Bundesliga Bulletin: BVB secure second, Bremen in trouble
June 20, 2020
Good week for: Mainz, Gladbach, Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim
Bad week for: Schalke, Bremen, RB Leipzig
The headlines:
-- Trio safe, Bremen badly beaten
Werder Bremen slumped to defeat in Mainz, a result that combined with Fortuna Düsseldorf's 1-1 draw against Augsburg leaves Florian Kohfeldt and his side facing direct relegation.
Mainz, spurred on by their midweek win against Dortmund, rolled over a lackluster Bremen side 3-1. Jiri Pavlenka made a string of saves to keep Bremen in the game for as long as possible but it wasn't to be as Danny Latza inspired Mainz to a win that secured another season of Bundesliga football.
A dramatic opening 25 minutes in Düsseldorf ended up being the story of the game. Just 34 seconds after Rouwen Hennings had a goal ruled out by the VAR because of a handball from teammate Kaan Ayhan, Augsburg took the lead thanks to a Florian Niederlechner. Hennings got his revenge by belting in from range later on.
Two points off Fortuna in the relegation playoff spot, Bremen need to win against Cologne on the final day and hope that Union Berlin do them a favor against Fortuna. It all seems too much, too late for Kohfeldt and co.
-- Dortmund get second
Timo Werner was given an official farewell before the game despite the absence of fans, but his final home game ended less ceremoniously. Erling Haaland scored a goal in both halves to sour Werner's home finale and secure Borussia Dortmund second.
Dortmund, with a host of youngsters involved, deserved their win and might have had it easier had Patrick Schick been sent off for a late and dangerous lunge rather than just booked in the first half. The talk from here on out seems set to be around whether Lucien Favre will be head coach next season.
-- Easing into Europe
Wolfsburg and Hoffenheim confirmed their spots in the Europa League next season with big wins.
Aided by playing the Bundesliga's most out-of-form team (Schalke), Wolfsburg returned home with three points thanks, in part, to two more goals from Wout Weghorst (16 in this season now).
After securing their Bundesliga status for another season during the week, Union Berlin were unsurprisingly there for the taking on the weekend. Moanes Dabbur led Hoffenheim to a 4-0 win that also secured them European football next season. That vacant coaching position just got more interesting.
-- Finale for fourth
Gladbach got the better of Paderborn, just about. A 3-1 win, largely thanks to Lars Stindl scoring just a minute after Paderborn's equalizer, saw them jump into fourth, two points clear of Leverkusen.
Peter Bosz's side suffered defeat against Bruno Labbadia's solid Hertha Berlin team in a rainy German capital. Matheus Cunha scored a beauty in a match that Leverkusen let slip by them, which in turn opened the door for Gladbach.
Leverkusen play Mainz on the final day, Gladbach host Hertha. At the moment, it will be Gladbach in the Champions League next season. Leverkusen will now likely turn their attention to the matter of the German Cup final.
The quotes:
"Will we get the goal this time?"
Fortuna head coach Uwe Rösler when Rouwen Hennings scored. He'd already had another goal ruled out beforehand
"I call him the American Dream."
Erling Haaland on Gio Reyna
"To finish one higher... It (the title) has to be our goal with a team like this."
Mats Hummels on Dortmund's ambitions next season
"I've already sent Bruno (Labbadia) a voice message to say thanks."
Julian Nagelsmann on Hertha beating Leverkusen
"Of course pressure was there, but we always play better when we're under pressure. We wanted to respond after the Gladbach game. Bring on Bayern."
Wolfsburg's Renato Steffen after defeating Schalke 4-1
"I am proud that we can give the fans this."
Niklas Stark on getting Hertha Berlin to finish above city rivals Union
"I think we'll definitely have a beer in the changing room afterwards. That shouldn't be a problem. Next year, we'll celebrate with fans."
Florian Niederlechner on Augsburg sealing Bundesliga football next season
The stats:
- By avoiding relegation, Augsburg will make it 10 years in the Bundesliga.
- Dortmund have scored 84 goals in the Bundesliga this season. The 83rd set a new club record for goals scored in a season. Not bad at all.
- Robert Lewandowski scored a brace to take his season tally in the Bundesliga to 33, the fifth best single-season tally in the league's history. The man loves a goal.
- Jamal Musiala, aged 17 years and 115 days, became Bayern Munich's youngest ever Bundesliga debutant. Twenty-year-old defender Chris Richards and Kiwi Sarpreet Singh (21) also made their debuts.
- Dortmund have won 10 of their last 12 games, securing the second-best second half of the season in club history.
- Bayern have now recorded 15 consecutive wins in all competitions for the first time ever, setting a new club record in the process. Flick has them in the groove.
The message: Mainz's Bundesliga survival celebrations included a little dig at Bayern Munich. On their special avoiding relegation t-shirts the message read: "Winning the Bundesliga 8 times? Boring! Staying up 11 times in a row? World class!"
Safe to say the club are excited about their 12th consecutive season in Germany's top-flight.