Freiburg’s hopes of a top-4 finish were renewed on Friday with a 2:0 win over visitors VfL Wolfsburg. Both Nils Petersen and Christian Günter scored just moments after coming off the bench, and Günter’s goal was his first of the season. The loss also damaged Wolfsburg’s hopes of European competition, leaving the club tied on points with Leverkusen, who will host nearby Gladbach on Sunday. The big questions dominating competition this weekend are those involving the league championship and relegation, so let’s take a look at some of the possibilities. Bayern have the possibility of securing the championship this weekend, but only if they beat RB Leipzig on Saturday and Borussia Dortmund lose to Augsburg on Sunday. Should Bayern win and Dortmund merely draw, Bayern will also almost certainly become champions, as Dortmund would otherwise need to win on Matchday 34, have Bayern lose on the same day, and have both matches end in such a way to create a 20-goal swing in the goal differential. Both clubs are already guaranteed a top-4 finish and spots in the next season’s Champions League group stage. Leipzig can also secure a spot in the top 4 this weekend if they win at Bayern. The remaining clubs competing for spots in the top 4 are Union Berlin and Freiburg, but that will not be decided until the final matchday. As things stand, the team that finishes fifth in the league will qualify for the Europa League group stage, with sixth place earning a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs. Leipzig, Union Berlin, and Freiburg are all certain to finish no lower than fifth, but no club will be able to secure sixth place this weekend. Seventh place could also provide a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs, should a team that has already qualified for Europe win the DFB Pokal. With Leipzig and Frankfurt contesting the Pokal final, that is a possible scenario, and Wolfsburg, Leverkusen, and Frankfurt are all in contention for seventh place. At the bottom of the table, 4 clubs each have a chance to secure safety this weekend: Bremen, Augsburg, Hoffenheim, and Bochum. Two clubs could be relegated this weekend: Stuttgart if they lose to Mainz, Schalke and Bochum win, and Hoffenheim don’t lose; and Hertha if they fail to defeat Bochum, if Bochum get at least a draw and Stuttgart or Schalke win, or if Stuttgart and Schalke both win. One other thing we do know is this: SV Darmstadt 98 will be in the 1. Bundesliga next season, having secured promotion on Friday, thanks to a 1:0 home win over 1. FC Magdeburg.
By Rich M.
Freiburg’s hopes of a top-4 finish were renewed on Friday with a 2:0 win over visitors VfL Wolfsburg. Both Nils Petersen and Christian Günter scored just moments after coming off the bench, and Günter’s goal was his first of the season. The loss also damaged Wolfsburg’s hopes of European competition, leaving the club tied on points with Leverkusen, who will host nearby Gladbach on Sunday. The big questions dominating competition this weekend are those involving the league championship and relegation, so let’s take a look at some of the possibilities. Bayern have the possibility of securing the championship this weekend, but only if they beat RB Leipzig on Saturday and Borussia Dortmund lose to Augsburg on Sunday. Should Bayern win and Dortmund merely draw, Bayern will also almost certainly become champions, as Dortmund would otherwise need to win on Matchday 34, have Bayern lose on the same day, and have both matches end in such a way to create a 20-goal swing in the goal differential. Both clubs are already guaranteed a top-4 finish and spots in the next season’s Champions League group stage. Leipzig can also secure a spot in the top 4 this weekend if they win at Bayern. The remaining clubs competing for spots in the top 4 are Union Berlin and Freiburg, but that will not be decided until the final matchday. As things stand, the team that finishes fifth in the league will qualify for the Europa League group stage, with sixth place earning a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs. Leipzig, Union Berlin, and Freiburg are all certain to finish no lower than fifth, but no club will be able to secure sixth place this weekend. Seventh place could also provide a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs, should a team that has already qualified for Europe win the DFB Pokal. With Leipzig and Frankfurt contesting the Pokal final, that is a possible scenario, and Wolfsburg, Leverkusen, and Frankfurt are all in contention for seventh place. At the bottom of the table, 4 clubs each have a chance to secure safety this weekend: Bremen, Augsburg, Hoffenheim, and Bochum. Two clubs could be relegated this weekend: Stuttgart if they lose to Mainz, Schalke and Bochum win, and Hoffenheim don’t lose; and Hertha if they fail to defeat Bochum, if Bochum get at least a draw and Stuttgart or Schalke win, or if Stuttgart and Schalke both win. One other thing we do know is this: SV Darmstadt 98 will be in the 1. Bundesliga next season, having secured promotion on Friday, thanks to a 1:0 home win over 1. FC Magdeburg.
