All aboard for the race for Europe
With the first half of the season already in the books and the second half of the season now underway, the Bundesliga table is taking shape and those hoping to grab a European spot are jostling for position behind the division leaders. bundesliga.com assesses the chances of all concerned...
Borussia Mönchengladbach
Position: 7th
Points: 30 (20 games)
Goals: 32-30 (+2)
The Foals came worryingly close to a relegation play-off at the end of 2023/24 but, thanks in large part to the arrival of super striker Tim Kleindienst, Gerardo Seoane's side look far better equipped for a European push this time around. That being said, they fell to a 1-0 defeat against league leaders Bayern Munich in the first match of 2025 and followed that with another two losses - 5-1 in Wolfsburg and 3-1 at Leverkusen - to start the new year in the worst possible way. They did get back on their feet on Matchday 19, beating Bochum 3-0, which they carried into their next fixture as they beat Stuttgart 2-1 on the road on Matchday 20.
Watch: Tim Kleindienst - late into the limelight
Werder Bremen
Position: 8th
Points: 30 (20 games)
Goals: 34-36 (-2)
The Green-Whites are reviving memories of glories past this season and not least for boasting an away record that has been bettered by only four other teams. Picking up two more wins on their travels contained within a hat-trick of Bundesliga victories to see out 2024, Ole Werner's side are enjoying their finest form in 13 years. With Jens Stage (seven goals) and Marvin Ducksch (six goals) on song, Werder are in with a strong chance of bettering their ninth-place finish from last term. Although a 4-2 loss to RB Leipzig on Matchday 16 saw them slip one place to tenth, they managed to haul themselves back into ninth after a thrilling 3-3 home draw with Heidenheim. A 2-0 loss against Augsburg on Matchday 18 didn't help their continental hopes, but they remain just one point adrift of the European places after their 2-2 draw away to Borussia Dortmund on Matchday 19, followed by their 1-0 victory over Mainz at home on Matchday 20.
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Freiburg
Position: 9th
Points: 30 (20 games)
Goals: 27-36 (-9)
With the Christian Streich era consigned to fond Freiburg memories, Julian Schuster is now hoping to plot a path to European competition for the Black Forest side. Some heavy losses to the division’s big guns may have dented confidence but the Bundesliga’s southernmost club are nearing a best points tally at home in the first half of a season for 21 years.
Involved in exactly half of Freiburg’s 24 goals this term, Vincenzo Grifo is still the ace in Freiburg’s pack, and while the Italy international bagged the winner in Matchday 16's 3-2 home win over Kiel, he couldn't stop an Omar Marmoush-powered Frankfurt from cruising to a 4-1 win that saw Schuster's side drop out of the top six.
Watch: Grifo was nominated for October's Player of the Month
Borussia Dortmund
Position: 11th
Points: 29 (20 games)
Goals: 36-34 (+2)
In Nuri Şahin's first season at the Dortmund helm, Die Schwarzgelben had been largely untouchable at home - until they came up against Xabi Alonso's red-hot Bayer Leverkusen side, that is. Ahead of the winter break, BVB topped the home standings as one of only two clubs - the other being Bayern - who hadn't suffered a reverse in their own back yard in 2024/25.
The problem for the five-time Bundesliga champions is that they only picked up their first win on the road in the Matchday 15 fixture away to Wolfsburg. That 3-1 triumph showcased some of the best Dortmund had to offer this term yet things took a serious turn for the worse when the Black-and-Yellows were soundly beaten at relegation-threatened Holstein Kiel on their travels on Matchday 17.
It may still be seen as a positive that Dortmund traditionally produce admirable form in the second half of seasons when they have done relatively poorly - by their lofty standards - beforehand, but improvements are desperately needed. Any such upturn in fortunes need to come quickly, however, with a Matchday 18 loss against Frankfurt - BVB's third reverse in a row - ramping up the pressure on the five-time Bundesliga winners. The situation only improved slighty on Matchday 19, as they drew 2-2 with Werder Bremen, before going on to win 2-1 away at Heidenheim the following matchday.
Watch: Guirassy & Gittens - Dortmund’s double G-Force
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