Bundesliga Matchday 31 Preview: Start the Countdown

There is plenty that can be secured this season; it’s matchday 31 in the Bundesliga.

This could be the weekend that Bayern Munich could win their eighth straight league title and 30th overall. This could be the weekend that SC Paderborn goes straight back down. This could be the weekend that Borussia Dortmund assure themselves of a spot in the Champions League. This is the weekend where we start exploring permutations as we head into Matchday 31. 

THE TITLE AND CHAMPIONS LEAGUE

Bayern Munich will win their eighth straight title if they defeat Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday and Dortmund fall at Fortuna Dusseldorf earlier in the day.

Bayern had already earned a spot in the DFB Pokal Final on Wednesday with a defeat over Eintracht Frankfurt. However, they will have to make do without Thomas Muller and Robert Lewandowski who are both suspended due to yellow card accumulation, as is Alassane Plea who picked up a red card last Friday. 

BVB will at least assure a spot in the 2020-21 UEFA Champions League if they win, and if both Mönchengladbach and Bayer Leverkusen (away to Schalke) lose.

EUROPA LEAGUE

Dortmund and RB Leipzig are already assured of at least the Europa League as are Marco Rose’s side and Leverkusen. Wolfsburg are currently in sixth, two points clear of Hoffenheim.

If Leverkusen qualify for the Champions League, then seventh place will be heading to the Europa League. Freiburg still have an outside shot at Europe, but need to keep their momentum at Wolfsburg on Saturday.

RELEGATION

SC Paderborn will go down if the lose at home to fellow relegation strugglers Werder Bremen and if Fortuna defeats BVB. Fortuna currently sits 16th, three points behind Mainz for outright safety.

BUNDESLIGA 2

Arminia Bielefeld will go up if they defeat Sandhausen and if Hamburg lose at bottom side Dynamo Dresden on Friday.

Stuttgart are currently sat in second, two points clear of third-placed Hamburg. Heidenheim are two points back from Hamburg, and are still in with a shout for a play-off place.

Dresden have resumed playing after a couple players tested positive for the coronavirus prior to Matchday 26.

They are bottom, but have a match in hand on the two teams above them in Wiesbaden and Karlsruhe.

Matchday 31 Fixtures (all times CT):

FRIDAY, JUNE 12:

Hoffenheim vs. RB Leipzig, 1:30pm (FS2)

SATURDAY, JUNE 13:  

Fortuna Dusseldorf vs. Borussia Dortmund, 8:30am (FS1)

Hertha Berlin vs. Eintracht Frankfurt, 8:30am (FS2)

Wolfsburg vs. SC Freiburg, 8:30am (Fox Soccer Plus)

FC Köln vs. Union Berlin, 8:30am (Fox Soccer Matchpass)

SC Paderborn vs. Werder Bremen, 8:30am (Fox Soccer Matchpass)

Bayern Munich vs. Borussia Mönchengladbach, 11:30am (FS1)

SUNDAY, JUNE 14:

Mainz vs. FC Augsburg, 8:30am (FS1)

Schalke vs. Bayer Leverkusen, 11am (FS2)