GERMANY: Bundesliga Matchday 32 – Relegation Roundup

With only two matchdays left, the fight to stay in the top-flight heats up in Germany where Werder Bremen, Fortuna Dusseldorf, Augsburg and Hoffenheim all have the unwanted opportunity to join relegated Greuther Furth in the Second Division.

In a topsy-turvy season, the relegation fight is even more intense than the title contending sides with Bremen surprisingly joining the bottom pile after a winless streak dating back to Matchday 21, when they last claimed all three points, against Stuttgart.

Bremen went into this weekend’s match full of fight and hope against fellow strugglers Hoffenheim needing the win to stop the rot. Starting the game brightly with Aaron Hunt’s opener within two minutes, Bremen started encouragingly, adding on to Kevin De Bruyne’s faultless strike deep into the first half. Alas, their limited energy and complacency continued to let them down following a late salvo from Sven Schipplock, scoring twice in the last five minutes of regulation time. Hoffenheim would be the happier of the two sides considering they need every point they can get to reclaim the relegation playoff spot from Augsburg.

Talking about Augsburg, their spirited run in to the last stages of the season ended with a humbling 2-0 defeat away to Freiburg. Brought back to Earth with this defeat, it really is hard to say who will be automatically relegated with Hoffenheim and themselves going head to head to avoid the dreaded 17^th position. Augsburg’s visit to the Allianz Arena next week certainly would not help their cause in the battle to survive.

Not forgetting Fortuna Dusseldorf, who were choked by Armin Veh’s Eagles, Eintracht Frankfurt, 4-1, leaving them dangerously close to the drop at position 15^th.

Bremen, Dusseldorf, Augsburg and Hoffenheim are all mathematically still in the mix to survive but unfortunately one of these clubs will go down come Matchday 34. Should Augsburg and Dusseldorf claim a win next week, and Hoffenheim lose, Hoffenheim’s fate will be sealed next season, returning back to the 2. Bundesliga after a five year stay at the top.

So will we see Hoffenheim relegated next week? Or will we have the pleasure of seeing a late tussle on the very last day on May 18? Stay tune to the Bundesliga!

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