Dortmund and Frankfurt in Champions League, Heidenheim face play-off
Dortmund's Felix Nmecha (C) celebrates scoring his side's third goal with teammates during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Holstein Kiel at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpa
Borussia Dortmund and Eintracht Frankfurt secured berths in the Champions League as the Bundesliga season reached its dramatic climax on Saturday, with Heidenheim confirmed in the relegation play-off spot.
Frankfurt won 3-1 at rivals Freiburg and Dortmund eased past already-relegated Holstein Kiel 3-0 thanks to Serhou Guirassy, Marcel Sabitzer and Felix Nmecha, leaving Freiburg in a Europa League spot having yet again narrowly missed out on the Champions League.
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Frankfurt, third for much of the season, ended Freiburg's hopes of a first ever Champions League qualification in Julian Schuster's first season in charge, while Dortmund have rocketed up the table in recent weeks under Niko Kovač having been 11th when he was appointed in January.
Mainz edged RB Leipzig to the Conference League slot after a 2-2 draw at home to Bayer Leverkusen sealed by Jonathan Burkardt's penalty.
Leipzig will not be in Europe for the first time since their Bundesliga debut in 2016-17 following a shock 3-2 home defeat by mid-table VfB Stuttgart, who can grab a Europa League spot by beating third-tier Arminia Bielefeld in next Saturday's German Cup final.
Heidenheim needed a large goal difference swing to pull St Pauli or Hoffenheim into trouble and avoid finishing third-bottom in the play-off spot. The 4-1 home defeat by mid-table Werder Bremen made any mathematics irrelevant.
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St Pauli lost 2-0 at home to already-relegated Bochum and hosts Hoffenheim were beaten 4-0 by long-crowned champions Bayern Munich, whose departing veteran Thomas Müller played what is set to be his last Bundesliga game.
Heidenheim will face the third-placed team in the second tier - currently Elversberg - over two legs on Thursday and the following Monday for a place in next season's Bundesliga.
SV Hamburg have already secured promotion and Cologne are favourites to join them on the second-tier's final day on Sunday.
In two games with nothing to play for, Borussia Mönchengladbach were undone 1-0 at home by Wolfsburg while Union Berlin overcame Augsburg 2-1 away in storied referee Felix Brych's last game.
Frankfurt's Rasmus Kristensen celebrates his side's third goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadium. Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa
Frankfurt's Rasmus Kristensen celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadium. Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa
Bremen's Marvin Ducksch (R) celebrate scoring his side's third goal with teammates Romano Schmid (L) and Mitchell Weiser during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Werder Bremen at Voith-Arena. Harry Langer/dpa
Munich's Joshua Kimmich (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammate Aleksandar Pavlovic during the German Bundesliga soccer match between TSG 1899 Hoffenheim and Bayern Munich at PreZero Arena. Tom Weller/dpa
Mainz's Jonathan Burkardt (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and Bayer Leverkusen at Mewa Arena. Torsten Silz/dpa
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (2nd L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and Bayer Leverkusen at Mewa Arena. Torsten Silz/dpa
Leverkusen's Patrik Schick (R) celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and Bayer Leverkusen at Mewa Arena. Torsten Silz/dpa
Stuttgart players Nick Woltemade (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammate Maximilian Mittelstaedt during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart at Red Bull Arena. Jan Woitas/dpa
Leipzig's Xavi Simons (L) celebrates scoring his side's second goal with teammates Ridle Baku (C) and David Raum during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart at Red Bull Arena. Elisa Schu/dpa
Dortmund's Marcel Sabitzer celebrates scoring his side's second goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Dortmund and Holstein Kiel at Signal Iduna Park. Bernd Thissen/dpa
Wolfsburg's Lukas Nmecha (3rd L) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates during the German Bundesliga soccer match between Borussia Moenchengladbach and VfL Wolfsburg at Borussia-Park stadium. David Inderlied/dpa
Frankfurt's Ansgar Knauff (2nd L) celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadium. Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa
Augsburg's Philip Tietz celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FC Augsburg and 1. FC Union Berlin at WWK-Arena. Daniel Löb/dpa
Freiburg's Ritsu Doan (R) celebrates scoring his side's first goal with teammates during the German Bundesliga soccer match between SC Freiburg and Eintracht Frankfurt at Europa-Park Stadium. Philipp von Ditfurth/dpa
Bremen's Jens Stage (R) celebrate scoring his side's second goal with teammates Romano Schmid (L) and Felix Agu during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Werder Bremen at Voith-Arena. Harry Langer/dpa
Bremen's Romano Schmid celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between 1. FC Heidenheim and Werder Bremen at Voith-Arena. Harry Langer/dpa
Mainz's Nadiem Amiri celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between FSV Mainz 05 and Bayer Leverkusen at Mewa Arena. Torsten Silz/dpa
Leipzig's Xavi Simons celebrates scoring his side's first goal during the German Bundesliga soccer match between RB Leipzig and VfB Stuttgart at Red Bull Arena. Jan Woitas/dpa
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