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Last chance for 3 clubs fighting for Bundesliga survival on final day of season
Ciaran Fahey
The Associated Press
May 8, 2014 03:46 AM
Frankfurt's Sebastian Jung, left, and Leverkusen's Gonzalo Castro challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, May 3, 2014. (AP Photo/Michael Probst)
BERLIN - The Bundesliga comes to a close on Saturday with three teams battling to avoid relegation and four with hopes of reaching the Champions League.
All nine games will be played at the same time. Bayern Munich, which secured the title weeks ago, is looking forward to a party, while other sides are already looking ahead to next season.
Here are five things to know about the final round of games:
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LAST STRAW
Three sides have their hopes pinned on finishing 16th in the 18-team league. That secures a two-game playoff against the third-place finishers from the second division for a place in the Bundesliga next season.
Hamburger SV, the only side to have played every Bundesliga season since the league was formed in 1963, currently occupies the playoff spot, but can be overtaken by Nuremberg, one point behind, and Eintracht Braunschweig, a point further back.
Despite being in the best position, Hamburg faces a visit to Mainz, which needs a win to hold off the challenge of Augsburg for the last Europa League qualification place.
Nuremberg has a tough task at third-place Schalke and seems resigned to its Bundesliga record eighth relegation after losing 10 of its last 11 games. Not even the firing of Gertjan Verbeek as coach with three games to play jolted a reaction from the demoralized side.
Braunschweig visits Hoffenheim, which has nothing but pride to play for, and is taking encouragement from positive performances despite losing its last four games.
Braunschweig, back in the Bundesliga after a 28-year absence, is arguably best placed to send the other two down.
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BAVARIAN PARTY
Bayern Munich has asked its fans to show up in traditional Bavarian dress for the side's title celebrations against Stuttgart.
That means lederhosen, or leather trousers, for the men, and a dirndl, a traditional Alpine-style dress, for the ladies.
Bayern secured the title with a Bundesliga-record seven games still to play but has not yet received the championship shield. It will be handed over after the game, when the celebrations get underway with events in the city and a team procession through the streets before the players are received at town hall.
From there, the trophy will be presented once again from the balcony to fans below, prompting celebrations expected to last into the night - with or without the players.
They might be encouraged to refrain from too much wheat beer with the German Cup final against Borussia Dortmund in Berlin the following week.
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RACE FOR FOURTH
Four teams are battling for the last Champions League qualification places.
Schalke, which hosts Nuremberg, is looking over its shoulder at Bayer Leverkusen, the only side that could overtake it on goal difference for third place and automatic qualification for Europe's premier competition.
Leverkusen, which hosts Werder Bremen, is not even assured of fourth for a Champions League playoff, with Wolfsburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach lurking one and three points behind, respectively.
Wolfsburg hosts 'Gladbach with both hoping for a favour from Bremen. If Leverkusen loses, even a draw would be good enough for Wolfsburg due to its superior goal difference, while 'Gladbach could snatch fourth on goal difference by winning in Wolfsburg — if Bremen also wins.
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GUNNING FOR THE CANNON
The race to be Bundesliga top-scorer seems to be down to two players — Dortmund's Robert Lewandowski and the man he'll likely replace at Bayern next season, Mario Mandzukic.
Both have 18 goals, two more than Dortmund's Marco Reus, Nuremberg's Josip Drmic and Hertha Berlin's Adrian Ramos, who will replace Lewandowski in Dortmund.
Last year's winner of the top-scorer "cannon" trophy was Leverkusen's Stefan Kiessling, currently with 15 goals and about to relinquish his crown with a thigh injury keeping him out against Bremen on Saturday.
Bayern and Dortmund are already assured of first and second place so teammates could be tempted to help their respective strikers score for the last remaining trophy to be won.
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LOOKING AHEAD
Thoughts have already turned to next season with several transfers between clubs already confirmed or about to be.
Stuttgart has already signed Austrian defender Florian Klein despite questions over whether Huub Stevens will remain as coach. The board is also looking at other candidates to the Dutch veteran who saved the side from relegation.
Eintracht Frankfurt definitely needs a new coach with Armin Veh leaving after three seasons, reportedly to take over the Greek national side or return to Stuttgart, which he led to the title in 2007.
