Steffen Baumgart is on fire. (Photo: Bucco)
It is not known whether 1. FC Köln closely followed the Monday games of the 32nd Bundesliga matchday. However, the results of the two games were definitely relevant for the billy goats. Because RB Leipzig lost in Mönchengladbach, there are only four points between fourth and seventh place two games before the end.
With Bayer 04 Leverkusen and RB Leipzig, two Champions League candidates appeared on Monday evening at the end of the 32nd Bundesliga matchday. The games had been postponed by one day because of May 1st on Sunday. Leverkusen was undamaged against Eintracht Frankfurt and defended third place with a 2-0 home win.
With 58 points and a goal difference of +30, the Werkself are no longer within reach of 1. FC Köln, even in the best-case scenario. In addition to the six points difference, Leverkusen’s goal difference is 25 goals better than that of the billy goats. But behind the third-placed team, a close four-way battle for European places is raging – and with TSG Hoffenheim, a fifth club still has at least a theoretical chance of sixth place.
Goal difference can decide
SC Freiburg had won spectacularly 4: 3 in Hoffenheim on Saturday evening and had passed RB Leipzig in the table. The Red Bulls didn’t hit back on Monday evening, however, but lost 3-1 (2-1) at Borussia Mönchengladbach despite being outnumbered. While Freiburg is fourth with 55 points, Leipzig fell to fifth with 54 points and thus dropped out of the Champions League ranks.
Behind Freiburg and Leipzig are 1. FC Köln with 52 points and Union Berlin with 51 points. The shortcoming of the two pursuers: FC (+5) and Union (+2) have a significantly worse goal difference than Freiburg (+16) and Leipzig (+31). Should Leipzig get four points from the last two games (against Augsburg and in Bielefeld), RB would definitely stay ahead of Cologne and Berlin at the end of the season. Freiburg would need a win from two games to stay ahead of the two pursuers. However, the sports club has the heavier remaining program. On the 33rd match day, there is a direct duel against Union Berlin, in the end Freiburg still has to go to Leverkusen.
Anything is possible – up and down
A Freiburg win against Union would actually help FC to defend sixth place. At the same time, the sports club would be out of reach for the billy goats. Meanwhile, Union could still hope to overtake the Sport-Club with a win against Freiburg. Because while the Breisgauer have to go to Leverkusen, Union welcomes VfL Bochum at the end of the season.
The results on Monday evening brought the clubs even closer together in the race for Europe. 1. FC Köln wants to win the last two games of the season against Wolfsburg and in Stuttgart. Then sixth place would be safe. And due to the defeat in Leipzig, even the Champions League is still within reach, despite all sobriety. But the fact is: Union Berlin is breathing down the billy goats’ necks – and Hoffenheim isn’t completely out of the running either. So the FC is warned: Everything is possible – up and down.
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