Bundesliga relegation battle: Advantage Hertha Berlin as FC Köln slip up once again
By Tushar Bahl
The Bundesliga relegation battle looks set to go down to the wire, but FC Köln’s survival hopes were severely dented on Matchday 32.
FC Köln suffered a damaging 4-1 defeat at home to SC Freiburg on Sunday, leaving them in 17th place in the Bundesliga standings with only 29 points to their name. The Billy Goats are now two points adrift of safety. They desperately need to pick up points in their remaining two games (against Hertha Berlin and Schalke) if they are to have any chance of staying up.
FC Köln will now be hoping for a favour from the already-relegated Schalke 04, who go up against Hertha Berlin on Wednesday. The capital side are currently two points clear of FC Köln, but have a game in hand on all of their relegation rivals. Following their game against Schalke, Hertha Berlin will take on FC Köln, before making the trip to Hoffenheim for the final Matchday of the season.
Arminia Bielefeld and Werder Bremen battling to avoid relegation
Also in relegation trouble are Arminia Bielefeld and Werder Bremen. Both teams are currently on 31 points, with Arminia Bielefeld occupying the relegation play-offs spot due to their inferior goal difference. But Florian Kohfeldt’s side have not won a league game for more than two months now, and their poor form could give Bielefeld the edge as they look to avoid a return to the 2. Bundesliga.
Arminia Bielefeld are due to take on TSG Hoffenheim this weekend, before ending their season away to VfB Stuttgart. While Werder Bremen’s remaining games are against FC Augsburg and Borussia Mönchengladbach.
FC Augsburg, who are four points clear of second-bottom FC Köln, could yet be dragged into the relegation dogfight. They still have to face Werder Bremen and Bayern Munich in their final two games of the season.
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Mainz 05, on the other hand, will almost certainly be playing in the Bundesliga next season. The 05ers earned a 1-1 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt on Sunday, and now find themselves five points clear of 16th placed Arminia Bielefeld with two games to go. It has been a remarkable turnaround for Mainz, who were in deep relegation trouble when Bo Svensson took over as head coach in January.