Frankfurt is destined for an off-season of change with midfielder Sebastian Rode joining Bayern and Pirmin Schwegler switching to Hoffenheim.
Moenchengladbach may have to plan without influential midfielder Juan Arango, and Dortmund is reportedly tying up defender Matthias Ginter's move from Freiburg.
Bayer Leverkusen secured a top-four Bundesliga finish and UEFA Champions League football with a 2-1 win over Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Sascha Lewandowski's men knew defeat could open the door for either Wolfsburg or Borussia Monchengladbach to pip them to fourth spot, and their fans will have been fearing the worst when they fell behind to Theodor Gebre Selassie's 21st-minute opener.
They were level by half-time, though, Omer Toprak equalising 12 minutes before the break, with Son Heung-Min netting the winner in the 53rd minute.
The South Korean nodded in the rebound after Eren Derdiyok had headed against the bar to leave the result between Wolfsburg and Gladbach irrelevant.
As it happened, Wolfsburg won 3-1 thanks to goals from Kevin De Bruyne, Ivan Perisic and Robin Knoche.
At the wrong end of the table, both Nuremburg and Eintracht Braunschweig were consigned to automatic relegation following respective away defeats.
Both sides went into their games with a chance of overhauling Hamburg and earning a relegation play-off with the third-placed team in 2.Bundesliga, but neither outfit was able to find the result to extend their season.
Nuremburg were thrashed 4-1 at Schalke to fall to their seventh consecutive defeat, and they have now been relegated from the top flight eight times, more than any other club.
Braunschweig, meanwhile, went down to their fifth successive reverse, 3-1 at Hoffenheim, with those results coming as a relief for Hamburg, who fell to a 3-2 loss at Mainz.
Elkin Soto put the home side in front after seven minutes, only for Pierre-Michel Lasogga to level matters five minutes later.
Second-half strikes from Yunus Malli and Shinji Okazaki put the game beyond Hamburg, who did pull one back through Ivo Ilicevic, but Mirko Slomka's men will now go into a play-off to preserve their ever-present status in the top flight.
Bayern Munich ended their title-winning season with yet another victory, Claudio Pizarro striking an injury time winner in a 1-0 success over Stuttgart, who confirmed Huub Stevens would step down as coach.
Robert Lewandowski signed off on his Borussia Dortmund career by scoring twice in a 4-0 win at Hertha Berlin, his final tally of 20 goals leaving him as the league's top scorer.
Elsewhere, Hannover beat Freibrug 3-2 and Augsburg enjoyed a 2-1 success at home to Eintracht Frankfurt.
Borussia Dortmund attacking midfielder Marco Reus insists he has no intention of leaving the club in the close season.
The Germany international scored 16 goals in 30 league appearances as Dortmund finished as runners-up in the Bundesliga, and is a reported transfer target for Manchester United.
However, Reus stressed he had worked hard to earn his place at Dortmund and would not contemplate making an exit in the near future.
"I can definitely say that I will play for Dortmund next season," he is quoted as telling Kicker. "I don't have to keep stressing how well I feel here.
"After playing 10 years in the youth here I had to go a step back via Ahlen and Monchengladbach to make two steps forward.
"Now I am back in Dortmund and – again – I feel totally well here and have a contract until 2017."
Coach Jurgen Klopp has backed Reus to finish as the division's top scorer next season, with Bayern Munich-bound striker Robert Lewandowski having claimed the honour this term, signing off with two goals in Dortmund's 4-0 win at Hertha Berlin on Saturday.
Reus went off injured in that game but is expected to be fit for Saturday's DFB-Pokal final against Bayern.
Paderborn will make their Bundesliga debut next season after clinching second place in Bundesliga 2 to join Cologne in the top flight.
Paderborn have played in the lower levels of German football for their entire history but will now embark on uncharted territory next term.
Knowing that a win would be enough to seal automatic promotion, they were given an early shock on Sunday against Aalen when Joel Pohjanpalo gave the visitors an early lead.
However, Paderborn fought back to secure a 2-1 victory and the runners-up spot.
