Schalke relegated and Stuttgart face play-off as Bochum and Augsburg survive
Schalke were relegated to Bundesliga 2 with a 4-2 defeat at RB Leipzig on the final day, while Stuttgart were held 1-1 at home to Hoffenheim and now face a play-off...
Hoffenheim were joined by Bochum and Augsburg in securing their safety in the Bundesliga for another season, while Schalke were relegated and Stuttgart must contest a play-off. bundesliga.com recaps all of the drama on a nail-biting final day battle for survival...
Hertha Berlin
Position: 18th (relegated)
Points: 29 (34 games)
Goals: 42-69 (-27)
Matchday 34 result: Wolfsburg 1-2 Hertha Berlin
Hertha's relegation to the second tier was confirmed on Matchday 33 as they conceded a last-minute equaliser to draw 1-1 with Bochum. While they only had pride to play for on the final matchday, they certainly gathered some of that by taking their second away win of the season on the final day against a Wolfsburg side chasing sixth place and a certain European qualification spot. Ibrahim Mazza and Marco Ricther struck in a great second-half comeback.
Click here for the full Bundesliga table
Schalke
Position: 17th (relegated)
Points: 31 (34 games)
Goals: 35-71 (-36)
Matchday 34 result: RB Leipzig 4-2 Schalke
Schalke had nine points on the board after 17 matches, but their 22 from a possible 51 in the second half of the season was not quite enough to complete a spirited survival bid. Having clawed their way back from 2-0 down in Leipzig on the final day to level at 2-2, hopes were raised again before late goals from Poulsen and Nkunku sealed their fate of relegation to Bundesliga 2.
Watch: Danny Latza reacts to Schalke’s relegation
VfB Stuttgart
Position: 16th (relegation play-off)
Points: 33 (34 games)
Goals: 45-57 (-12)
Matchday 34 result: Stuttgart 1-1 Hoffenheim
Stuttgart enjoyed a new coach bounce under Sebastian Hoeneß, beating Bochum,holding Borussia Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen before rising out of the danger zone with an impressive 4-1 win at Mainz on the penultimate weekend. They could not use a glut of chances in their final day home showdown with Hoffenheim to take any more than a point, however, with Tiago Tomas levelling after they fell behind. Stuttgart are to now contest a relegation play-off against the side finishing third in Bundesliga 2 - Hamburg or Heidenheim.
Watch: Stuttgart fight back to hold Dortmund
Augsburg
Position: 15th
Points: 34 (34 games)
Goals: 42-63 (-21)
Matchday 34 result: Borussia Mönchengladbach 2-0 Augsburg
Augsburg survived by the skin of their teeth after a 2-0 defeat at Gladbach on the final day that could have sent them into a play-off had Stuttgart won. Robert Gumny was sent off at the end of a difficult first-half for Augsburg in which they had already fallen two behind - and they raised little resistance but were ultimately relieved to have sealed their top-flight survival.
Bochum
Position: 14th
Points: 35 (34 games)
Goals: 40-72 (-32)
Remaining fixture: Bochum 3-0 Bayer Leverkusen
Bochum were the big winners on the final day thanks to a commanding 3-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen. An early sending off for Leverkusen's Amine Adli gave the hosts a boost, and first-half strikes from Philipp Förster and Takuma Asano left Bochum in command before Kevin Stöger capped the vital victory that secured safety in front of the delighted Bochum fans.
HOW IT HAPPENED - Matchday 34 relegation battle!
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