Bundesliga Match Day 34: Preview and Forecast...It's the Final Countdown!
Well, it's here; the the final weekend of the Bundesliga season and there is much at play! Four teams are battling to avoid relegation and nine are in the mix for European League play (Champions League or Europa League).
Every single game has some sort of implication except for Mainz vs. Werder Bremen; which makes this Match Day one to keep tabs on. In addition, for The Barrel, we need a perfect week to finish .500 for the year with our picks (there is no way in hell this happens). After a slow start, we got into a really nice rhythm before tanking the past 4 weeks.
Next season, we will make predictions from the opening weekend, so you will be able laugh even longer at how poor they are.
If you want the breakdown on the battle to avoid relegation, check it out here where I hit that topic for BavarianFootballWorks.com.
If you want the breakdown on the battle for European spots, check it out here where I also hit that topic for BavarianFootballWorks.com.
Werder Bremen 2, Mainz 1: This game means nothing, but Werder is on the move and should be markedly improved next season. After a horrendous start, Werder has been pretty solid and a tough match for mostly everyone. Mainz, meanwhile, is just happy to not be in the mix for relegation.
Bayer Leverkusen 4, Hannover 96 2: Leverkusen's defense has been suspect and Hannover 96 has been a pest, so this one could be interesting. Niclas Fullkrug leads the way for Hannover, but Die Werkself will need to rely on the young legs Julian Brandt, Kai Havertz, and Leon Bailey to supplement the scoring of Kevin Volland to secure a Champions League berth. We just feel like Leverkusen will rally for this.
Bayern Munich 3, VfB Stuttgart 1: Bayern re-signed Arjen Robben and Rafinha earlier today and is looking to finish the season with a bang at home, while Stuttgart NEEDS a win. We just can't see it happening even if Mario Gomez has a game for the ages. Oh, and Robert Lewandowski will score his 30th goal or he may implode.
SC Freiburg 2, FC Augsburg 1: Freiburg is another team that needs a win, while Augsburg is in the safe zone. This really could be a coin flip as neither team has really lit the world on fire, but Freiburg has the best scorer in Nils Petersen, so we will ride with that.
Borussia Monchengladbach 3, Hamburger SV 1: Der Dinosaur is going to go all out in an effort to extend its tenure as the team with the longest streak of first division play, but we feel like Die Folen are going to "put'em in a body bag....YEAH!" I have a distinct feeling that HSV is going to try and much this up and make it ugly for Gladbach, but the Foals have enough talent to fight through it.
RB Leipzig 3, Hertha Berlin 1: Die Roten Bullen has been one of the more disappointing teams in the league and will need a win in this one if it wants any hope at a UCL berth. While neither team is going to feature a lock down defense, Leipzig should have the stronger offense, which will carry them to a win and some hope for the Champions League.
Borussia Dortmund 3, Hoffenheim 2: Originally we were going to pick a tie in this one, but we are going to bank on the leadership and talent of Marco Reus to push BVB over an equally desperate Hoffenheim side. With Serge Gnabry injured, Hoffenheim still has some offensive power, but we feel like this is a game where Dortmund shows up from beginning to end.
Schalke 04 2, Eintracht Frankfurt 1: The Royal Blues have clinched second place and don't necessarily need this one, but the Eagles' only hope for Europa Play requires a win. In Niko Kovac's final Bundesliga game with Eintracht, we expect them to play strong, but Domenico Tedesco will take great pleasure in blocking the future Bayern manager from helping Frankfurt achieve a Europa berth.
FC Köln 2, Wolfsburg 1: Köln is better than it's place in the standings and will push the Wolves into relegation with them.
Predicted finishes
Champions League
1st place: Bayern Munich
2nd place: Schalke 04
(the good news for me is that I can’t get the two above wrong)
3rd place: Borussia Dortmund
4th place: Bayer Leverkusen
Europa League
5th place: TSG Hoffenheim
6th place: RB Leipzig
Relegation Playoff: Wolfsburg
Relegation: Hamburger SV Relegation: FC Köln
Last week's record: 4-5
This season's (terrible) record: 54-63
Note: Predicted ties count as a win if correct and as a loss if there is a winner; conversely if a game is predicted to have a winner but ends in a tie, it will count as a loss.