Goals from Marc Vucinovic and Mario Vrancic sealed their win and ensured the club ended a five-year spell in Bundesliga 2.
They could be joined by Greuther Furth after they claimed third place in the table and booked a place in the play-offs against Hamburg.
Greuther, who were relegated from the top flight last season, scored twice in the second half against Sandhausen to record a 2-0 win on Sunday.
Bundesliga Team of the Week: Lewandowski bids farewell with a bang
May 12, 2014 12:00:27 PM
The Polish attacker scored twice on his final league appearance for the season and takes the No.9 shirt in Goal's final round up of the best performances in Germany
Matchday 34, fittingly, saw 34 goals across nine games and drama at both ends of the table as Nurnberg and Eintracht Braunschweig were both relegated to the second tier and Bayer Leverkusen scraped a Champions League place.
Ron-Robert Zieler claimed the No.1 shirt in Goal's Team of the Week for the final matchday after making an extraordinary number of saves in Hannover's thrilling 3-2 win over Freiburg.
Omer Toprak scored a vital goal to deliver a top-four finish to Leverkusen, Joel Matip helped rubberstamp Nurnberg's relegation with an early opener, Mats Hummels continued his good run of form in Borussia Dortmund's 4-0 win over Hertha Berlin and Robin Knoche was on target in Wolfsburg's fine, but fruitless 3-1 victory over Borussia Monchengladbach.
Kevin De Bruyne and Ivan Perisic scored the hosts' other goals at the Volkswagen Arena and line up in midfield with Hoffenheim's Sebastian Rudy, himself on the scoresheet in the win over Braunschweig. Slightly ahead of them sit Halil Altintop of Augsburg and Pierre-Michel Lasogga, on target as Hamburg lost at Mainz, only for the results of those below them to ensure their survival.
Finally, Robert Lewandowski leads the line after his two goals against Hertha saw him claim the top scorer award this season and ensured he ended his Bundesliga career with Dortmund on a positive note.
The Switzerland international, who had been linked with the Gunners, will continue his career in the Bundesliga after signing a contract until 2019 with Bayer
Bayer Leverkusen have announced on their official website that they have secured the services of Josip Drmic from Nurnberg for an undisclosed fee.
The 21-year-old striker, who scored 17 goals in 33 league games this season despite his side's relegation from the Bundesliga, had also been linked with Arsenal.
However, Drmic has decided to move to the BayArena on a five-year contract, much to the dleight of Leverkusen managing director Michael Schade.
"With this commitment, we have set a clear sign of our future direction ," he enthused.
"Josip Drmic has proved his class last year in the Bundesliga - he is one of the outstanding goalscorers in the Bundesliga.
"With him, we want to increase our offensive qualities again significantly as the team prepare for the renewed assault on the Champions League."
The Switzerland international started his professional career with Zurich and left his boyhood club for Nurnberg last summer, where he immediately developed into a key player.
The attacking midfielder has been linked with a move to the Allianz Arena, but he prefers a move to Bay Arena instead
Hakan Calhanoglu's agent - Bektas Demirtas - has dismissed suggestions that the Hamburg midfielder is on his way to Bayern Munich and has stressed that Bayer Leverkusen are the favourites to sign the 20-year-old instead.
Calhanoglu recently admitted that he felt honoured Bayern are keeping tabs on him following an impressive breakthrough season with Hamburg, in which he scored 11 goals in 32 Bundesliga games, but he is not interested in a move to the Bundesliga champions or abroad at this stage of his career.
"A move to a foreign club is not in question. Bayern also plays no role, we have never favoured a move to Munich. From the perspective of the player, the environment at Leverkusen is favoured," Demirtas told Bild.
"It would be the next step for Hakan to play internationally.
"They are a club who are playing in Europe, who would like to buy him and who are also prepared to pay the right price for him.
"It is important that the boy is playing. We have to think in the medium to long term."
The Turkey international signed a new contract to keep him at the Imtech Arena until 2018 earlier this year, but HSV could be tempted to cash in on their prized asset if they drop to 2. Bundesliga.
Hamburg face a relegation play-off with Greuther Furth in order to preserve their place in the German top flight later this month.
