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Bundesliga: Cologne relegated on last matchday of season

May 18, 2024

Cologne needed a minor miracle to survive going into the last game of the season, with no guarantee that a win would be enough to save them. Instead, they collapsed in the first half and lost 4-1 in Heidenheim.

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Linton Maina of 1.FC Köln looks dejected after the team's defeat and relegation from the Bundesliga during the Bundesliga match between 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 and 1. FC Köln at Voith-Arena on May 18, 2024 in Heidenheim, Germany.
Cologne were unlikely to survive going into Saturday's games, but a heavy 4-1 defeat meant they bowed out of the Bundesliga with a whimper rather than a bangImage: Sebastian Widmann/Getty Images

Cologne will be playing second division football in Germany next season, after losing 4-1 to Heidenheim on Saturday in the last game of the season. 

That result ensured that 1. FC Köln finished second-to-last in the league and will face automatic relegation as a result. They will join bottom-of-the-table Darmstadt, who were already well beyond saving prior to the final Bundesliga matchday.

The Billy Goats needed to win their game in Heidenheim — and also needed Union Berlin to lose at home to Freiburg — if they were to have any chance of surviving. 

Instead, they slumped to a 3-0 deficit within 36 minutes of play.

The scoreboard in Heidenheim, 40 minutes into the game, showing a 3-0 lead for the hosts over Cologne.
The scoreboard told a fatal story for Cologne fans even before the half time whistleImage: Harry Langer/dpa/picture alliance

Eren Dinkci netted both of the opening goals for Heidenheim and Kevin Sessa capitalized on poor defending to add a third out of thin air roughly 10 minutes before the break.

Cologne stabilized in the second half, and even struck back on 64 minutes through Steffen Tigges. 

But around the same time, Union Berlin took the lead at home against Freiburg, crushing any sliver of resurgent hope for Cologne supporters.

Bochum to face relegation playoff, Union Berlin survive

Union went on to beat Freiburg 2-1, with the winner coming in injury time, and secure themselves Bundesliga football next season in the process. 

That win, coupled with VfL Bochum's 4-1 defeat in Bremen, meant that Union climbed to 15th in the league and to safety. 

Deutschland Berlin 2024 | Janik Haberer und Benedict Hollerbach feiern Tor für Union Berlin
Janik Haberer's stoppage time goal rescued Union Berlin, who just moments earlier were facing the prospect of a relegation playoff against DüsseldorfImage: Maja Hitij/Getty Images

Bochum, meanwhile, finish third from last and so must play the relegation playoff match against the third-placed team in the 2. Bundesliga, Fortuna Düsseldorf.

Düsseldorf and Bochum will face each other over two legs, with the winner either staying in or moving up to Germany's top division. 

Leverkusen complete league season with no defeats

At the happier end of the table, champions Bayer Leverkusen beat Augsburg 2-1 thanks to a pair of early goals, thereby completing an unprecedented unbeaten Bundesliga season.

Leverkusen have won 28 league games and drawn six this season, securing the club's first ever league title in the process. 

The Bundesliga also bid a fond farewell to a cult coaching figure in the dugout on Saturday, as Freiburg's longstanding trainer Christian Streich completed his last game in charge of the club.

Asked on Sky television before the game what he would miss, the larger-than-life Swabian said "the people," before tearing up, handing the microphone back and walking away.

msh/wd (dpa, Reuters, SID)