Ya Konan backing Hanover to beat Bayern to third

Hanover's Ivory Coast striker Didier Ya Konan is backing his German league side to beat Bayern Munich to third place in the Bundesliga and the final Champions League berth for next season.

Hanover are fourth in the table, just two points behind Bayern with two games remaining. The top two sides in the German top flight qualify automatically for next season's Champions League, with the third-placed team entering a play-off.

Hanover have already secured a Europa League berth for next season, but the 26-year-old says his team wants more as they prepare to face VfB Stuttgart on Saturday. Bayern are at bottom side St Pauli, who are based in Hamburg.

"Bayern may well lose the game and if they do, then we'll be there," said Ya Konan, Hanover's top-scorer with 13 goals from 26 games this season.

With the German league set to finish on May 14, Hanover face mid-table Nuremberg while Bayern host Stuttgart on the last day of the season.