Dortmund and Bayern set to take their Bundesliga title challenge to final day of season

The Matchday 34 excitement is brewing over.

The 60th season in Germany’s top division has proved to be one of the most entertaining to date, and a blockbuster showdown between two of the continent’s footballing giants is a fitting end to a rollercoaster campaign.

In the driving seat are leaders Dortmund, who hold a two-point advantage over record champions Bayern. The equation for the Black-and-Yellows is simple: beat 1. FSV Mainz 05 at home on Saturday, and Edin Terzic’s men will be crowned Bundesliga champions for a sixth time. “There is huge anticipation; the city will be fired up,” BVB attacker Julian Brandt said ahead of his side’s date with destiny at Signal Iduna Park.

The stats in 2023 tell a story of a Dortmund side clearly in the ascendency. Die Schwarzgelben have collected 11 more points than Bayern since January while they have also outscored their great rivals by 15 goals this calendar year. The omens against Mainz put the leaders in a favourable position. BVB – who boast the best home record in the league this term – have won their last four encounters against Bo Svensson’s 05ers.

Dortmund’s passionate faithful have witnessed their side go into a final game of the season in top spot on four previous occasions, with the title arriving each time. “After the overhaul and in particular after illnesses and the injuries, this [title run] couldn't have been foreseen before the season," Terzic explained after Borussia’s 3-0 victory at FC Augsburg last weekend. “It's now about taking this one last step together,” the coach continued.

Bayern will be crowned champions for an 11th successive time if they win and Dortmund fail to do so. The Bavarians go to 1. FC Köln – where they have won on their last eight visits – in search of the required points. There have only ever been five top-of-the-table changes on the last day of the season in the Bundesliga’s history. Thomas Tuchel’s men will be desperate to add to that particular stat.

“We’ll stick together and do everything to get all three points,” Bayern’s talisman Thomas Müller said. “We have to come together this week and somehow find every spark we’ve got to get the win in Cologne,” the 33-year-old added.

Elsewhere on Matchday 34, the fascinating battle for a top-four finish concludes. RB Leipzig guaranteed third place last weekend, which leaves 1. FC Union Berlin and SC Freiburg – currently level on 59 points – to battle it out for what would be a maiden UEFA Champions League qualification for either team. Union – currently ahead on goal difference – are at home to SV Werder Bremen while Christian Streich’s Freiburg travel to DFB Cup finalists Eintracht Frankfurt, who themselves have an outside shot at a top-six finish.

Adding to that mouth-watering denouement for European places, Bayer 04 Leverkusen – in sixth – and seventh-placed VfL Wolfsburg will be keen to end their seasons on a high when they play VfL Bochum 1948 and Hertha Berlin respectively.

Hertha were relegated last weekend but there is still hope of survival for Bochum who, along with FC Schalke 04, VfB Stuttgart and FC Augsburg, all face a final weekend of high drama, with the second-division trapdoor threatening.

Safely climbing up from the other side, SV Darmstadt 98 celebrated their promotion from Bundesliga 2 last week. The Lilies will be joined in the top flight this weekend by one of 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 – currently in second place – or Hamburger SV, who are a point further back. A relegation-promotion play-off awaits whoever finishes third. All told, the climax to the 2022-23 season is not to be missed!