Bundesliga bottom club Hanover 96 hope to have top-scoring Japan international Hiroshi Kiyotake back for Sunday's crunch relegation battle against Augsburg after three months out with a fractured foot.

With three goals and four assists this season, Hanover need their attacking midfielder against 14th-placed Augsburg, who themselves are just a point above the relegation places.

Kiyotake has not played since converting a penalty in Hanover's 3-1 defeat to Hertha Berlin in November.

But coach Thomas Schaaf says the Japanese playmaker could feature on Sunday as the club look to end their run of seven straight defeats.

"Things have gone well with 'Kiyo', who is now back in team training," said Schaaf, who left it open as to whether the Japan midfielder will start against Augsburg or feature off the bench.

Schaaf also hopes to have Portugal striker Hugo Almeida, who was suffering with an infection, in his squad.

Hanover are currently seven points from safety and have only 13 games left to stay up.

"As long as we have things in our hands, we have to take every opportunity which comes our way," said Schaaf, who took charge in December and has lost all of his four games so far.