Bundesliga Roundup, Matchday 32
The 32nd round of games in the 2023/24 Bundesliga season featured exciting matches and impressive demonstrations of talent. Here is an overview of the weekend’s games.
Hoffenheim 1-1 RB Leipzig
Andrej Kramarić scored a last-minute goal to help Hoffenheim secure a 1-1 draw against RB Leipzig at the PreZero Arena. This draw moved the hosts closer to the top seven of the Bundesliga. Xavi Simons received his first red card in senior football after getting two yellow cards within 17 minutes. Leipzig had to play with a numerical disadvantage for over 15 minutes after Simons’ dismissal. Despite their efforts, they couldn’t hold off Hoffenheim, who were determined to score. Kramarić headed in a cross from Marius Bülter to deny Leipzig a fifth consecutive win. This result kept Hoffenheim’s European aspirations alive, although they have only won one of their last four league matches.
Wolfsburg 3-0 Darmstadt
Wolfsburg essentially secured their position in the top division with a convincing 3-0 victory against Darmstadt, who had already been relegated. Darmstadt will have one final opportunity for their fans to support them in the top league, following a season where they consistently exceeded expectations but ultimately struggled.
Werder Bremen 2-2 Monchengladbach
Mönchengladbach secured a late draw against Werder Bremen, earning a crucial point to improve their chances of avoiding relegation. Florian Neuhaus scored a stoppage-time penalty to help the team, who have only won one of their last nine league matches (with five draws and three losses). This result extends Mönchengladbach’s lead over the relegation zone to 4 points. Meanwhile, Werder Bremen missed an opportunity to catch up with Freiburg, who currently hold the final European qualification spot in seventh place.
Stuttgart 3-1 Bayern Munich
Jeong Woo-yeong and Silas scored late goals to secure a 3-1 victory for VfB Stuttgart against Bayern Munich at home, marking their first win against Bayern at home since 2007. This win keeps their hopes alive for finishing second in the Bundesliga table ahead of Bayern. Despite the resilience of Bayern’s goalkeeper, Stuttgart continued to push for a winning goal, which eventually came seven minutes before the end of the match. Jeong scored after being set up by Silas, who later became the goalscorer himself, sealing a well-deserved victory for Stuttgart in added time. This win also means that Sebastian Hoeneß’s team has only lost one of their last 20 home matches.
Dortmund 5-1 Augsburg
Marco Reus delivered an outstanding performance in Borussia Dortmund’s 5-1 victory over Augsburg, scoring a goal and providing two assists in his first match since announcing his departure from the team. Despite the win, Augsburg remains in 9th place in the league, just one point behind Hoffenheim in 8th place. Dortmund has only lost one of their last 13 home matches and is now just three points behind RB Leipzig in 4th place as they aim to finish their domestic season strongly.
Cologne 0-0 Freiburg
Cologne could face relegation from the Bundesliga for the first time since 2014, as they drew 0-0 with Freiburg, impacting Freiburg’s chances of making it to Europe. Cologne earned a point, bringing their total to one win in 12 games and putting them within 5 points of Mainz with two matches left. Freiburg secured their fourth consecutive clean sheet against Cologne but missed the opportunity to extend the gap between Hoffenheim in the race for the final European spot.
Union Berlin 3-4 Bochum
VfL Bochum achieved consecutive wins in the Bundesliga for the first time this season by defeating 1. FC Union Berlin 4-3, ensuring they cannot finish in the automatic relegation spots. The visitors managed to hold on to their lead and secure a crucial victory, bringing their total points to 33 with two matches left. On the other hand, Union Berlin is only a point ahead of Mainz in 16th place, with the possibility of facing relegation play-off still looming.
Frankfurt 1-5 Bayer Leverkusen
Bayer 04 Leverkusen continued their impressive streak of being undefeated in all competitions this season, reaching 48 games with a 5-1 victory over Eintracht Frankfurt. This win also marked the end of their five-game losing streak in away head-to-head matches. Victor Boniface scored the final goal, putting Frankfurt in a position where they still need a win in their remaining two games to secure a top-six finish. Leverkusen, led by manager Xabi Alonso, showed no signs of slowing down and delivered another strong performance.
Heidenheim 1-1 Mainz
Mainz 05’s winless streak in away Bundesliga matches has now reached 20 games after they drew 1-1 with 1. FC Heidenheim 1846. Heidenheim, who have not won in their last seven home games, also missed out on a victory. Mainz’s draw means they missed the opportunity to move above 1.FC Union Berlin and escape the relegation play-off position, with only two games left to secure their spot in the top division. Heidenheim’s chances of finishing in the top half of the table and potentially qualifying for European competitions in their first Bundesliga season are still uncertain, as they are one point behind ninth-placed Augsburg.