The prolific attacker has nothing but praise for his future team-mate and is keen to lock horns with the Germany midfielder at the weekend
Borussia Dortmund attacker Robert Lewandowski has praised Bayern Munich's Mario Gotze ahead of this weekend's DFB-Pokal final and is already looking forward to being reunited with the Germany international at the Bundesliga champions next season.
Lewandowski and Gotze played alongside each other at BVB until Gotze left Dortmund for Bayern last summer and the Poland international is hopeful they will form a lethal partnership once more at the Allianz Arena in 2014-15.
"The DFB-Pokal final is going to be a great game. I am really looking forward to taking on Mario," Lewandowski told Bild.
"We get along really well both on and off the pitch. He is an extraordinary player. We played together at Dortmund for three years and were really successful.
"Mario created a lot of goals for me at Dortmund. Let's hope there will be more of the same at Bayern next season."
Saturday's DFB Pokal final in Berlin is scheduled to kick off at 20:00CET.
The director believes the German giants have acted inappropriately by not speaking to them in their negotiations to sign their leading striker
Torino director Alberto Barile has criticised Borussia Dortmund for their conduct in the pursuit of Ciro Immobile, insisting the Bundesliga runners-up have broken Fifa regulations.
The German giants are understood to have been in contact with the Serie A top scorer, who is co-owned by Juventus and Torino.
And Barile says Dortmund have spoken to the player and Juventus but have not contacted them, which violates Fifa's rules that a pursuing club must contact the player's current club in writing before negotiations can begin.
"Last Friday, BVB only spoke with Juventus - and then in the evening with Ciro or with his adviser," Barile told SPOX.
"However, he belongs to us. Moreover, he plays for us so I really would like to know how Dortmund came up with the idea to only talk to Juventus.
"In any case, the entire approach violates Fifa's transfer rules. So far neither Borussia Dortmund or Atletico Madrid have reported to us.
"We have an important game on Sunday in Florence, which means everything for us - we do not want such stories as it won't help our Europa League chances.
"We will talk with Ciro about the situation after the season. If he really wants to go then we will be putting any obstacles in the way. Angelo Ogbonna also came to us at the end of last season and asked for a transfer to a big club and we let him go to Juventus.
"It would be good for him if he stays with us. We're like a family here and we have a very good relationship with him."
The Bayern Munich coach will make do without the services of the striker against Borussia Dortmund on Saturday, allegedly for a disciplinary issue
Bayern Munich coach Pep Guardiola has confirmed that Mario Mandzukic has been left out of his squad for the DFB-Pokal final with Borussia Dortmund.
The Croatian has played a key role for the Bavarians this season, scoring 26 goals in all competitions for the German champions.
However, he has clashed with the Catalan before - when he was excluded from the team in January - and has been dropped ahead of the Olympiastadion clash, allegedly over a disciplinary issue.
"He would have been able to play. But it is my decision and that's it," the Spaniard told reporters.
Additionally, Bastian Schweinsteiger has been ruled out as he is still nursing knee problems.
The coach said: "He was not able to train this week. Schweinsteiger is injured. I hope he can travel to the World Cup in Brazil. But I am no doctor."
Guardiola went on to say that he is eager to cap his first season in the Bundesliga with further success, having already won the European Super Cup, the Club World Cup and the Bundesliga.
"I'm very proud of what we've achieved so far this season. We're ready to take on Dortmund. I'm really looking forward to this final."
Bayern and Dortmund kick off in Berlin at 20:00CET on Saturday.
Bayern Munich's captain Philipp Lahm lifts up the trophy as the team celebrates after their German Cup (DFB Pokal) final match against Borussia Dortmund in Berlin May 17, 2014. REUTERS-Michael Dalder
(Reuters) - Bayern Munich restored their undisputed dominance in Germany when they beat rivals Borussia Dortmund 2-0 with two extra-time goals on Saturday to win the German Cup and secure their tenth domestic double.
Dutchman Arjen Robben, who scored the winner against Dortmund in the Champions League final last season, tapped in at the far post in the 107th minute after the country's top two teams slugged it out in a goalless but entertaining 90 minutes.
Thomas Mueller then raced clear deep in stoppage time to complete the win over their bitter rivals immediately after Marco Reus had missed a chance to equalise.
