Matchday 34 - Hamburg Lives!

For both teams it was very simple – win and you’re in. The loser gets to play in a relegation playoff against the Bundesliga 2 third-place finisher. Hamburg and Wolfsburg played even until the 88th minute, when Hamburg’s Luca Waldschmidt, celebrating his 21st birthday today, scored his first-ever Bundesliga goal to put Hamburg in front for good, 2-1. Hamburg survives, and they remain the only team to play in the Bundesliga’s top division since the founding of the league. Wolfsburg’s season goes into extra time. They have a 2-game home-and-home playoff against Eintracht Braunschweig. Augsburg managed to stay out of the relegation playoff by fighting Hoffenheim to a goalless draw. I didn’t think Augsburg stood a chance against fourth-place Hoffenheim, but that’s why they play the games [and my crystal ball doesn’t work worth a damn). Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig and Borussia Dortmund, the top division’s top three finishers, automatically qualify for group play in next year’s UEFA Champions League. Hoffenheim must compete in a playoff with another European football club to qualify for the Champions League. If they win, they’re in the Champions League group stage. If they lose, they play in the UEFA Europa League. 

This was RB Leipzig’s first season in the top division. They went from being the Bundesliga 2 runner-up last year to the top division runner-up this season. They were in first place for a few weeks before the Christmas break, so they’ve had a remarkable season. Now with the addition of the UEFA Champions League schedule, it remains to be seen how they handle what Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund do every year. I think they’ll be fine, but again, that’s why they play the games. FC Köln, Hertha Berlin, and SC Freiburg, by virtue of their 5-6-7 finishes respectively, qualify for UEFA Europa League play next season. Köln booked their first European league play in 25 years, while Freiburg, last year’s Bundesliga 2 champion, get their first taste of European competition. 

There are two individual award winners: 
Top Goal Scorer: Pierre-Emerick Aubameyang [Borussia Dortmund] – 31 goals 
Top Goal Keeper – Manuel Neuer [Bayern Munich] – 14 clean sheets [“shutouts” in US-speak] 

Bayern Munich’s Philipp Lahm and Xabi Alonso played their last games today. They leave the sport as two of the most decorated footballers of their generation.  
Xabi Alonso: 
Liverpool – FA Cup 2005-05; UEFA Champions League 2004-05, UEFA Super Cup 2005 
Real Madrid – La Liga, 2011-12; Copa del Rey, 2010-11, 2013-14; Supercopa de España, 2012; UEFA Champions League 2013-14 
Bayern Munich – Bundesliga 2014-15, 2015-16, 2016-17; DFB-Pokal 2015-16; DFL-Supercup 2016 
Spain – FIFA World Cup 2010; UEFA European Championship 2008, 2012 

Philipp Lahm: 
Bayern Munich – Bundesliga 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2014-15, 2015-16, 2017-18; DFB-Pokal 2005-06, 2007-08, 2009-10, 2012-13, 2013-14, 2015-16; DFL-Ligapokal 2007; DFL-Supercup 2010, 2012, 2016; UEFA Champions League 2012-13; UEFA Supercup 2013, FIFA Club World Cup 2013 
Germany – FIFA World Cup 2014

Matchday 33 – Ingolstadt Relegated

Last week the clock ran out on Darmstadt’s time in the Bundesliga’s top division. This week it was Ingolstadt’s turn. They needed a victory against SC Freiburg to keep their chances of remaining in the top division for one more week. All Ingostadt could manage was a 1-1 draw. This puts them at 31 points for the season, four points behind Hamburg with only one more game to play. Hamburg earned a 1-1 draw against Schalke, but they remain on the relegation bubble. They are only two points behind Mainz, Wolfsburg, and Augsburg. Mainz is safe and will play in the top division next season. They have a better goal difference than Wolfsburg and Augsburg, who have a single goal separating the two. For Hamburg, it’s very simple. They need to beat Wolfsburg next week. If they do, they will avoid the relegation playoff and will play in the top division next season. If they lose, they are in the relegation playoff against the third-place finisher in Bundesliga 2. It is also easy for Wolfsburg – beat Hamburg and they remain in the top division. The same goes for Augsburg – if they beat Hoffenheim, they’re safe for next year. But if both they and Wolfsburg lose, the goal difference will decide who plays in the relegation playoff.

Matchday 32 - Darmstadt Relegated

The clock struck midnight for Cinderella, as Darmstadt 98 lost their Matchday 32 contest to Bayern Munich, 1-0. With the loss, at 24 points at the bottom of the top division standings and only two games left to play, Darmstadt has been relegated to Bundesliga 2 for next season. Ingolstadt fought Bayer Leverkusen to a draw, 1-1. Their hopes of remaining in the top division are still alive – barely. Hamburg and Mainz, both sitting three points ahead of Ingolstadt, play each other tomorrow. The winner of that match can breathe a little easier, while the loser not so much. FC Augsburg and VfL Wolfsburg, both at 36 points, aren’t out of the woods yet.

Here is the remaining schedule for the teams still on the relegation bubble:

Ingolstadt (30) – #8 SC Freiburg (A), #10 FC Schalke (H)

Hamburg (33) – #10 FC Schalke (A), #9 Borussia Mönchengladbach (H)

Mainz (33) – #11 Eintracht Frankfurt (H), #6 FC Köln (A)

FC Augsburg (36) – #3 Borussia Dortmund (H), #4 TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (A)

VfL Wolfsburg (36) – #9 Borussia Mönchengladbach (H), #16 Hamburg (A)

The remaining schedule for those looking to be promoted to the first division:

VfB Stuttgart (66) - #2 Hannover 96 (A), #16 FC Würzburger

Hannover 96 (63) - #1 VfB Stuttgart (H), #11 SV Sandhausen

Eintracht Braunschweig (60) – #17 DSC Arminia (A), #18 Karlsruher (H)

FC Union Berlin (57) - #9 1. FC Heidenheim (H), #6 SpVgg Greutherfürth

As things stand now, Eintracht Braunschweig are playing two teams headed for relegation to third-division 3. Liga. Unless something disastrous happens, the worst that could happen is Braunschweig will be in the top division relegation playoff against the third-worst finisher. My crystal ball says that will be FC Augsburg.

There are two weeks to go in the Bundesliga season. It won’t be dull.