Kehl has grand pre-retirement plans

Berlin - Borussia Dortmund's Sebastian Kehl plans to use his final two matches to bow out in style by securing a Europa League place and lifting the German Cup.

The 35-year-old ex-Germany international will hang up his boots in ten days, but first he has two important matches for Dortmund.

His final home game at Borussia's Westfalenstadion is on Saturday with Dortmund hoping to claim a Europa League place with a win over Werder Bremen, providing results elsewhere go their way, to finish in the top six.

Despite having started February at the bottom of the table, Dortmund are currently seventh and just three points from sixth place and a Europa League spot.

With coach Jurgen Klopp also set for his final home game after six years in charge, it promises to be an emotional afternoon in Dortmund.

Kehl's final game in the famous black-and-yellow shirt will be the following Saturday at Berlin's Olympic Stadium in the German Cup final against Wolfsburg.

"You couldn't have scripted it better that things would have taken such a turn," said Kehl, who won the last of his 31 caps in 2006 and made appearances at two World Cups.

"We have the chance in our two final matches to turn a scatty season into something positive."

After 13 years at the top of German football, including the league titles of 2002, 2011 and 2012, Kehl says now is the time to quit, but says "a life of freedom will certainly be a change".

"I can well imagine staying in sport, but I'm not going to throw myself straight into something new," he added.