WeeklySA_AdminSEASON: Leipzig, Stuttgart and Hoffenheim lead a fierce push for Champions League places, while relegation-threatened sides fight for survival…
By Lehlohonolo Lehana
FC Bayern München may have sealed the Bundesliga title, but there remains so much to play for heading into the weekend, with twists and turns keep on coming in the race to secure spots in UEFA Champions League qualification – and to avoid relegation.
RB Leipzig were big winners last weekend as they took a 3-1 victory away at fellow European hopefuls Eintracht Frankfurt.
Talented 19-year-old Leipzig winger Yan Diamonde added another highlight to a wonderful season by scoring a sensational opening goal in Frankfurt. Marie-Louise Eta and 1. FC Union Berlin will have the task of trying to stop Leipzig’s attacking marvels in the matchday opener on Friday evening.
Eta made her historic debut as the first-ever female head coach of a team in one of Europe’s top-five leagues in a 2-1 defeat at home to VfL Wolfsburg.
While Leipzig are now three points clear of VfB Stuttgart in third, TSG Hoffenheim are banging on the door of the top four, moving within two points of Stuttgart thanks to a 2-1 win over Borussia Dortmund. Veteran attacker Andrej Kramarić netted two crucial penalties in that, and should Hoffenheim win again away at Hamburger SV, they would overtake Stuttgart on Saturday evening at least.
Stuttgart have a chance to return to winning ways, after their 4-2 defeat at Bayern, and retain their top-four spot when they host SV Werder Bremen on Sunday. Bremen’s survival hopes were boosted with a 3-1 win over Hamburger SV, and they are now one of four teams (including Hamburg) nestled on 31 points – five clear of the bottom three.
FC. St Pauli are the current occupants of the play-off spot, and they face a crucial battle with bottom-of-the-table FC Heidenheim 1846 on Saturday afternoon. A win would lift St. Pauli’s hopes of beating the drop and would confirm Heidenheim’s relegation.
Despite their away win in Berlin, Wolfsburg are still in the second automatic relegation spot, but they have every hope of taking more precious points when they host Borussia Mönchengladbach on Saturday. Gladbach are among the clubs level on points with Bremen and Hamburg anxiously looking over their shoulders.
FC Köln are another in that grouping, and they host a Bayer 04 Leverkusen side on Saturday also desperate for a win to lift their top-four hopes. Leverkusen are now two points behind Hoffenheim in sixth after a 2-1 home defeat to FC Augsburg.
Champions Bayern visit 1. FSV Mainz 05, who could potentially seal their Bundesliga safety – a remarkable turnaround, given they were rock bottom in the middle of January.
