As we reach the business end of the Bundesliga season, the race for European football is heating up. With everything to play for, seven teams will compete for the four remaining European places. This season’s title race has intrigued many, but the race for Europe is where the league displays its competitive nature.
The Race for Europe in the Bundesliga
The Frontrunners
A consistent member of the top four since matchday 10, RB Leipzig’s success on the pitch is admirable. A young team, Leipzig has made youth a priority. Deploying young talent all over the pitch, Ralf Rangnick’s team currently sit third. Fighting off older, more experienced teams, Leipzig has made significant progress this season. As Julian Nagelsmann prepares to take over this summer, securing Champions League football is yet another step in the right direction.
Spending just two weeks outside the top four all season, Borussia Mönchengladbach have begun to collapse. Once considered to be in the title race, Dieter Hecking’s team have struggled in recent weeks. Falling from a stable second place on matchday 20, Gladbach now faces a fight to remain in the Champions League places.
As the season went on, key players became inconsistent at the wrong time. This has led to the team dropping to fourth place, just one point ahead of Eintracht Frankfurt. Hecking’s team must rediscover their form, or they face missing out on European football once again.
An emerging force in the Bundesliga, Eintracht Frankfurt have been a pleasant surprise. Surviving via the relegation playoff just three years ago, Die Adler have stabilised themselves in the Bundesliga. Going on to achieve DFB-Pokal success, the team is also thriving in this seasons Europa League.
Finishing eighth last season under Niko Kovač, the team appointed Adi Hütter to help lead the team going forward. Sitting fifth, just one point behind Gladbach, Hütter has overachieved in his first season. The team finished last season with 49 points from 34 games. Frankfurt have 46 points with eight games to play, with the club on the verge of securing Champions League football.
The Contenders
Suffering a terrible start to the season, Bayer Leverkusen have recovered well. Bottom of the table after matchday three, the team slowly worked their way back up the table. However, in late December, the team decided to fire manager Heiko Herrlich. This decision would change their season. Bringing in former Borussia Dortmund manager Peter Bosz, the Dutchman has won six out of his first nine games.
Climbing to a season-high fifth place on Matchday 22, the team currently sits sixth, just five points off a Champions League place. Making genuine progress under Bosz, the team’s decision to move on from Herrlich was the right one. The team now has an identity and a serious chance to secure European football.
One of the more unpredictable teams in the Bundesliga, Wolfsburg are currently level on points with Leverkusen in seventh place. A season full of ups and downs, Bruno Labbadia’s team are a contender for the final Champions League spot. However, the team’s lack of consistency could hold them back. Starting the season strong, Labbadia’s side were second in the table. As many expected, Wolfsburg did suffer a dip in form.
Dropping to 12th place, the team appeared to be heading in the same direction as the season before. Finishing 16th last season, not much was expected of Wolfsburg this time around. Following a different script this campaign, Labbadia and his team have battled back, climbing to seventh. Just five points behind Gladbach, Wolfsburg are in an unexpected race for Europe.
The Outsiders
Just like Leipzig and Frankfurt, Werder Bremen continue to make progress. Managed by one of the league’s youngest managers, Bremen find themselves in eighth place under Florian Kohfeldt. The 36-year-old has this Bremen team just three points away from a Europa League place.
Bremen have overachieved, with the team not only in contention for European football but also in the quarter-final of the DFB-Pokal. Knocking out Borussia Dortmund in the third round, Bremen have been impressive. Scoring in every competitive game this season, Kohfeldt’s team are also unbeaten in 2019. Led by captain Max Kruse, Bremen may not be good enough for the Champions League, but Europa League football is within reach.
One of the outsiders to steal the final Champions League place, Julian Nagelsmann’s Hoffenheim have recovered after a poor start to the season. Playing Champions League football this season, the team wasn’t focused on the league until the winter break. Consistently in the hunt for the top four, Nagelsmann and his team now sit ninth.
This makes them a long shot to qualify for the Champions League, but Europa League football is realistic. Luck hasn’t been on their side, as the team has hit the woodwork more than any other team in the Bundesliga. Losing just six games all season, four of those six losses have been decided by just one goal.
A season ruined by draws, Hoffenheim has dropped points on 11 occasions, more than any other Bundesliga team. Set to leave at the end of the season, Nagelsmann will look to go out on a high, before he joins RB Leipzig.
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