The 2023/24 relegation battle: Darmstadt down; Cologne, Mainz and Bochum fighting for survival
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?
Position: 18th (relegated)
Points: 17 (31 games)
Goals: 30-73 (-43)
Remaining fixtures: Wolfsburg (a), 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
Position: 17th (automatic relegation)
Points: 23 (31 games)
Goals: 24-54 (-30)
Remaining fixtures: Freiburg (h), Union Berlin (h), Heidenheim (a)
A first relegation since 2018 is a distinct possibility for Cologne. Ten defeats across the first 16 games cost Steffen Baumgart his job, but 13 points from 15 games under Timo Schultz have given the Billy Goats hope of escaping the automatic drop zone. And the psychological momentum of the last-gasp draw in Mainz could be huge.
Watch: Cologne take first win of 2024 against Frankfurt
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Position: 16th (promotion/ relegation play-off)
Points: 28 (31 games)
Goals: 32-49 (-17)
Remaining fixtures: Heidenheim (a), 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.
Watch: Mainz got off to a winning start under Henriksen
Position: 15th (safety)
Points: 30 (31 games)
Goals: 26-50 (-24)
Next fixtures: Bochum (h), 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. How they fare in upcoming games against Bochum and Cologne could prove decisive.
Position: 14th (safety)
Points: 30 (31 games)
Goals: 37-62 (-25)
Remaining fixtures: Union Berlin (a), 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. Four points from three games under interim boss Heiko Butscher - a former VfL player - has brought a timely boost, with Matchday 31's triumph against Hoffenheim a possible game-changer.
Watch: Bochum 3-2 Hoffenheim - highlights
Position: 13th (safety)
Points: 32 (31 games)
Goals: 53-60 (-7)
Next fixtures: Bremen (a), 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 (127) than Gladbach's 113. Victory in Bremen could see them safe, though, if results elsewhere go their way on Matchday 32.
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