Van Nistelrooy wants goodbye game

Published May. 13, 2011 1:03 p.m. ET

foxsports

The Dutchman has been out of action for the past few weeks due to injury but he has declared himself fit enough to play on Saturday.

The former PSV Eindhoven, Manchester United and Real Madrid star is hoping to mark his exit from the northern Germany club with a final appearance as the hosts conclude a season where they can finish no higher than seventh in the Bundesliga.

"It is up to the coach, but I certainly feel fit and would love to play," he told the Hamburger Morgenpost newspaper.

"Of course when the time comes to say goodbye, you do look back on things and there is a lot going through my mind.

"I leave with a good feeling. I could have scored more goals, but I can look at myself in the mirror.

"It was a very unsettled time for HSV, yet I still enjoyed it a lot.

"I never regretted coming here and it is hard to imagine what this place would be like if things had gone well - that must feel like paradise."

Gladbach will be bidding to spoil his last game for Hamburg and complete an extraordinary escape from relegation.

The Foals were being written off as relegated only a month ago, yet three straight wins have lifted them off the foot of the table and left them with a chance to avoid the drop altogether while even a draw or defeat could still see them enter into a play-off to stay up.

"All men are on board and we are travelling to Hamburg to win," said their coach Lucien Favre, whose side could break a club record dating back to their golden era in the seventies by winning a fourth straight match without conceding a goal.

"But we have not achieved anything yet. We must win in Hamburg.

"We need these three points to at least play in the play-off."

Mike Hanke scored the first goal in last weekend's 2-0 win over SC Freiburg and may have done enough to earn a starting berth while Marco Reus should be buoyed by his call-up to the Germany squad for their three post-season matches.