By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
We may already know that the Meisterschale will be staying in Munich for another year, but there is still plenty more to be settled up and down the Bundesliga with only three matchdays to go in 2021/22.
FC Bayern München take their title celebrations, including giant Weißbier glasses, to 1. FSV Mainz 05 on Saturday. Although neither team have anything left to play for, focus will still be on a certain Robert Lewandowski. The now 10-time Bundesliga winner looks destined for his seventh Torjägerkanone. He’s on 33 goals now. Could he get to the record total of 41 he set last year?
Borussia Dortmund are assured of the runners-up spot but know they can’t switch off with a local derby on the horizon. VfL Bochum 1848 make the 15-minute drive to the Signal Iduna Park knowing a result will guarantee their Bundesliga place for 2022/23 and see them remain unbeaten against their Ruhr neighbours on their top-flight return.
SC Freiburg’s dreams of bringing UEFA Champions League football to the Black Forest live on. Christian Streich’s side could indeed move into the top four (for at least two days) if they can claim victory away at TSG Hoffenheim, who themselves need victory if they are to get into Europe once again. The Sinsheimers are three adrift of seventh, which looks set to yield a continental berth in fact thanks to Freiburg reaching the DFB Cup final.
Their opponents in Berlin on 21 May are top-four rivals RB Leipzig. Domenico Tedesco’s team don’t play until Monday because of their UEFA Europa League semi-final against Rangers and a national holiday on the Sunday. They slipped to fourth last matchday and are now away at a revitalised Borussia Mönchengladbach, who have taken points in five of their last six outings. But with the scintillating form of Christopher Nkunku, they’ll be hopeful of seeing out the season with potentially a first trophy (or two) in their history.
The team that leapfrogged Leipzig into third was Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Die Werkself had Sardar Azmoun and Patrik Schick on target last time out away at SpVgg Greuther Fürth to take advantage of Leipzig’s late loss. Leverkusen also play on Monday, creating a simultaneous battle for third spot, as they host Eintracht Frankfurt, who are themselves in Europa League semi-final action at West Ham United this Thursday.
The final two teams in European contention are 1. FC Union Berlin and 1. FC Köln. Die Eisernen have a chance to go fifth overnight if they can beat already relegated Fürth on Friday. Should they slip, the Billy Goats can leap into the guaranteed continental spots with victory away at FC Augsburg, who are also still in need of a result to finally ensure they cannot go down.
That leaves two crucial fixtures at the bottom on Saturday. DSC Arminia Bielefeld currently occupy the last automatic relegation spot, two points adrift of the relative safety of the play-off. They host resurgent Hertha Berlin, who have won their last two under Felix Magath to create a six-point buffer over the drop zone. Sandwiched between the pair, four points off the Berliners, are VfB Stuttgart. They host VfL Wolfsburg knowing victory is essential to have a chance of automatic survival, while defeat could prove damning at this late stage.
And there are many teams jostling down in Bundesliga 2 to replace those bottom sides. SV Werder Bremen claimed a huge win over FC Schalke 04 to leapfrog them back to the summit. But there are only four points separating them and FC St. Pauli in fourth. Bremen host Holstein Kiel, while Schalke are at SV Sandhausen and Pauli host 1. FC Nürnberg, only three points behind in sixth, in a bumper Friday night.
Third-placed SV Darmstadt 98, who beat and overtook Die Kiezkicker last matchday, welcome FC Erzgebirge Aue, who will join FC Ingolstadt 04 in being relegated if they fail to win. The latter host a Hamburger SV side who have crept their way back into promotion contention in fifth.