The champions and a relegated team are almost certain in the Bundesliga. In the second league, however, the bottom of the table could theoretically overtake the current leader. A trend continues.
There are still ten matchdays left, both in the Bundesliga and in the 2nd league. Theoretically, each team can still collect 30 points. 1. FC Heidenheim can easily keep the league – theoretically.
FC Bayern can easily lose the lead in the table – theoretically.
In practice it looks like Munich captain Joshua Kimmich was asked after the 3-2 win at Borussia Dortmund whether that was it for the championship. The answer was: “Yes.”
After the 2-0 defeat at Werder, Heidenheim’s coach Frank Schmidt was asked whether that was the end of relegation. He built a small back door into the answer, but a very small one: “In the end, we clearly underlined today that we cannot avoid saying that our path – as of today – leads to the second division. We would have to catch up on average more points than we got on average after 24 match days.”
Huge distances
Heidenheim is eight points behind the relegation place. That’s how big the lead of second-placed Borussia Dortmund is over fifth place occupied by RB Leipzig, which is not certain but may still be enough to qualify for the Champions League.
BVB’s gap to Bayern is eleven points. There is a gap of 19 points between the leader and the fifth-placed team.
Two points between league leaders and fifth
In the 2nd Bundesliga, league leaders FC Schalke 04 have two points more than fifth-placed Hannover 96, and they in turn have the same number of points as third-placed SV Darmstadt 98.
The bottom of the table, SpVgg Greuther Fürth, has two points less than Braunschweiger Eintracht in the relegation relegation zone, and they are level on points with the two teams in front of them.
Things are much tighter in the 2nd league than in the Bundesliga, as the following graphic shows.
Not a new phenomenon
It’s not a new phenomenon. Last season, 1. FC Heidenheim was also bottom of the Bundesliga table after 24 matchdays, but had one point more, while Bayern, the leaders, had two less. The difference between the league leader and the bottom was 46 points, currently it is 49.
In the 2nd league, SpVgg Greuther Fürth currently has 24 points less than FC Schalke 04. Theoretically, they could even overtake Gelsenkirchen if they lose the next game but Schalke win.
The fact that things are much more balanced in the 2nd league was shown last weekend when the Fürth team drew against Schalke at Ronhof. They lost the first leg in the arena 0-1, and they were also one goal worse at second-placed SC Paderborn – 1-2.
In the Bundesliga, the three weakest teams in the league have scored zero points for 4:30 goals in nine games against the two strongest.
| Game | result | Return result |
|---|---|---|
FC Bayern – SV Werder | 4:0 | 3-0 |
FC Bayern – VfL Wolfsburg | 8:1 | – |
1. FC Heidenheim -. FC Bayern | 0:4 | – |
BVB – SV Werder | 3-0 | – |
BVB – VfL Wolfsburg | 1:0 | 2:1 |
1. FC Heidenheim – BVB | 0:2 |
For the 2nd league, the cross-comparison shows that Schalke dropped two points in Fürth and had already lost in Braunschweig. SC Paderborn won all of their games against the three lower teams, but only by one goal in each case.
| Game | result | Return result |
|---|---|---|
Entry Braunschweig – FC Schalke | 2:1 | – |
1. FC Magdeburg – FC Schalke | 0:2 | 3:5 |
FC Schalke – SpVgg Greuther Furth | 1:0 | 1:1 |
Entry Braunschweig – SC Paderborn | 2:1 | – |
1. FC Magdeburg – SC Paderborn | 0:1 | – |
SC Paderborn – SpVgg Greuther Furth | 2:1 | – |
In eight comparisons analogous to the Bundesliga, the top teams in the 2nd division scored twice as few goals in one fewer game and conceded twice as many – 8:15.
Exciting relegation battle in the Bundesliga too
Even if the champions, another participant in the Champions League and a relegated team are already almost certain, there is still excitement in the Bundesliga. It’s not possible any other way in the current stage and mode.
So VfL Wolfsburg is 17th in the table. two points less than Werder in the relegation place. Bremen, in turn, have six points less than 1. FC Union Berlin in tenth place. On the next match day there will be a direct duel at the Alte Försterei in Köpenick.
The game between VfL Wolfsburg and Hamburger SV will also be of great importance in the relegation battle.
relegation candidates against top teams
The opponents of the two top teams are also in a relegation battle. Borussia Mönchengladbach took a deep breath after beating Union with a late goal. Coach Eugen Polanski’s team is now visiting FC Bayern.
1. FC Cologne welcomes Borussia Dortmund on Saturday evening. If Cologne wants to keep their theoretical chance of overtaking BVB, they have to win.
