The Japan Times - All at stake for Bundesliga relegation battlers on final day

Wolfsburg sit 16th with a goal difference three better than Heidenheim and St Pauli. The latter two have an identical goal difference, but Heidenheim are ahead on goals scored.

St Pauli can look their challengers directly in the eyes when they host Wolfsburg, but even a win in that battle may not be enough.

Heidenheim host Mainz and can avoid automatic relegation by winning by more than whoever is victorious in Hamburg, with all games played simultaneously on Saturday.

The club finishing 16th takes on the third-placed Bundesliga 2 side in a two-legged relegation play-off, while 17th and 18th are automatically sent down.

While St Pauli have moved between the divisions for much of their history, Wolfsburg, promoted in 1997, have never suffered relegation from the top flight.

Heidenheim are in their third Bundesliga season since being promoted in 2023.

Wolfsburg's goal difference means they could finish 16th even with a point, but only if Heidenheim fail to win.

In excellent form, Heidenheim have lost just one of their past seven games, claiming 12 points in that run.

Considered by many as relegation certainties a few weeks ago, they are within touching distance of a great escape.

At the other end of the table, one Champions League spot remains up for grabs with Bayern Munich, Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig all already qualified.

Fourth-placed Stuttgart are level on points with fifth-placed Hoffenheim, but five ahead on goal difference.

Stuttgart face a difficult trip to Eintracht Frankfurt, while Hoffenheim play at Borussia Moenchengladbach.

Bayer Leverkusen, who lost 3-1 to Stuttgart last weekend, sit three points behind the two and need a win at home to Hamburg while hoping both Stuttgart and Hoffenheim are defeated.

One to watch: Yan Diomande (RB Leipzig)

A relatively unknown arrival from Spanish second-division club Leganes last summer, RB Leipzig winger Diomande has had an incredible debut top-flight season.

With 12 goals and seven assists in the league, the 19-year-old Ivorian has helped his side return to the Champions League while attracting the attention of Europe's biggest clubs.

Speaking with AFP and other media on Wednesday, Diomande said his sudden rise surprised him, but pledged to stay grounded despite his growing profile.

"I didn't imagine to do everything so quickly like this, but I have ambition and the vision to be one of the best players. Everything has happened so fast and I'm going step by step.

"I have a new dream every day. I'm not going to say something crazy, but in five years I'd like to be one of the best."

Key stats

1 - Harry Kane's penalty miss against Wolfsburg on Saturday was his first in the Bundesliga. The England captain had previously converted each of his 24 league spot-kicks since joining Bayern in 2023.

68 - A win at Freiburg will take RB Leipzig to 68 points, their best ever tally. Their previous best was 67, recorded in 2016-17, their debut top-flight season.

34 - Even if they reach the relegation play-off spot, Heidenheim will have spent all 34 weeks in the bottom three this season.

Fixtures (all Saturday 1330 GMT)

St Pauli v Wolfsburg, Heidenheim v Mainz, Eintracht Frankfurt v Stuttgart, Werder Bremen v Borussia Dortmund, Bayer Leverkusen v Hamburg, Borussia Moenchengladbach v Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich v Cologne, Union Berlin v Augsburg, Freiburg v RB Leipzig

M.Yamazaki--JT