Julian Draxler netted twice as Schalke thrashed Wolfsburg.
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Schalke, who host Dortmund in the Ruhr valley derby next Saturday, are up to sixth after they beat Wolfsburg 4-1 with teenage midfielder Julian Draxler, 19, involved in the first three goals.
Having dropped from second to tenth at the start of February, Schalke are still in Champions League contention after a 1-1 draw at Galatasaray with the return leg in Gelsenkirchen on March 12.
Draxler, who is on the fringes of the Germany squad, opened the scoring with a great shot on 33, then hit the post with Wolves goalkeeper Diego Benaglio beaten before scoring the third despite the attention of four defenders on 63 minutes.
US midfielder Jermaine Jones picked up his fifth yellow card, meaning he will miss next Saturday’s Dortmund clash.
Draxler then set up the third on 79 minutes from a three-on-three situation when he sprinted clear before squaring for Peru’s Jefferson Farfan to slam his shot home before Klaas-Jan Huntelaar hit the fourth on 86 minutes.
Croatia striker Ivica Olic had pulled a goal back for Wolves with 50 minutes gone, but they remain 15th, just above the relegation places having reached the German Cup semi-finals in midweek by beating third division Kickers Offenbach.