Freiburg implode in top-four race, Leverkusen seal UCL berth
FREIBURG lost 4-1 at home to Union Berlin on Saturday to hand the advantage in the race for the Bundesliga’s fourth spot back to RB Leipzig.
Patrik Schick’s brace helped third-placed Bayer Leverkusen secure their Champions League place for next season with a 4-2 win at Hoffenheim, while the battle for the final spot in Europe’s premier club competition will go to the last round of matches next Saturday.
Leipzig, who have lost their last two in the Bundesliga and were eliminated in the Europa League semis on Thursday, can reclaim fourth from Freiburg with a point at home to Augsburg on Sunday.
“We conceded too many, also last week. When you concede so many goals in the Bundesliga you have a mountain to climb,” Freiburg defender Nico Schlotterbeck, heading to Borussia Dortmund next term, told Sky.
Union are level with Leipzig and still have an outside chance of the Champions League while seventh-placed Cologne are effectively out of the running on goal difference after a 1-0 home loss to Wolfsburg.
But Cologne are assured of at least a Europa Conference League play-off berth.
Champions League-bound Dortmund secured the runnersup place 3-1 win at relegated Greuther F rth thanks to Julian Brandt’s double.
Arminia Bielefeld are on the brink of relegation after losing 2-1 at Bochum on Friday. Hertha Berlin can guarantee safety in Saturday’s late game at home to Mainz, ahead of third-bottom Stuttgart visiting champions Bayern Munich on Sunday.
Freiburg, who have never been in the Champions League, had their fate in their own hands after last weekend’s roller-coaster 4-3 win at Hoffenheim.
But Union took an 11thminute lead when Grischa Pr mel scored after the ball came back off the post. Lucas H ler thought he had levelled but the video assistant ruled it out for a handball.
An unmarked Christopher Trimmel then headed in Sheraldo Becker’s cross to silence the home fans and Becker showed off his pace to make it 3-0 before the break.
H ler did get his goal in the second half but Freiburg had too much to do and Andr s Sch fer added the gloss for Union.
With Leipzig also taking on Freiburg in the German Cup final, sixth-placed Union sit in a Europa League spot.
Leverkusen, who host Freiburg next Saturday, have long looked like bringing Champions League football back to the BayArena next term after two seasons away.
They did not make it easy for themselves with poor defending letting in Hoffenheim’s Georginio Rutter for the opener. Czech striker Schick equalized but Christoph Baumgartner quickly headed the hosts back in front.
Moussa Diaby’s goal brought parity for Leverkusen and a superb turn and finish from Schick settled matters, before Lucas Alario grabbed the fourth as Hoffenheim’s European hopes vanished after eight games without a win.
“I feel I can do a lot better,” Schick said, ominiously.