Bundesliga Recap: Oops! They Did It Again
Season Ends With Unexpected Close Race
The 2022-23 Bundesliga season had an ending worthy of a Hollywood movie. It was the most contested campaign in recent years, enough to keep all Bundesliga betting enthusiasts on the edge of their seats. It was also enough for Bayern Munich to fire its CEO and sporting director.
Although most predictions came true in the end, some teams failed resoundingly, including last season’s UEFA Europa League champions.
Eleventh in a Row
On May 27, all Borussia Dortmund had to do to win the Bundesliga title was to defeat Mainz 05 at home. Dortmund was heavily favored in the Bundesliga odds for three reasons. First, it had only lost one of its previous 14 games. Second, Mainz 05 had nothing to play for. Finally, it had lost only one home game all season.
Believe it or not, Dortmund failed. By the 24th minute, the visitors were already winning 2-0. In the end, Dortmund managed a draw, but it wasn’t enough.
Why wasn’t it enough? Because Bayern Munich fulfilled its role as the betting online favorite against Koln with a 2-1 victory. Jamal Musiala saved the day, and the whole season, with a goal in the 89th minute.
In the end, both finished with 71 points, but Bayern won the title thanks to having scored nine more goals and conceding six fewer. Plus, the club also won the head-to-head 4-2 at Allianz Arena, while the one at Signal Iduna Park ended 2-2.
Bayern Munich has won the Bundesliga title each season since 2012. However, winning its 11th title in a row didn’t prevent Oliver Khan and Hasan Salihamidzic from losing their jobs. That’s how competitive they are. They didn’t expect it to be that close, especially after Dortmund lost Erling Haaland to Manchester City.
UEFA Competitions
As usual, Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund will play in the UEFA Champions League next season. They’ll be accompanied by RB Leipzig and FC Union Berlin.
Leipzig, who finished third, was led by Christopher Nkunku. The Frenchman scored 16 goals to co-win the Golden Boot with Niclas Fullkrug from Werder Bremen. The team won nine out of its last 10 matches, only losing to an inspired Bayer Leverkusen.
Christopher Nkunku – 2022/23
— ۟ (@BSTComps) May 29, 2023
As for FC Union Berlin, the Iron Ones finished fourth thanks to having the best defensive unit in the league alongside Bayern. Both conceded 38 goals in 34 games. This will be the first time that it plays in Europe’s top competition.
Regarding the UEFA Europa League, the Bundesliga will be represented by SC Freiburg. A special mention for Vincenzo Grifo, who finished as the team’s top scorer with 15 goals.
Finally, Bayer Leverkusen will play in the UEFA Conference League. The Black and Reds had an amazing second part of the season with Xabi Alonso leading the reins. They almost qualified for the UEL final but lost to Jose Mourinho’s AS Roma.
Underachievers
Before talking about the relegated teams, we must talk about Frankfurt. After winning the UEFA Europa League, expectations around the Eagles were extremely high. Some even placed them as the main threat to Bayern Munich.
Well, Frankfurt didn’t even finish in the top six. It finished seventh with 50 points, the same as Leverkusen, but with a worse goal differential. I feel bad for Randal Kolo Muani, who had an incredible season with 15 goals and 11 assists.
Regarding the relegated teams, Schalke 04 and Hertha Berlin will play in Bundesliga 2 next season. Both only managed to win seven games. Schalke conceded 71 goals, while Hertha conceded 69.
We could have a third relegated team, but Stuttgart still has a chance to remain a Bundesliga team. All it has to do is defeat Hamburg, the team that finished third in the Bundesliga 2. The first leg is scheduled for June 1, while the second is scheduled for June 5. As expected, the club comes in as the favorite in the Bundesliga lines.
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