Bundesliga 2020/2021

[Gotham Gator]

Great stuff.

Really rooting for Dortmund and Wolfsburg to get those last two UCL spots.

Any chance the 7th position will get Europa League qualifying? I don’t know how that stands with the domestic cups.

 

[Shwafta]

Great stuff.

Really rooting for Dortmund and Wolfsburg to get those last two UCL spots.

Any chance the 7th position will get Europa League qualifying? I don’t know how that stands with the domestic cups.

Oh wow I completely forgot about that!
The remaining teams for that are Dortmund, Leipzig, holstein kiel(second division), bremen.

So basically yes, as you said which adds even more for gladbach and union to play for! If Leipzig or dortmund win the cup (very likely as dortmund play kiel and leipzig play bremen).

 

[Gotham Gator]

On the way to NYCFC games, I like to play a mix of NY bands to entertain the kids and get in the mood for the game. This includes the Beastie Boys.

So, I am very amused to be watching the post-game between Leipzig and Salzburg and hearing Fight For Your Right to Party blasting out of Red Bull Arena.

 

[Shwafta]

I know a lot of people don't really care for the Bundesliga, but if you are reading this, I encourage you to watch some of the battles in the upcoming few weeks because my lord there is about to be one of the most heated
1) Europe qualification battles
2) Relegation battles
you'll see in a long time.

Let's start off with Europe, which has twofold fun situations about to occur. First, let's look at the standings (relevant teams included):
View attachment 11141

There are two separate, yet highly entertaining battles here.
1. CL Qualification: Two of Dortmund, Frankfurt, Wolfsburg and Leverkusen are going to miss out on champions league. Of those three, Frankfurt have the easiest run-in, with both Wolfsburg and Dortmund playing Leipzig (2nd place) - so it's likely that Wolfsburg and Dortmund will fight for the final spot. This is further complicated by:
2. Europa League Qualification: One of Dortmund, Wolfsburg, Leverkusen, and Frankfurt will qualify here. Plus, Leverkusen plays Dortmund on the final matchday so depending on results prior to the final matchday, that could be a crucial UCL matchup. As well, final matchday sees Union Berlin meet Wolfsburg which could also have similar implications for Berlin's 6th place chances (For the Uefa Conference League - which would be Union's first European appearance ever, in their second ever season in the Bundesliga). Finally, if Monchengladbach win tomorrow they're also in that race for Europa league, and it's going to be incredible.

Now let's go to what's shaping up to be the most fascinating relegation battle in some time (probably since 14/15) with currently 7 teams still within the realms of relegations.
View attachment 11142

First, let's count the obvious: Hertha is on 28 games played. If they win the catch-up games, that would put them on 35 points. However, here's the run-in:
Hertha:
Mainz, Freiburg, Arminia, Schalke, Koln, Hoffenheim.
Koln:
Freiburg, Hertha, Schalke
Arminia:
Monchengladbach, Hertha, Hoffenheim
Bremen:
Leverkusen, Augsburg, Monchengladbach
Augsburg:
Stuttgart, Bremen, Bayern
Mainz:
Hertha, Frankfurt, Dortmund, Wolfsburg
Hoffenheim:
Schalke, Arminia, Hertha

As you can see, a lot of these teams play each other in the coming weeks, with Hertha playing 4 / 6 fellow relegation candidates, Koln playing 1, Arminia playing two, Bremen playing one, Augsburg playing one, Mainz playing one, and Hoffenheim playing 2.

I don't know exactly how it's going to play out, but my prediction is going to be one of Augsburg and Bremen end up in the relegation spots. I mean, just look at their remaining schedule vs their points total. No way they get many, if any, points out of that run. It's highly unlikely that both go down, and I think the other to go down will be Koln or Arminia. It's going to be a bumpy ride!

...And now all the teams are tied on 32 games.

This is going to get wild. Augsburg play Bremen this weekend, Koln play Berlin.

 

[Schwallacus]

...And now all the teams are tied on 32 games.
View attachment 11206

This is going to get wild. Augsburg play Bremen this weekend, Koln play Berlin.

Hoping Köln can pull through or at least make the playoff, hopping ahead of Bielefeld.

 

[Shwafta]

Hoping Köln can pull through or at least make the playoff, hopping ahead of Bielefeld.

Now it all comes down to the last matchday. 3 teams can still stay up - Koln, Bielefeld, Bremen. What a finish this is gonna be! Koln plays Schalke, fwiw

 

[Shwafta]

One of the most insane final matchdays. Last season also had an insane final matchday, when Koln lost 0-6 making Dusseldorf fall into the relegation zone on the last matchday, and this time Koln scored at 90 minutes to take them out of the relegation zone... throwing Bremen into it! Next season's Bundesliga 2 is basically just the Bundesliga from like 30 years ago lol.

On the other side of things, Union Berlin qualified for Europe for the first time in their history! Insane news!

 

[Shwafta]

I don't know exactly how it's going to play out, but my prediction is going to be one of Augsburg and Bremen end up in the relegation spots. I mean, just look at their remaining schedule vs their points total. No way they get many, if any, points out of that run. It's highly unlikely that both go down, and I think the other to go down will be Koln or Arminia. It's going to be a bumpy ride!

Whelp, We'll find out saturday night if Koln goes down via the playoffs...! Rooting for Kiel!!!

 

[Schwallacus]

Whelp, We'll find out saturday night if Koln goes down via the playoffs...! Rooting for Kiel!!!

How dare you root against Hennes! Köln has to do it for Hennes VIII, I won't have it any other way. LINK.

 

[Shwafta]

How dare you root against Hennes! Köln has to do it for Hennes VIII, I won't have it any other way. LINK.
View attachment 11223

They can remember Hennes from the second league, tyvm.

 

[Schwallacus]

They can remember Hennes from the second league, tyvm.

I have no idea where you live but I think it's LI and I'm setting 100s of goats, all named Hennes, loose across the island to find you. Once they do... I'm still determining what the best course of action would be.

 

[Gotham Gator]

Greuther Firth* and USMNT World Cup goal scorer Julian Green have won promotion for next season.



* - Thanks, Shwafta.

 

[Shwafta]

I have no idea where you live but I think it's LI and I'm setting 100s of goats, all named Hennes, loose across the island to find you. Once they do... I'm still determining what the best course of action would be.

Sounds to be like you want a desert on the east coast xD

Gunther Firth and USMNT World Cup goal scorer Julian Green have won promotion for next season.

Greuther

 

[Shwafta]

Advantage Kiel! I repeat, advantage Kiel!!!

The last time the BL2 side led at the end of the first game Dusseldorf vs Hertha Berlin and Dusseldorf ended up getting promoted.

Also, this is only the third time since 2008 that the BL2 team has won the first leg.

In the previous iteration of BLvBL2 (1981-1991, it happened on four occasions. The BL2 team prevailed twice.

 

[Schwallacus]

Advantage Kiel! I repeat, advantage Kiel!!!

The last time the BL2 side led at the end of the first game Dusseldorf vs Hertha Berlin and Dusseldorf ended up getting promoted.

Also, this is only the third time since 2008 that the BL2 team has won the first leg.

In the previous iteration of BLvBL2 (1981-1991, it happened on four occasions. The BL2 team prevailed twice.

BOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

 

[Shwafta]

Will this be the year Schalke finally goes down?

BTW this totally the best take of the entire last season