Victory ended a bad run for Bayern who had won the league title with seven games to spare in Pep Guardiola's first season in charge before hitting a slump in form, including a comprehensive Champions League semi-final defeat by Real Madrid.
"When a team wins the league title then it is already a good season," Guardiola told reporters. "But we are happy to have achieved it today. It was a big title."
For scorer Robben the win marked the end of a successful season.
"It was a very important goal," Robben said. "This was a Cup, and we really wanted to win it. We are here, won the double, had a super season and that's the bottom line." Saturday's final was marked by a controversial goalline incident with Mats Hummels' header in the 64th minute cleared on the line by Bayern defender Dante with television replays showing the entire ball may have crossed the line.
German football bosses earlier in the year voted against the introduction of goalline technology but the latest incident is set to renew the debate.
For Dortmund, the defeat completed a season without silverware, with top striker Robert Lewandowski failing to score in his last game before joining Bayern next season.
"It was big title, a final and we had our chances. They (Bayern) wanted to lure us out and then counter attack," Dortmund manager Juergen Klopp told reporters.
"We also wanted to play a bit differently. But we did not defend very well. It did not work out and we have to accept it. I am sorry."
Bayern, missing injured Bastian Schweinsteiger and David Alaba, also had captain Philipp Lahm limp off with a muscle injury after less than half an hour. Already missing Thiago Alcantara, who had knee surgery on Thursday, Bayern were desperate to end the season on a high after their form nose-dived spectacularly in March.
SURPRISE TEAM
Guardiola set up his team with a three-man backline in a 3-5-2 formation and an additional player in midfield as both teams pressed high from the start. There were few chances in the first half with both sides cautious not to be caught out by a quick break.
Dortmund, who beat Bayern 3-0 in the league last month, thought they had scored when Hummels headed towards goal with Dante, standing inside the goal, clearing near the line, but referee Florian Meyer waved play on. Oliver Kirch then tested Bayern keeper Manuel Neuer with a long-range effort and Robben responded with a shot of his own as the game went into extra-time.
The Dutchman then beat keeper Roman Weidenfeller, who had repeatedly denied the winger, from a Jerome Boateng pass.
Mueller sealed their win after a fine pass from substitute Claudio Pizarro.
(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; editing by Justin Palmer and Josh Reich)
Replacing Heynckes hasn't been easy, admits Guardiola
By Sacha Pisani
May 18, 2014 12:10:00 PM
The Spaniard has won 18 trophies in five years as a coach but the Champions League humiliation hangs over the Allianz Arena and he admits the season hasn't been easy for him
Pep Guardiola admits that replacing Jupp Heynckes at the helm of Bayern Munich this season hasn't been easy after the German coach won the domestic and European treble with the club.
Guardiola watched on as his side defeated Borussia Dortmund 2-0 to clinch the DFB-Pokal on Saturday, after also securing the Bundesliga title in his first season with the club.
However, the campaign has been overshadowed by their inability to retain their Champions League crown as they were eliminated in the semi-finals after they were humiliated by Real Madrid.
The 43-year-old has now won 18 pieces of silverware since replacing Frank Rijkaard at Barcelona ahead of the 2008-09 season, but insisted it has not been easy for him in Bavaria and feels there's still a lot of work to be done.
"It's my fifth year as a trainer of a professional football team, my sixth year overall as a coach," Guardiola told reporters.
"One year I was coaching the second team of Barcelona. After four years working with the first team of Barcelona, this has been the most important and challenging season of my trainer career.
"My German is not that good yet so I have to convince my players every time. After Bayern won the treble last season with Jupp Heynckes it was not easy for me.
"I have still not managed to make the team as I would like. There is still much work for me, but we can proud of our four titles."
Guardiola also praised the Bayern board for hiring him and said he wants to bring more success to the club.
"I've got my own idea of playing football," he added. "That's why Matthias Sammer, Karl-Heinz [Rummenigge] and Uli [Hoeness] signed me.
"We just changed a few things, but the mentality was still great and also the players' attitude and responses to that were excellent.
"This season was not easy for me. Obviously the Super Cup
