The 2023/24 relegation battle: Darmstadt and Cologne down, Bochum in play-off
Darmstadt and Cologne are down, Bochum are in a relegation-play off, and the rest can breathe a sigh of relief - we recap the 2023/24 battle for survival.
Follow all the action on the final day LIVE!
Position: 18th (relegated)
Points: 18 (34 games)
Goals: 30-86 (-56)
Final fixture: Dortmund 4-0 Darmstadt
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. They finish the season bottom of the table.
Watch: Darmstadt relegated after Heidenheim loss
How does promotion and relegation work in the Bundesliga?
Position: 17th (automatic relegation)
Points: 27 (34 games)
Goals: 28-60 (-32)
Final fixture: Heidenheim 4-1 Cologne
Ten defeats across the first 16 games cost Steffen Baumgart his job. Timo Schultz sparked a revival for the Billy Goats, but that wasn't quite enough despite a sensational comeback to win 3-2 against Union Berlin on the penultimate matchday, with a 4-1 final-day loss in Heidenheim sealing their fate.
Watch: Cologne 3-2 Union Berlin - highlights
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Position: 16th (play-off)
Points: 33 (34 games)
Goals: 42-74 (-32)
Final fixture: Bremen 4-1 Bochum
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 five games under interim boss Heiko Butscher - a former VfL player - staved off automatic relegation, but they failed to gain the point needed on the final day to ensure safety. With other results not going their way, they now must play the side finishing third in Bundesliga 2 in a two-leg play-off for a Bundesliga spot next season.
Watch: Bochum 3-2 Hoffenheim - highlights
Find out who needs what to stay up on the final day
Position: 15th (safety)
Points: 33 (34 games)
Goals: 33-58 (-25)
Final fixture: Union 2-1 Freiburg
Nenad Bjelica provided Union with the desired new coach bounce after replacing Urs Fischer, but they've slipped back into old ways in recent months and the Croatian was dismissed after a 4-3 loss at home to Bochum with two games to go in favour of former interim coach Marco Grote. In the penultimate match of the season, the new coach bounce was back as Union raced into a 2-0 lead against Cologne and they looked set to relegate the Billy Goats. Instead, Cologne staged the comeback of the season to win 3-2, putting Union in real danger of a play-off spot that a final day win over Freiburg averted by the narrowest of margins.
Watch: Union Berlin 3-4 Bochum - highlights
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: 14th (safety)
Points: 34 (34 games)
Goals: 56-67 (-11)
Final fixture: Stuttgart 4-0 Gladbach
While they kept their heads above the bottom three for almost the entire season (slipping into 16th only for one week after Matchday 3), Gerardo Seoane's side were far from certain of survival when slumping to 15th on Matchday 22. After just one win in their final 11 fixtures, the Foals were leapfrogged by Mainz on the final day.
Watch: Hoffenheim 4-3 Borussia Mönchengladbach - highlights
Position: 13th (safety)
Points: 35 (34 games)
Goals: 39-51 (-12)
Final fixture: Wolfsburg 1-3 Mainz
Mainz took four points from their first three games under Bo Henriksen, before slipping to an 8-1 loss at Bayern Munich. They bounced back with wins over Hoffenheim, Bochum and Darmstadt, and even climbed out of the bottom three with a draw against Freiburg. Two points from meetings with Cologne and Heidenheim had them back in 16th, but an emphatic 3-0 win over Champions League finalists Borussia Dortmund propelled the 05ers back out of the bottom three, and ended any threat of automatic relegation this season. A win in Wolfsburg on the final day secured safety and sent them up to 13th.
Watch: Mainz 3-0 Borussia Dortmund - highlights
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