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By Rich M
Niklas Dorsch is a 25-year-old midfielder for FC Augsburg. Dorsch was born on January 15, 1998 in Lichtenfels, Germany, and spent his youth career playing for 1. FC Baiersdorf from 2002 to 2006, DTFS Rehau from 2006 to 2009, 1. FC Nürnberg from 2009 to 2012, and FC Bayern München from 2012 to 2018. His senior career continued at Bayern, where he made 61 appearances and scored 8 goals from 2016 to 2018. He then spent 2 years at 1. FC Heidenheim and then 1 season at Gent from 2020 to 2021. He joined his current club in 2021, where he has since made 19 appearances and scored 1 goal. Dorsch has also played for Germany’s U15, U17, U19, U20, and U21 squads. By Rich M
Hertha Berlin edged closer to relegation on Friday following a 5:2 loss to hosts 1. FC Köln. Among Köln’s goals were a brace from defender Timo Hübers, who found the net in the 39th and 69th minutes, along with goals from Davie Selke, Ellyes Skhiri, and Denis Huseinbasic. Hertha’s goals were scored by Lucas Tousart and Stevan Jovetic. Köln have scored at least 3 goals in all 6 of their home wins this season, while Hertha have conceded 66 goals, at an average of more than 2 per game, giving them the worst away record in the league. Berlin’s other club in the top flight, Union Berlin, will host Freiburg, in what is sure to be a tense match in the season’s final weeks. The clubs are tied on points in the table, with 56 apiece, and are both chasing maiden qualifications for the UEFA Champions League. Freiburg have, perhaps, a slight edge in the qualification race, as Union Berlin will have to visit Bayern on Matchday 33. Freiburg also won the reverse fixture this season, on Matchday 15, with a resounding 4:1 score. A Union victory, though, would give the capital club their highest-ever points tally in a Bundesliga season. Another competitive match on Saturday is that between hosts Eintracht Frankfurt and nearby visitors 1. FSV Mainz 05. The two clubs are separated by just 2 points in the table, and outgoing Frankfurt coach Oliver Glasner surely wants to stop the club’s 10-match winless streak prior to his departure. As we close in on the last few matchdays of the season, the race for the championship is more competitive than we’ve seen in years. That won’t be decided before Matchday 33 at the earliest. Bayern and Dortmund are now each guaranteed a top-4 finish and a place in next season’s Champions Leauge, and no other club can secure a top-4 place this weekend. As things stand now, the team that finishes 5th in the Bundesliga will qualify for the Europa League group stage, with 6th place earning a spot in the Europa Conference League play-offs. RB Leipzig, Union Berlin, and Freiburg have already guaranteed each at least a top-6 finish. Leipzig can guarantee finishing at least 5th if they avoid defeat against Werder Bremen and if Bayer Leverkusen don’t win at Stuttgart. Union will be certain of finishing 5th if they beat Freiburg and Leverkusen don’t win. Finally, Freiburg will be certain of finishing at least 5th if they beat Union and Leverkusen don’t win. At the other end of the table, of the 7 teams with the worst records, 3 can secure their safety this weekend: Bremen, Augsburg, and Hoffenheim. All 3 teams’ fates this weekend will depend, however, on what happens elsewhere in the league. |
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