Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski equaled the Bundesliga’s record of 40 goals in a season and Augsburg, Mainz and Hertha Berlin all clinched survival in the penultimate round on Saturday.
Lewandowski converted an early penalty in Bayern’s 2-2 draw at Freiburg as the Poland forward matched Gerd Müller’s record from 1972. Bayern secured the title last weekend.
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Bayern Munich star Robert Lewandowski equaled the Bundesliga’s record of 40 goals in a season and Augsburg, Mainz and Hertha Berlin all clinched survival in the penultimate round on Saturday.
Arminia Bielefeld moved a point above Bremen with a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim.
Mainz is also safe despite not playing on Saturday. Bo Svensson’s team hosts Borussia Dortmund on Sunday but cannot be caught on 36 points even if it loses its last two games.
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German national soccer team coach Joachim Loew watches the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Freiburg's Nils Petersen, left, and Bayern's David Alaba challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Augsburg secured top-tier status with a 2-0 win over relegation rival Werder Bremen, which dropped into the playoff place ahead of the last round. Augsburg moved to 36 points, five clear of Bremen in the relegation zone.
Bayern's Robert Lewandowski gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Arminia Bielefeld moved a point above Bremen with a 1-1 draw against Hoffenheim.
Both Bielefeld and Bremen can still be overtaken by Cologne, which is a point behind Bremen after battling to a scoreless draw at Hertha.
That was enough for Hertha to move to 35 points, four clear of the relegation zone, ensuring its survival after a season that didn’t go to plan. Hertha had been targeting European qualification.
Augsburg's players celebrate after the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and SV Werder Bremen in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)
Mainz is also safe despite not playing on Saturday. Bo Svensson’s team hosts Borussia Dortmund on Sunday but cannot be caught on 36 points even if it loses its last two games.
Eintracht Frankfurt’s hopes of Champions League qualification were dealt a blow in a 4-3 defeat at last-place Schalke. It was just Schalke’s third win all season and it left Frankfurt fifth, a point behind German Cup winner Dortmund, which still has two games to play. The top four qualify for Europe’s premier club competition.
Bayer Leverkusen qualified for the second-tier Europa League with a 1-1 draw with Union Berlin. Union capitalized on Borussia Mönchengladbach’s 2-1 defeat at home to Stuttgart to move seventh, which would secure qualification for the Conference League, UEFA’s new third-tier European competition.
Augsburg's Florian Niederlechner, left, and Werder Bremen's Omer Toprak challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and SV Werder Bremen in Augsburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Matthias Balkdpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Philipp Lienhart, right, and Bayern's Robert Lewandowski challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
German national soccer team coach Joachim Loew watches the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Freiburg's Nils Petersen, left, and Bayern's David Alaba challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and FC Bayern Munich in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, May 15, 2021. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Greuther Fürth was relegated from the Bundesliga after losing at home to Champions League candidate Bayer Leverkusen 4-1 on Saturday.
Jetro Willems gave the enthusiastic home fans some hope of a miraculous escape with the opening goal in the fifth minute, but Patrik Schick answered four minutes later and Sardar Azmoun, Paulinho and Exequiel Palacios piled on for the visitors.
Fürth remained bottom of the league after 31 games – 12 points from safety with three games remaining.
Fuerth's players Sebastian Griesbeck, left, and Timothy Tillman, right, walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Coach Stefan Leitl’s team was promoted last year when it finished second in the second division, but it never recovered from a poor start to the Bundesliga despite encouraging performances in the second half of the season. Fürth lost all but one of its first 14 games until it claimed its first win in the 15th round by beating Union Berlin.
Also on Saturday, Union came from behind thanks to substitute Sven Michel to beat Leipzig 2-1 away and atone for its loss to Leipzig in their German Cup semifinal on Wednesday.
Michel equalized in the 86th then set up Kevin Behrens with his heel for a dramatic winner in the 89th as Union won in Leipzig for the first time.
Fuerth's players walk across the pitch after the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. Greuther Fürth has been relegated from the Bundesliga with a 4-1 loss at home to Bayer Leverkusen. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
The end of Leipzig’s 15-game unbeaten run across all competitions allowed Leverkusen to reclaim third place. Leverkusen dropped to fourth last weekend with a loss at home to Leipzig, but the sides have switched positions again, leaving Leipzig in the last qualification place for the Champions League.
Freiburg was fifth after coming from two goals down to lead Borussia Mönchengladbach 3-2 only to concede the equalizer in injury time to Gladbach’s Lars Stindl.
Cologne was seventh behind Union after a 3-1 win over Arminia Bielefeld, which remained second from bottom and the favorite to join Fürth in the second division.
Union's Sven Michel, right, celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
Also, Eintracht Frankfurt drew with Hoffenheim 2-2.
Bayern Munich hosted main rival Borussia Dortmund in “der Klassiker” late Saturday, when the Bavarian powerhouse was hoping to seal what would be a record-extending 10th consecutive title.
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Leverkusen's scorer Exequiel Palacios, left, and his teammate Paulinho celebrate their side's fourth goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
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Freiburg's Christian Guenter celebrates after scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022 (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's Daichi Kamada, center, scores his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Cologne's scorer Anthony Modeste, left, and Jannes Horn, right, celebrate their side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween 1. FC Cologne and Arminia Bielefeld in Cologne, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Marius Beckerdpa via AP)
Frankfurt's head coach Oliver Glasner gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween Eintracht Frankfurt and TSG 1899 Hoffenheim in Frankfurt, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Arne Dedertdpa via AP)
Leverkusen's Sardar Azmoun celebrates his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SpVgg Greuther Fuerth and Bayer 04 Leverkusen in Fuerth, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Daniel Karmanndpa via AP)
Freiburg's head coach Christian Streich gestures during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Moenchengladbach's Kouadio Kone, left, and Freiburg's Vincenzo Grifo, right, challenge for the ball during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween SC Freiburg and Borussia Moenchengladbach in Freiburg, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. (Tom Wellerdpa via AP)
Leipzig's goalkeeper Peter Gulacsi, right, saves the ball against Union's Taiwo Awoniyi, left, during the German Bundesliga soccer match bettween RB Leipzig and 1. FC Union Berlin in Leipzig, Germany, Saturday, April 23, 2022. ( Jan Woitasdpa via AP)
