The 2018/2019 Bundesliga season comes to an end this weekend. However, there’s lots of unfinished business; the title race, the top four and the Europa League battle. Who will carry the day? Here are Things to look out for on the last day of the Bundesliga. Bet on the Bundesliga here.
Title race
The curtains of the 2018/2019 Bundesliga season will come to a close on Saturday. This season has delivered one of the most engrossing title races in recent memory. On Saturday, only one of Bayern Munich or Borussia Dortmund could lift the title. The first spot in the Bundesliga has changed hands five times between Bayern and Dortmund this season but reigning champions have been in the driving seat after mauling Dortmund 5-0. Moreover, both sides have dropped points in the five games since then to ensure the title race will go to the final day of the season for the first time in nine years. If Bayern beat Frankfurt, they’ll be champions. Regardless of the result in Munich, Dortmund must win at Borussia Mönchengladbach if they are to stand a chance of claiming their first title since 2012.
Battle for top four
The Bundesliga top four will all play in next season’s Champions League. Three of those spots have already been taken by Bayern, Dortmund and RB Leipzig. Consequently, four teams are in contention for that fourth and final spot and are all separated by three points with just one game remaining for Borussia Mönchengladbach, Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and Wolfsburg. Mönchengladbach have a tough fixture against title challengers Dortmund while Leverkusen will be away to Hertha Berlin. Frankfurt will play Bayern in another tough fixture. Wolfsburg have a much easier fixture against Augsburg. Whoever drops points on the final day should wave the Champions League goodbye.
Europa League dogfight
With the addition of a third Europa League berth given Leipzig will be playing in the DFB Cup against Bayern, there are still six teams in with a chance of qualification. Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach are guaranteed European football, but Frankfurt could still drop as low as eighth. Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen are snapping at their heels. These three have an outside chance of finishing seventh. A point will almost be enough for Frankfurt to secure a Europa League spot.
Golden Boot
Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski could be set for another Bundesliga Golden Boot when the final match day in Germany’s top flight comes to an end. He currently leads the goalscoring charts with 22 goals four more than Dortmund’s marksman Paco Alcacer. Frankfurt’s talisman Luka Jovic has been excellent this season and has a serious claim on the Golden Boot but will have to be on top form in the final day to topple the Polish striker.
Robben and Ribery final matches in the Bundesliga
Franck Ribery will leave Bayern Munich when his contract expires this season. 36-year-old Ribery will leave the Bavarian club after 12 successful years in which he has won over 20 titles, including eight Bundesliga titles. Ribery’s departure will coincide with the departure of his teammate Arjen Robben, hence bringing the end of the ‘Robbery’ partnership which has terrorized defences across Germany and Europe and entertained fans across the world. The Frenchman and the Dutchman have best embodied Bayern’s decade of total domestic dominance. Just like Xavi and Andres Iniesta or Thierry Henry and Dennis Bergkamp, these two will go down as one of the best double acts in football.