Potential end positions
© Imago
The first decisions in the Bundesliga are emerging, but in the fight for European places it should remain exciting until the end. The international business is looking down to the second half of the table. We look at the potential final placements of the clubs in the season finale of the Oberhaus, where, shortly before the end, unexpected candidates play up to Europe. We deal with the relegation battle of the Bundesliga here.
The candidates for a place in the European Cup of the coming season have a new bogie: SV Werder has been in top form for weeks, collected as many points in the past five games as no other Bundesliga team and suddenly is only three points behind the Conference League place. There are currently six points on RB Leipzig that occupies the first Champions League rank. The strong run of the Bremen since March has theoretically even enabled the green and white to land in third place.
If we talk about theory, even FC Union could still land in the Champions League. The Berliners are the only team in the league that mathematically both have the international business within reach and could still descend. Neither is realistic. Instead, in addition to the Bremern, the disappointed people from Stuttgart and Dortmund also hope for a happy ending with a European Cup next season. For them, the Champions League would still be possible as well as for Wolfsburg, Augsburg, the Bremer, Gladbach and the currently fifth and sixth-placed Mainz and Freiburg.
After the royal class off against Barcelona despite the 3-1 victory, BVB coach Niko Kovac was “still happy and very satisfied, also proud of the boys that we showed the face today.” On the square, the black and yellow must show this face five times, against the direct competitor Gladbach as well as against Leverkusen and with Hoffenheim, Wolfsburg and Kiel, three teams that run behind BVB in the table.
After the average rank of the remaining opponents, the Dortmund look at a somewhat easier residual program than the better positioned competition. Almost only worse opponents are waiting for the same Bremen, who, on the other hand, also meet teams against Bochum, St. Pauli and Heidenheim on teams that are likely to throw themselves into the relegation battle.
The decision about the championship was recently postponed. FC Bayern could distance Bayer Leverkusen to nine points – given the goal difference from 54 against 29, even to almost ten points. Then the shell would still not be safe for the 34th time in Munich, but optimism at Werkelf was audible after the disappointing 0-0 against Union Berlin. The Munich team should also calm it down. “If we don’t get the championship, it is a bad season again,” said midfielder Joshua Kimmich after the Champions League-off of the Munich in Milan.
“Mathematical is a little chance, but the likelihood has dropped,” said Leverkusen’s captain Lukas Hradecky, even before he knew that Bayern should only get one point against Dortmund. The championship can only make up the Leverkusen and Munich. The Champions League participation in the coming season will surely have (on the potential final placements in the relegation battle).