By Ranjika Perera
BUNDESLIGA 2020/21 - INFO
Dates: 18 September 2020 - 22 May 2021
Champions: Bayern Munich (30th Bundesliga title)
Relegated: Schalke and Werder Bremen
Champions League: Bayern Munich, RB Leipzig, Borussia Dortmund, and Wolfsburg
Europa League: Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen
Europa Conference League: Union Berlin
Matches played: 306
Goals scored: 928 (3.03 per match)
Top goal-scorer: Robert Lewandowski (41 Goals)
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Bayern won their ninth consecutive Bundesliga title[/caption]
At the end of another season, Bayern Munich dominated the Bundesliga and secured their 30th Bundesliga title without much trouble.
It was also their ninth consecutive title. They mathematically secured it on 8 May with three games to spare.
Robert Lewandowski rewrote the history books with 41 goals for Bayern, surpassing the previous record of 40, set by Gerd Müller in 1971-72.
Two bosses leaving
They ended the season with 78 points, 13 points ahead of second placed RB Leipzig. However, both teams bid farewell to their respective Managers this season. Bayern’s boss Hansi Flick took over the German national side while Leipzig’s boss Julian Nagelsmann took over at Bayern Munich.
Borussia Dortmund and Wolfsburg took the two remaining spots in the top four, which secured them Champions League football next season.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayer Leverkusen secured Europa League while Union Berlin will be joining the inaugural Europa Conference League.
A season to forget for Schalke
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Schalke was relegated after 30 years in top flight[/caption]
One of the prestigious clubs in German football, Schalke, meanwhile endured a season to forget. They went winless for nine consecutive months dating back to the previous season, during which they failed to win 30 Bundesliga matches in a row.
Schalke had announced before the season that they had debts of over Euro 200 million (Rs. 48.3 billion). This is first time they were relegated in over 30 years in the top flight. Werder Bremen was the second team to get relegated to the Bundesliga-2.
Bundesliga-2
Cologne FC, who finished the league at 16th place, faced off Holstein Kiel for the relegation playoffs. After the two legs, Cologne won the tie 5-2 on aggregate to remain in the top flight for another season.
VFL Bochum was crowned champions in the Bundesliga-2 which secured them automatic promotion to the top tier.
Greuther Furth came in second place to secure the second automatic qualification spot in the table.