 21-game unbeaten streak against Stuttgart on Friday. Defending Bundesliga champion Dortmund lost three of its first six fixtures in league play, but has been unbeatable since domestically. Although Dortmund was eliminated from the Champions League in December, it has advanced to the Pokal Cup final May 12 in Berlin as well. Bayern Munich will be Dortmund's foe in the Pokal final, and is still the lone club with any chance of spoiling a second straight league title. Dortmund takes a five-point lead into this week's action, and with its second league match against Bayern set for April 11, will want to maintain the edge. As if Dortmund needed any more good news, 19-year-old rising German star Mario Gotze signed a two-year contract extension Tuesday. Gotze was coveted by clubs all over Europe, including Bayern. His extension reveals Dortmund intends to remain a threat in the Bundesliga in the coming years, as it follows the recent transfer of Marco Reus, another top young German star from Monchengladbach. Gotze will not play this week, as he just returned to practice from an injury layoff, but should be healthy for the final two months of the season. "He is a great footballer who will be part of our squad for a while to come," said Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp said about Gotze. "This makes me proud as it is also a great statement for BVB." Stuttgart has been in good form recently and visits Signal Iduna Park with its European dreams on the line. Stuttgart is seventh, but just one point off the pace of Bayer Leverkusen and Werder Bremen for the Europa League spots. Dortmund last lost in the Champions League group stage, 3-2 to Marseille. Bayern just defeated Marseille, 2-0, on Wednesday in the first match of their quarterfinal series in France, and still have a leg up on their league rivals based on European success. With one foot into the semifinals of the Champions League, Bayern could pounce on Dortmund should the leaders lose against Stuttgart. Bayern visits Nurnberg, which has lost three straight to slip to 11th, on Saturday. Nurnberg will present a challenge because it sits just four points above the relegation zone, but Bayern can't afford to drop points, regardless of whether Dortmund wins, loses or ties. "It's going well, and we have to keep it up," Bayern Munich's Franck Ribery said after the win against Marseille. Also Saturday, last-place Kaiserslautern will try to end a 17-game winless run when struggling Hamburg visits for a relegation battle, Werder Bremen hosts Mainz, Augsburg hosts Cologne, Bayer Leverkusen hosts Freiburg, and Hertha Berlin hosts Wolfsburg. On Sunday, third-place Schalke takes a three-game win streak to Hoffenheim and fourth-place Monchengladbach visits Hannover.

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