Soul searching relegation race and the last weekend of matches with their own individual time slots. The title may be decided and awarded, but there is still much left.
Bundesliga Relegation Fight Talk
Darmstadt has been lucky winning their last three matches but unless they win their final three at Bayern, Gladbach, and home to Berlin they will be relegated. This is a great fight and their fans will relish this season, just as they did the last in this two year stint in the Bunesliga. High points from a pair of derby wins over rival Eintracht Frankfurt to go along with wins this year over Borussia Dortmund and Schalke 04.
Survival Hopes: Very little unless they earn nine points from nine, along with some help
FC Ingolstadt’s rejuvenation hit the skids a few weeks back. After three wins Die Schanzer has earned one in their last three. Hopes of survival are not dead as results around them have assisted them but things are at their bleakest. Two home matches against the headless chicken of Leverkusen and unstable Schalke with a trip to Freiburg remain. American Alfredo Morales might be crossing over to MLS should this team get relegated.
Survival Hopes: Two wins could mean survival but anything less than five points from the last three means the drop.
Hamburger SV or HSV has been this yearly shit show. Full stop. They have an investor who plows millions into the club during this era where 50+1 still exists. The years of poor recruiting take its toll. Twice in the last three seasons they have merely survived via the relegation playoff. In the last five seasons there was also a survival by one place. There is a reason my in England Sunderland finally succumbed to relegation. Despite good form four losses in five have dropped this club into the thick of the fight. Bobby Wood might have changed his agent at the right time.
Survival Hopes: Rather decent, they play two other relegation clubs at home so it is all there, just needs to be acted on. That Bundesliga clock could explode if they do go down.
Wolfsburg it the club with the most to lose from relegation. The corporate funding will be restricted as Volkswagen has issues going on. The talent on this club should not be in this position but they are. Over 70 million in transfer fees has been spent this season and they are still in this quagmire. If they go down it could take forever for them to return. Three points from five will not do it with one home match left of three.
Survival Hopes: It is very bleak now, last match vs Hamburg will probably be the decider on the final match.
Mainz 05 was in the Europa League group phase for the first time but without their long time sporting director Christian Heidel things have been different. Losing club captains hurts. Four points from their last eight has seen them plummet down. Now a six pointer against HSV could be the breakthrough to see them out of trouble.
Survival Hopes: Very Bleak, going to HSV is the make or break match. Rivals Eintracht Frankfurt and FC Koln don’t make this easy.
FC Augsburg looked in a terrible position until two wins in the last three. Two points separate them from HSV, Mainz, and Wolfsburg. This was not expected but needless to say this Bavarian side has some momentum at present but with Dortmund, Monchengladbach, and Hoffenheim. Each club is still chasing a position in Europe next season and there is no letting up.
Survival Hopes: Bleak but not horrible. Three very tough matches are ahead and it is hard to imagine more than a couple points earned but with a two point cushion that seems likely that they will survive this scare.
Bayer Leverkusen should not be in this position. This squad has made Europe for eight consecutive seasons. This club is known for its firm handle on its finances and football has meant no relegation scare since the 02-03 season. But everything that could go wrong has gone wrong. This is the worst season in over a decade and the sooner it is over the better. Lord only knows what Chicharito must be thinking, more than likely how he didn’t sign up for this.
Survival Hopes: Good, six point cushion from the relegation playoff is scary but playing Ingolstadt could mean no worries and planning for next season to commence.
Bundesliga Matches of the Week
Hoffenheim sits in third two points above Borussia Dortmund. This match will dictate permanently who going to play in the Champions League qualifier. This is the biggest match in the history of Hoffenheim since their relegation playoff survival a few seasons back.
Borussia Dortmund was not able to follow up against FC Koln last week after beating Bayern in the Pokal semifinal. That meant Hoffenheim was able to leapfrog them into third. To shore up extra funding for next season they need to finish in third place to make sure massive investment will continue to come in.
As mentioned HSV and Mainz squaring off is the defining relegation match of this week. Should either team win they could perhaps breathe a sigh of relief. HSV had been maintaining a good home record but now it is anyone’s guess. Nobody want’s American Bobby Wood to be uprooted again and playing in the Bundesliga will help him grow as a player but only if HSV maintain their Bundesliga status.
Bundeslgia on Fox
Friday starts off with a Europa League tussle. Both teams could play in Europe next season and both need a win. Werder Bremen faces off with FC Koln on Fox Sports 2.
A nice pair of early Saturday matches. Newly crowned Bayern Munich are looking at Darmstadt with hungry eyes and on FS2 will be seen if the Lilies can again stave off relegation for another week. On Fox Soccer Plus Borussia Dortmund faces Hoffenheim in the best of Saturday’s action.
Saturday topspiel pits Hertha Berlin vs RB Leipzig in Berlin on Fox Sports 1.
Sunday doubleheader starts in the best way possible. The big relegation six pointer between HSV and Mainz 05 is on FS1. This is followed by Schalke 04 and Freiburg on FS2.
