Berlin – As Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund take the
Bundesliga title race to the final matchday Saturday the years 2000,
2009 and even 1978 come to mind.
Bayern didn't clinch a seventh straight trophy Saturday as they
failed to beat RB Leipzig in a 0-0 draw, but still hold a two-point
lead over Dortmund who edged Fortuna Dusseldorf 3-2.
Both team's final opponents won't be pushovers either as Eintracht
Frankfurt in Munich and Borussia Moenchengladbach at home against
Dortmund also want full points in their battle for a Champions League
berth.
The last time the title was decided on the last day was in 2009 when
Wolfsburg retained their two-point lead over Bayern. The following
year Bayern had a vastly superior goal difference over Schalke on top
of a three-point lead ahead of the final match.
Munich fans meanwhile anticipate celebrating a first title at home
since 2000 as their following 11 trophies were either clinched on the
road or when they weren't playing but rivals failed to get the result
they needed.
Also in 2000, Bayer Leverkusen were the last leaders to squander a
two-point lead on the last day.
Bayern can be confident because they are also 17 goals better than
Dortmund who blew a nine-point lead from earlier in the season,
meaning that a draw should be sufficient.
But then again, in a famous final matchday meeting between Gladbach
and Dortmund in 1978 Gladbach won 12-0, but still narrowly lost the
title to Cologne on goal difference.
"There is no more pressure for us. The pressure moves south,"
Dortmund chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke said in the direction of
Munich.
"We'll give everything we've got on the final day.We can win
everything while Bayern can lose everything."
Former captain Sebastian Kehl said "the situation will be a challenge
for Bayern" because they are "not so commanding" as in past years
when they clicnhed the title with several games to spare.
Munich coach Nico Kovac said his team is ready for the final showdown
against his former team who beat Bayern in last year's cup final.
"We'll play at home, and we'll seal the title there. It'll be a final
for the championship title, the people in Munich haven't had that for
years, even decades, so I'm convinced our fans will create a great
atmosphere, which will boost our passion and will to win," he said.
Forward Thomas Mueller said: "The greed is absolutely there. We have
an absolute final next week. It'll be crunch time then."
The fact that Frankfurt and Gladbach still have plenty to play for
makes the games even more attractive. Both are assured of at least a
Europa League spot but along with Bayer Leverkusen could also get the
last available Champions League spot.
Also up for grabs on Saturday is one more Europa League berth, with
Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim and Werder Bremen the contenders.
At the bottom of the table meanwhile everything is settled.
Nuremberg are relegated a record-extending ninth time along with
Hanover while VfB Stuttgart play the third-placed second-division
side in May 23 and 27 play-offs.
"Being relegated is probably the ugliest thing in football,"
Nuremberg defender Georg Margreitter said.