By Lehlohonolo Lehana.
RB Leipzig host Borussia Dortmund on Saturday afternoon in a game that could decide who clinches the final automatic UEFA Champions League qualification spot.
The performance of German clubs in European competition this term may mean the Bundesliga secures an extra, fifth place in the continent’s premier club competition but, with that not yet guaranteed, finishing in the top four may still be required.
Having secured a late victory at 1. FC Heidenheim 1846, thanks to Loïs Openda’s strike, Leipzig are in the driving seat. They currently possess a twopoint buffer over Dortmund, who picked up a credible 1-1 draw against newly crowned champions Bayer 04 Leverkusen.
Die Roten Bullen have prevailed in five of the previous six meetings, meaning it’s a big week for Edin Terzić’s men ahead of their Champions League semi-final clash with Paris Saint-Germain.
It was another late Leverkusen show that denied Dortmund all three points, as Josip Stanišić struck in the seventh minute of second-half added time. The goal extended Die Werkself’s unbeaten record in all competitions to 45 matches, while they are now just four games away from becoming the first team to go an entire Bundesliga campaign without defeat. A historic treble is also still in cards, so there is no time to relax despite achieving the primary objective.
Next up is high-flying VfB Stuttgart on Saturday evening. Sebastian Hoeneß’s men suffered an unexpected 2-1 defeat to SV Werder Bremen last time out, but they remain on course for the Champions League – they are currently six points ahead of Dortmund in fifth.
Sandwiched between in second are FC Bayern München. Their 11-year dominance of the Meisterschale is now over, but finishing as runners-up is still up for grabs, while 33-goal striker Harry Kane has the European Golden Shoe in his sights. They host Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday. Hugo Ekitiké’s maiden Bundesliga goal helped the Eagles end a run of four games without victory as they defeated FC Augsburg last weekend, thereby consolidating their place in sixth against their nearest rivals.
At the bottom of the table, SV Darmstadt 98 could be relegated to Bundesliga 2 if they do not beat Heidenheim in the matchday’s final game. The Lilies delayed the seemingly inevitable by beating 1. FC Köln 2-0, but it could be fellow promoted side Heidenheim who see them down now.
That loss dealt a huge blow to Köln’s own hopes of survival, and they are now five points away from safety. Their trip to 1. FSV Mainz 05 can be described as nothing other than a relegation six-pointer. Should the 05ers extend their unbeaten streak to six games, Effzeh will be on the brink and cannot afford any more slip-ups. A win, though, would give them a fighting chance and would set up a nail-biting final few weeks for all involved.
Also in trouble are VfL Bochum 1848, who kick off the matchday against TSG Hoffenheim on Friday. The 1-0 defeat at VfL Wolfsburg saw them drop down to the relegation play-off spot and, while Hoffenheim’s inconsistent form means it is hard to predict how they will perform, a European spot is not beyond the realms of possibility for Die Kraichgauer.
Back-to-back successes for Wolfsburg, meanwhile, have enabled them to open up a four-point gap over the bottom three. They travel to SC Freiburg on Saturday as the hosts’ Christian Streich continues his farewell tour, which could end in a third straight European qualification. With only two points separating them and Bochum, Union Berlin are still nervously looking over their shoulders. One win in eight has stunted their previous resurgence, and they will be hoping Borussia Mönchengladbach, themselves still close enough to the drop to be pulled in, have not recovered from their tumultuous 4-3 defeat to Hoffenheim.
Last but by no means least, Augsburg play Bremen, also on Saturday. Succumbing to Frankfurt hurt the Bavarians’ prospects of a top-six finish but, depending on how other competitions play out, seventh may be enough to see them play in the UEFA Europa Conference League, or even the UEFA Europa League, next term. For Bremen, meanwhile, the next few weeks are about taking some momentum into 2024-25, although an away victory could see them embark on a late climb up the table.