Bundesliga Column - Round 34: Cologne relegated, Hertha Berlin get relegation spot

As is usual in the last couple of German Bundesliga rounds all nine matches of Round 34, the final match day of the 2011/12 season were played simultaneously at 15.30 CET on Saturday. This is to ensure same chances for everyone fighting for the title, places in Europe and against relegation.

And what a match day it turned out to be though key decisions on champions, first team to be relegated and who gains places for Europe next season had already been taken. Champions Borussia Dortmund trashed an inform SC Freiburg 4-0 to finish with 81 points, a new record in the history of the Bundesliga.

The eyes were all on the relegation battle between 1.FC Köln and Hertha BSC Berlin, who would get relegated directly and who would get a second chance in the relegation playoff against the third-placed side in the 2.Bundesliga. FC Cologne that the difficult task of facing record champions FC Bayern Munich at home, while Hertha BSC Berlin faced 1899 Hoffenheim who had nothing to really play except that their coach Markus Babbel had been Hertha coach earlier on in the season.

As one would have expected Cologne suffered a 1-4 defeat at the hands of Bayern Munich, but Hertha Berlin won 3-1 against Hoffenheim to push Cologne into Division 2 while they face Fortuna Düsseldorf in the relegation playoff in the coming days to decide to play Bundesliga and 2.Bundesliga next season.

The last Europa League spot was grabbed by Hannover 96 who beat relegated 1.FC Kaiserslautern 2-1 while VfL Wolfsburg, Werder Bremen and 1.FC Nürnberg all lost in their quest for European football next season.


Round 34 Results

Borussia Dortmund 4-0 SC Freiburg
Hertha BSC Berlin 3-1 1899 Hoffenheim
FC Augsburg 1-0 Hamburger SV
1.FC Nürnberg 1-4 Bayer 04 Leverkusen
SV Werder Bremen 2-3 FC Schalke 04
VfB Stuttgart 3-2 VfL Wolfsburg
Hannover 96 2-1 1.FC Kaiserslautern
1.FC Köln 1-4 FC Bayern München
1.FSV Mainz 05 0-3 Borussia Mönchengladbach

Bundesliga: Heading for an interesting finish

The 2010/11 German Bundesliga season is heading for an interesting finale at the top and bottom with three rounds to go. Match day 31 had some interesting surprises in store, which has opened up the table even more and things seem to be changing week by week.

A couple of weeks back Borussia Dortmund seemed to be losing the plot and Bayer 04 Leverkusen closing in to snatch the title away from them, then last week Leverkusen got trashed 5-1 by Bayern Munich and it seemed all over. This is how fast things can change in football.

Now this Saturday Dortmund lost the battles of the Borussia's against bottom placed Moenchengladbach to stay on 69 points and Leverkusen meanwhile had to work their way through to a 2-1 win against 1899 Hoffenheim to move to 64 points. And suddenly the gap has come down to only five points with nine points still to be played for. And some see the young Dortmund side feeling the pressure, while Leverkusen who are known as Vize-kusen (always finish second, but never first) could be in with a late chance.

The race for the third and final UEFA Champions League spot is even tighter. Last week FC Bayern Munich after the win against Leverkusen were a point ahead of Hannover 96 on 55 points, but a draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on Saturday after Hannover had won 3-1 at SC Freiburg on Thursday left the Bavarian giants one point behind their northern rivals.

There is also a fight for the fifth spot which would guarantee Europa League next season. And the two clubs fighting over the spot met earlier today in Nuremberg with 1.FC Nuremberg playing a goalless draw against FSV Mainz 05. Mainz now on 49 points stay two points clear of Nuremberg.

Down in the relegation zone things are slower getting clearer. It is now a matter of five and not eight/nine clubs who could get relegated. Currently FC St. Pauli and Borussia Moenchengladbach are at the back of the pack with 29 points, while VfL Wolfsburg with their first win under old-and-new coach Felix Magath by beating FC Cologne 4-1 are now on 32 points in the 16th playoff spot. Above them are Eintracht Frankfurt on 34 points, while FC Cologne are on 35 points.

All this guarantees an interesting three weeks until the Bundesliga season ends on May 14, but it will be interesting to see who wins the title, qualifies for Europe and gets relegated.