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On the final Matchday of the season, FC Bayern München stars at both ends of the pitch can etch their names into history when they take on FC Augsburg on Saturday. Last weekend, Robert Lewandowski equalled Gerd Müller’s single-season record of 40 goals, and one more would give him the record outright.
Meanwhile, goalkeeper Manuel Neuer is level with fellow Bayern and Germany legend Oliver Kahn as the Bundesliga goalkeeper with the most clean-sheets in league history (204).
While both players look to add these personal records to their Bundesliga title success, the fight for the final spot in the new UEFA Europa Conference League is still very much alive, while the battle to avoid relegation will also go down to the wire.
Four clubs (Union Berlin, Borussia Mönchengladbach, VfB Stuttgart and SC Freiburg) are vying for a single place in the play-off round of the inaugural Europa Conference League next season. Meanwhile, at the foot of the table, Arminia Bielefeld, Werder Bremen, 1. FC Köln all face the threat of relegation alongside Schalke 04.
Finishing 15th guarantees survival, while 17th would mean automatic demotion. The team that ends the season in 16th would enter the relegation play-offs, facing the third-placed team from Bundesliga 2. It’s all to play for!
As is tradition, all nine matches will take place on Saturday at 3.30 pm CEST time.
Champions FC Bayern München will lift their 30th Meisterschale in the Bundesliga, following their final game of the campaign against FC Augsburg at the Allianz Arena. It will also be a final goodbye for three legendary Bayern players, as Javi Martinez, David Alaba and Jerome Boateng all play their final matches for the club.
With the title clinched, Bayern’s focus will be on helping Robert Lewandowski break Gerd Müller’s 40-goal season scoring record, which the Pole equalled last weekend in the 2-2 draw at SC Freiburg. Sat on 40 goals, Lewandowski needs just one more to break the record which has stood for almost 50 years.
Second-placed RB Leipzig travels to face 1.FC Union Berlin, who are in pole position to progress into the new Europa Conference League. Union is currently in seventh, which means they will qualify for the Europa Conference League if things remain as they are. Qualification would mark a stunning return to European competition for the first time since 2001.
Eighth-placed Borussia Mönchengladbach and ninth-placed VfLStuttgartwill be hoping the capital club drop points to give them any chance of moving ahead of Union and qualifying for the new European competition themselves. However, their opponents have it all to play for, with their Bundesliga status still on the line. SV Werder Bremen will be hoping to secure points and avoid a relegation spotwhenthey host Mönchengladbach. A win for VfB Stuttgart could also clinch a highly coveted European place as they face DSC Arminia Bielefeld.
For Bremen and Bielefeld, the task at hand is much more threatening. Bremen currently sit in the relegation play-off spot of 16th, one point behind Bielefeld who are safe as things stand. FC Schalke 04 are already confirmed as relegated, but they face 17th placed 1. FC Köln on the final day, who are just a single point behind Bremen. However, factoring in Bremen’s significant goal difference advantage, Koln will have to take all three points to stand any chance of remaining in the top flight.
One of those three teams will automatically be relegated, with one set to play in the relegation play-off againsteitherVfL Bochum, Holstein Kiel or SpVgg Greuther Fürth from Bundesliga 2.
SC Freiburg could also reach the Europa Conference League but need a host of good fortune and results to go their way –including beating Eintracht Frankfurt –for them to clinch that spot.
Elsewhere, Dortmund host Bayer 04 Leverkusen, while the VfL Wolfsburg welcome 1.FSV Mainz 05 whose remarkable form since the arrival of head coach Bo Svensson has seen their safety confirmed with one game to play. A mid-table battle between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Hertha BSC Berlin rounds off the season’s action in what is sure to be a dramatic and enthralling final day.
