Attention switches to the Bundesliga relegation dogfight this weekend as the top five positions that allow entry into next season’s expanded Uefa Champions League have already been determined. Treble chasing champions Bayer Leverkusen will take nothing for granted at a Bochum side still a victory short of being absolutely guaranteed of top flight safety.
Bay Arena supremo Xabi Alonso almost paid the price for not starting first team regulars Jeremie Frimpong, Florian Wirtz and Victor Boniface in Thursday’s Europa League 2-2 draw with AS Roma when they needed a 97th minute Josip Stanisic leveller to preserve their unbeaten record.
The Spanish coach who is favourite to win the Uefa coach of the year accolade, will therefore be keen lay down the marker as Die Werkself aim to extend their astonishing 49-match unbeaten sequence at a Bochum side known for playing full throttle football.
Elsewhere, Ralph Hasenhuttl has revitalized Wolfsburg who have won four out of six outings under his guidance but the Wolves can expect a torrid time from a Bayern Munich side still hurting from the contentious nature of their Uefa Champions League semifinal loss to Real Madrid. The ousted champions need all three points to guarantee second place ahead of a Stuttgart outfit that will have an early opportunity to overtake the Bavarians when they face Augsburg on Friday night.
In the lower echelons of the standings, 1964 and 1978 champions Cologne – a team that produced celebrated legends Toni Schumacher, Jurgen Kohler, Pierre Littbarski, Thomas Hassler and Klaus Allofs, will play in Bundesliga 2 unless they beat Union Berlin on Saturday. Timo Schultz’s Billy Goats have huffed and puffed to little effect and will join relegated Darmstadt unless they bag maximum points at home to an Irons outfit that’s won just twice in ten outings.
Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund make the difficult trip to Mainz who’ve lost just twice in their last ten Bundesliga encounters but still find themselves third from bottom. Expect goals galore as Edin Terzic’s Black and Yellows attempt to snatch fourth place from RB Leipzig who host Werder Bremen on Saturday.
FRIDAY
Augsburg v Stuttgart
SATURDAY
RB Leipzig v Werder Bremen,
Freiburg v Heidenheim,
Gladbach v Eintracht Frankfurt,
Cologne v Union Berlin,
Mainz v Borussia Dortmund
SUNDAY
Darmstadt v Hoffenheim,
Bayern Munich v Wolfsburg,
Bochum v Bayer Leverkusen