Cologne, Mainz, Bochum and Union Berlin are fighting to avoid following Darmstadt through the trap door. - © DFL

bundesliga

The 2023/24 relegation battle: Darmstadt down; Cologne, Mainz and Union Berlin fighting for survival

04.05.2024

Two Bundesliga teams will go down automatically, another will get a shot at redemption via the relegation play-off. Find out who's in danger of playing Bundesliga 2 football next season...

How does promotion and relegation work in the Bundesliga?

Darmstadt

Position: 18th (relegated)
Points: 17 (32 games)
Goals: 30-76 (-46)
Remaining fixtures: Hoffenheim (h), Borussia Dortmund (a)

Promoted Darmstadt's fate was confirmed with defeat to Heidenheim on Matchday 31. It left them with an unassailable 11-point deficit on the relegation play-off spot, with only three rounds of fixtures remaining.

Watch: Darmstadt relegated after Heidenheim loss

Cologne

Position: 17th (automatic relegation)
Points: 24 (32 games)
Goals: 24-54 (-30)
Remaining fixtures: Union Berlin (h), Heidenheim (a)

A first relegation since 2018 is very much on the cards for Cologne. Ten defeats across the first 16 games cost Steffen Baumgart his job, but 13 points from 15 games under Timo Schultz had given the Billy Goats hope of escaping the automatic drop zone. A last-gasp draw in Mainz was a boost, but a dominant yet toothless 0-0 draw against Freiburg looks likely to prove costly. Thanks to results going their way on Sunday, Cologne now have one last chance with a must-win clash against Union next up.

Watch: Cologne 0-0 Freiburg - highlights

Mainz

Position: 16th (promotion/ relegation play-off)
Points: 29 (32 games)
Goals: 33-50 (-17)
Remaining fixtures: Borussia Dortmund (h), Wolfsburg (a)

Mainz took four points from their first three games under Bo Henriksen, before slipping to an 8-1 loss at Bayern Munich. They've bounced back, though, with wins over Hoffenheim, Bochum and Darmstadt. A point in Freiburg took them out of the bottom three, but the concession of a late equaliser at home to Cologne - after Bochum beat Hoffenheim - puts them back in 16th. They missed the chance to rule out automatic relegation against Heidenheim with a 1-1 draw and things roll over to Matchday 33.

Watch: Mainz got off to a winning start under Henriksen

Union Berlin

Position: 15th (safety)
Points: 30 (32 games)
Goals: 29-54 (-25)
Next fixtures: Cologne (a), Freiburg (h)

Union had started accelerating away from relegation under Nenad Bjelica, but a few bad results have shown how quickly things can change. Defeats to Augsburg and Bayern, and a goalless draw with Gladbach, leave them two points above the bottom three. Defeat to Bochum in a 4-3 thriller means a loss to Cologne next up could be catastrophic.

Watch: Union Berlin 3-4 Bochum - highlights

Bochum

Position: 14th (safety)
Points: 33 (32 games)
Goals: 41-65 (-24)
Remaining fixtures: Bayer Leverkusen (h), Werder Bremen (a)

Bochum were dragged into the relegation dogfight following a run of eight matches without a win that prompted a parting of ways with head coach Thomas Leitsch. Seven points from four games under interim boss Heiko Butscher - a former VfL player - has staved off automatic relegation, with their latest victory, a 4-3 win over Union, one of the best games of the season.

Watch: Bochum 3-2 Hoffenheim - highlights

Borussia Mönchengladbach

Position: 13th (safety)
Points: 33 (32 games)
Goals: 55-62 (-7)
Next fixtures: Frankfurt (h), Stuttgart (a)

Die Fohlen have had an inconsistent campaign under Gerardo Seoane, but supporters have at least had value for money - only Bayern matches have seen more goals (131) than Gladbach's 117. Florian Neuhaus' last-minute penalty to secure a 2-2 draw against Werder Bremen on Matchday 32 coupled with Cologne's draw against Freiburg means Gladbach are safe from automatic relegation this season, but the play-off spot is still in play.