The Champions League, Europa League, and relegation are all topics in the world of soccer. - Today, decisive Bundesliga matters will unfold.
Today, the last unanswered questions of the Bundesliga season will be revealed.
The biggest surprise: Will 42 points be enough for Europe?
CHAMPIONS LEAGUE
Five spots for the Champions League next season are already secured. If Borussia Dortmund (BVB) defeats Real at Wembley on June 1, the Bundesliga will receive an additional starting spot. Then, even a sixth-place finish would guarantee entry.
At the moment, Frankfurt has the best chance of qualifying. Hoffenheim can still overtake them if they beat Bayern and Eintracht lose. Hoffenheim would need to improve their goal difference by three goals to do so.
Even if Frankfurt win, they would be the worst Champions League team ever based on points, as no sixth-placed team has scored fewer than 47 points.
EUROPA LEAGUE
In the event that Bayer Leverkusen wins the cup final against Kaiserslautern, the league will receive an additional spot in the Europa League. This would result in a seventh-place finish, while 8th place would secure entry into the Conference League.
If BVB also wins the Henkelpott, seventh place would mean Europa League while eighth place would grant a spot in the Conference League. The additional Europa League place would be dropped.
Freiburg, Heidenheim, Augsburg, and Bremen are all competing for 8th place. Freiburg currently holds the top spot with a three-point lead. Just one point is needed to secure Europe.
The remaining teams' chances depend on a slip-up by Freiburg. All three have similar goal differences. If goal difference is the same, goals scored and then direct comparison will determine the winner.
Intriguingly, 42 points could be enough for Europe!
Note: If Kaiserslautern wins the cup, all calculations become invalid. 8th place will no longer be sufficient for Europe.
RELEGATION
Cologne and Union will determine the direct relegation between themselves. Bochum and Mainz can only hope for a spot in the relegation zone at best.
Freiburg can escape relegation if: Cologne wins against Heidenheim, Union loses to Freiburg, and Freiburg increases their goal difference by four goals.
If Union loses 0:1 and Cologne wins 4:2, both clubs would have equal points and goal difference. In this scenario, the direct comparison would matter, which Union currently leads (2:0, 2:3).
Cologne is counting on their fans to help them avoid relegation. Although the club officially receives 1,500 tickets, thousands more Cologne fans are expected at Heidenheim.
Coach Timo Schultz: "This demonstrates their faith in us. We are fiercely confident."
Interestingly, the famous 40 points needed to avoid relegation have always been discussed. However, no team has ever been relegated with only 39 points. KSC (97/98 season) holds the record for the lowest number of points needed to avoid relegation with 38 points.
Curiously, Hamburg's 27 points (2013/14) hold the record for the fewest points required to avoid relegation. Cologne would exceed this mark with 30 points if they manage to stay in the league.
And finally, champions Bayer Leverkusen? They can achieve two historic feats - an undefeated season (since 1963) and the widest gap between first and 18th place, with a potential 70-point difference.
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Source: symclub.org
