Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig are currently fighting for fourth place in the Bundesliga and thus qualification for the Champions League. A lot of money is at stake, even in another long-distance duel.
Once it was VfL Wolfsburg, once Borussia Mönchengladbach, twice it was Bayer Leverkusen, who will certainly do it again this season, last season it was even 1. FC Union Berlin: It’s about the fourth German starter in the Champions League.
In the past five years the following have always been there: FC Bayern, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig. The Munich team is eight points behind league leaders Leverkusen, but also 13 points ahead of fifth-placed Leipzig. The two almost qualified teams are surprisingly joined by VfB Stuttgart, who already have seven points more than Leipzig and are stubbornly refusing to suffer the slump that some have predicted.
Fifth place may be enough for the Champions League
There are currently many signs pointing to a duel between Borussia Dortmund and Leipzig for the final starting place in the Champions League. It’s a duel from which both could emerge victorious, even if one ultimately only finishes fifth. Starting next season, the two leagues whose clubs have collectively achieved the best performance in the current European Cup season will each receive an additional place in the Champions League. The Bundesliga is currently in second place behind Italy’s Serie A, but the English Premier League is pushing from behind.
On the one hand, BVB should hope that RB Leipzig pulls off a big surprise and makes it to the quarter-finals despite the 0-1 home defeat in the first leg against Real Madrid, but on the other hand, they would also benefit from the Saxons’ elimination in another long-distance duel. Then Dortmund would have secured second place in the Bundesliga after Bayern for the Club World Cup, which has been expanded to 32 teams and where there is a lot of money to be made in the USA in the summer of 2025.
| Gameday | Opponent | First leg |
|---|---|---|
24 | 1. FC Union Berlin (a) | 4:2 |
25 | Werder Bremen (a) | 1:0 |
26 | Eintracht Frankfurt (h) | 3:3 |
27 | FC Bayern Munich (a) | 0:4 |
28 | VfB Stuttgart (h) | 1:2 |
29 | Bor. Mönchengladbach (a) | 4:2 |
30 | Bayer Leverkusen (h) | 1:1 |
31 | RB Leipzig (a) | 2:3 |
32 | FC Augsburg (h) | 1:1 |
33 | 1. FSV Mainz 05 | 1:1 |
34 | SV Darmstadt 98 (h) | 3-0 |
(h) = home, (a) = away |
However, the payments in the reformed Champions League are even more generous, and they are urgently needed by the listed Dortmund football company, which recently revealed that it paid around 100 million euros in salaries and bonuses for players and coaches – in the first half of the season.
Missing out on the Champions League is a huge financial blow, but it also reduces the attractiveness of potential newcomers and may increase the willingness of some players to move to a club that competes at the highest level.
BVB at Union, Leipzig in Bochum
BVB is currently one point ahead of Leipzig. Both clubs face similar tasks on matchday 24. Dortmund will play on Saturday (March 2nd, 2024, from 3:20 p.m. in the full radio report on the sportschau, excerpts from the Sportschau from 6 p.m. on ARD television) against 1. FC Union Berlin, which distanced itself somewhat from the relegation zone and also 25 points like VfL Bochum, who host Leipzig.
Under new coach Nenad Bjelica, Union did not lose any of the five home games and won four of them. BVB’s streak of not losing any of the last six away games is in serious danger, especially since the 2-3 defeat against TSG Hoffenheim on the last matchday dampened the mood.
Terzić: “We remain calm and confident”
“It’s all in our hands. We remain calm and self-confident,” said coach Edin Terzić before the trip to Köpenick, where he will also be in the spotlight. “It’s logical that things get restless. But that’s been the case since the beginning of the season. Once it starts, it’s hard to stop things,” said Terzić about the discussions about himself and his often poor performances .
Terzić is the predecessor and successor of Marco Rose at Borussia Dortmund, who had to leave after just one season with the Westphalians, which ended in second place in the table.
Supposedly easier remaining program for Leipzig
Rose’s first season with the Saxons ended in third place and winning the DFB Cup. A successful defense of the title is no longer possible, the task in the Champions League is extremely difficult, missing out on qualifying again would be a bitter disappointment.
| Gameday | Opponent | First leg |
|---|---|---|
24 | VfL Bochum (a) | 0:0 |
25 | SV Darmstadt 98 (h) | 3:1 |
26 | 1. FC Cologne (a) | 6-0 |
27 | 1. FSV Mainz 05 (h) | 0:2 |
28 | SC Freiburg (a) | 3:1 |
29 | VfL Wolfsburg (h) | 1:2 |
30 | 1. FC Heidenheim (a) | 2:1 |
31 | Borussia Dortmund (h) | 3:2 |
32 | TSG Hoffenheim (a) | 3:1 |
33 | Werder Bremen (h) | 1:1 |
34 | Eintracht Frankfurt (a) | 0:1 |
(h) = home, (a) = away |
It should be at least fourth place, and in the long-distance duel with Dortmund, the supposedly easier remaining program speaks for Rose’s team. Leipzig, who lost 2-1 against FC Bayern on the last matchday, also have the games against Leverkusen and VfB Stuttgart behind them. They have home advantage in the direct duel on matchday 31; they will play their next four games against the four worst-placed teams in the Bundesliga.
Leipzig in the first half of the season with four points more against upcoming opponents
The away game at VfL Bochum on Saturday (from 3:20 p.m. in the full radio report on sportschau.de, excerpts in the Sportschau from 6 p.m. on ARD television) is particularly tough. VfL only lost one home game, most recently won against FC Bayern 3-2 and also retained three points against VfB at Castroper Straße.
Leipzig scored 20 points against their remaining opponents in the first half of the season, while Dortmund only scored 16.