Bayer Leverkusen completes unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga season and Cologne relegated

BERLIN (AP) — Bayern Munich by no means managed it.

Bayer Leverkusen turned the primary crew for the reason that Bundesliga was based in 1963 to finish a complete season undefeated on Saturday.

Early targets from Victor Boniface and Robert Andrich gave the league champion a 2-1 win over Augsburg of their final sport of the season.

The win was their twenty eighth in 34 Bundesliga video games.

Leverkusen, which gained the title in April to finish Bayern Munich’s 11-year run, is the primary crew to finish an unbeaten season in any of Europe’s high 5 leagues since Juventus within the Italian Serie A in 2011-12.

Leverkusen hasn’t misplaced a sport in any competitors all season, a file 51-game unbeaten run.

It had a agency grip on Augsburg however Mert Kömür pulled one again within the 62nd minute, prompting Leverkusen coach Xabi Alonso to ship on Florian Wirtz and Granit Xhaka, the star gamers he’d been attempting to relaxation earlier than the Europa League and German Cup finals subsequent week.

COLOGNE DEMOTED, UNION SAFE

Native rival Cologne was relegated. Cologne’s hopes of avoiding the drop evaporated in a 4-1 loss at Heidenheim.

“It’s very unhappy, such a pity. To apologize maybe lacks a bit of respect,” Cologne goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe mentioned of followers’ offended response.

Janik Haberer scored in stoppage time for Union Berlin to clinch survival with a 2-1 win over Freiburg.

It got here after Union missed a penalty, conceded an equalizer with 5 minutes remaining in a sport it needed to win to keep away from the relegation playoff, then missed one other penalty in stoppage time. Thankfully for Union, Haberer was there to fireside within the rebound and ship beer cups flying throughout the stadium.

Union’s win meant Bochum dropped into the playoff place after shedding at Werder Bremen 4-1.

Bochum faces Fortuna Düsseldorf over two legs to see which crew will play within the Bundesliga subsequent season. Düsseldorf was third within the second division.

Mainz ensured its survival with a 3-1 win at Wolfsburg.

BAYERN ONLY THIRD

Stuttgart completed second at Bayern’s expense with a 4-0 win over Borussia Mönchengladbach, whereas Bayern slumped to a 4-2 loss at Hoffenheim in Thomas Tuchel’s final sport as coach.

“One other bitter defeat,” the livid Tuchel mentioned at some point after revealing that talks on him extending his keep on the membership fell by way of.

Bayern’s third place is its worst end since ending behind 2011 winner Borussia Dortmund and Leverkusen. It’s the Bavarian powerhouse’s first trophyless season since 2012.

Stuttgart’s 73 factors is a membership file and it comes after preventing relegation within the earlier two seasons.

REUS’ BIG DAY

Marco Reus led Dortmund to a 4-0 win over last-placed Darmstadt. The 34-year-old, who’s leaving after 12 years on the finish of the season, was handed the captain’s armband for his final Bundesliga sport with Dortmund and starred by establishing Ian Maatsen for the opener earlier than scoring with an excellent free kick.

Dortmund subsequent performs the Champions League closing in opposition to Actual Madrid on June 1.

A Dortmund win could be excellent news for Eintracht Frankfurt, which completed sixth within the Bundesliga after drawing with Leipzig 2-2. If Dortmund beats Madrid, Frankfurt would qualify for Europe’s premier competitors.

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AP Sports activities Author James Ellingworth in Leverkusen contributed.

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