Bundesliga 2024-25: Dortmund snatches last Champions League spot; Bayer Leverkusen bids adieu to Alonso with draw

The Hindu

17-05-2025

Borussia Dortmund cruised past relegated Holstein Kiel 3-0 on Saturday to finish fourth and snatch the last Champions League spot for next season, in the best comeback of the last seven matchdays in Bundesliga history.
Niko Kovac's Dortmund won six of their last seven matches to climb from 10th to fourth in the standings and finish on 57 points, two ahead of Freiburg who lost to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
No other Bundesliga team have managed such a comeback in the last seven matchdays.
Bayern Munich had secured the title two weeks ago with Bayer Leverkusen finishing runner-up.
Dortmund, needing three goals to be guaranteed a top four finish irrespective of results in the other games, got off to a dream start when Serhou Guirassy converted a third-minute penalty for the lead.
Kiel was then left with 10 players when Carl Johansson was sent off with a straight red card but the host could not make the extra man count until the break.
It did, however, score two minutes after the restart with Marcel Sabitzer slotting in from the edge of the box to make it 2-0 and Felix Nmecha added another in the 72nd minute to seal their European spot.
Another record for Alonso
Bayer Leverkusen came from a goal down to rescue a 2-2 draw at host Mainz 05 in the Bundesliga finale and hand departing coach Xabi Alonso another record as it went two league seasons without an away defeat.
Leverkusen, which finished second behind champion Bayern Munich, found itself a goal down when European hopeful Mainz went in front through Paul Nebel in the 35th minute. | Photo Credit: AP
Alonso is leaving after two-and-a-half years in charge -including an unbeaten season which saw a sensational domestic league and Cup double - with reports linking him to a move to Real Madrid.
Leverkusen, which finished second behind champion Bayern Munich, found itself a goal down when European hopeful Mainz went in front through Paul Nebel in the 35th minute.
But it bounced back after the break and struck twice in five minutes through Patrik Schick in the 49th and 54th to get back into the driving seat.
Mainz levelled with a penalty from Jonathan Burkardt in the 63rd minute.
It almost spoiled the Leverkusen record when Stefan Bell stabbed in for what looked like the winner in stoppage time but his effort was overruled for handball after a lengthy VAR review.