Bundesliga Matchday 34 Preview: This is It!

This is it! On Saturday, we will crown a champion. One team will join Bayern, Dortmund, and Leipzig in the Champions League. Three more teams will be going to the Europa League. We already know that Stuttgart will face the third place team from Bundesliga 2. We know that FC Nürnberg and Hannover 96 are going there next season. We know that FC Köln are making an instant return to the top flight. Finally, we will know if either SC Paderborn or Union Berlin will join them. Welcome to Matchday 34.

All games kickoff simultaneously at 8:30am CT.

TITLE RACE:  

1. Bayern Munich (75 points, +52 GD)
2. Borussia Dortmund (73, +35)

FROZEN

3. RB Leipzig (66, +35)

Bayern missed out on a chance to clinch the title in Leipzig while Dortmund had to labor to defeat Fortuna Dusseldorf. The math is similar to what it was last week. Bayern needs to defeat  Eintrach Frankfurt (more on them later) at the Allianz to claim their seventh straight Meisterschale. Dortmund needs to defeat Borussia Mönchengladbach (more on them later) and hope Frankfurt can get three points in Munich as a draw will likely be enough for Bayern given the goal differential. 

Good news for Dortmund is that Marco Reus returns from suspension. Meanwhile, Bayern will want to send Arjen Robben and Frankc Ribery out as winners. 

BATTLE FOR EUROPE:

4. Borussia Mönchengladbach (55, +15)
5. Bayer Leverkusen (55, +13)
6. Eintracht Frankfurt (54, +16)
7. VfL Wolfsburg (52, +5)
8. TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (51, +20)
9. Werder Bremen (50, +8)

It is now Gladbach in pole position for the fourth and final Champions League spot. A win against Dortmund will do it. A draw, and they will need to hope neither Leverkusen, nor Frankfurt, win. Leverkusen and April Player of the Month Kai Havertz will need a win at Hertha and better Gladbach’s result and at least equal Frankfurt’s The Eagles need to overcome their five-match winless streak and could end up out of Europe entirely if results go against them. They certainly need to get Sebastien Haller, Luka Jovic, and Ante Rebic to score again. None of them have scored since Matchday 28.

For Europa League. seventh place is guaranteed a spot since two teams already qualified for the Champions League are contending for the Pokal (Bayern and Leipzig). Right now, it is Wolfsburg in that seat. A win over FC Augsburg will put them in Europe which will a be firm departure from last year when they found themselves in the relegation playoff. Hoffenheim needs to better Wolfsburg result at Mainz. Werder Bremen is still in the running, but need the two teams above them to drop points while the Green-Whites need to defeat a Leipzig team that is unbeaten in 15 matches.

THE REST:

10. Hertha Berlin (43, -4)
11. Fortuna Dusseldorf (41, -17)
12. Mainz 05 (40, -13)
13. SC Freiburg (33, -19)
14. FC Augsburg (32, -13)
15. FC Schalke (32, -18)
16. VfB Stuttgart (27, -38) (Playoff)
17. Hannover 96 (21, -39) (R)
18. FC Nürnberg (19, -38) (R)

BATTLE FOR PROMOTION:  

1. FC Köln (62, +37) (Promoted)
2. SC Paderborn (57, +28)
3. FC Union Berlin (56, +21)
4. Hamburg SV (53, 0)

The top two in the Zweite will go up automatically while the third place team will enter a playoff against Stuttgart. 

FC Köln clinched promotion and the Bundesliga 2 title after victory at Fürth and the six teams directly below them all lost. SC Paderborn are in the driver’s seat for second after a 4-1 win against Hamburg. A win at Dynamo Dresden will clinch a second straight promotion. Union Berlin is at Bochum on Sunday and need to better Paderborn’s result at Dresden to win promotion automatically. Hamburg are still mathematically alive, but will need to win against Duisburg by a lot and hope Union lose by a lot.  

FIXTURE LISTS (All matches Saturday at 8:30am CT and on Fox Soccer Matchpass unless stated):

BUNDESLIGA:

Saturday, May 18th:

Bayern Munich vs. Eintracht Frankfurt (FOX)

Borussia Mönchengladbach vs. Borussia Dortmund (FS1)

Hertha Berlin vs. Bayer Leverkusen (FS2)

VfL Wolfsburg vs. FC Augsburg (Fox Soccer Plus)

Werder Bremen vs. RB Leipzig

Mainz 05 vs. TSG 1899 Hoffemheim

SC Freiburg vs. FC Nürnberg

FC Schalke 04 vs. VfB Stuttgart

Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. Hannover 96

KEY BUNDESLIGA 2 MATCHUPS:

Sunday, May 19th at 8:30am CT:

Dynamo Dresden vs. SC Paderborn

VfL Bochum vs. FC Union Berlin

Hamburg vs. MSV Duisburg