Two rounds before season end, four teams dey battle for two Champions League spots: RB Leipzig, Bayer Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, and TSG Hoffenheim.
On Saturday, Stuttgart and Leverkusen go face each other direct. Dis match fit decide plenty for di race.
For 18 months now, Christian Ilzer don dey work with Hoffenheim squad. Aside from football success, di Austrian coach don also make name for himself with im way of yarn.
Ilzer talk: “We dey inside a fine Cadillac. Before us na winding road, far away na big mountain wey shine with Champions League aura. For passenger seat, phone dey ring and flash with messages from Mbappé, Haaland, and Champions League.”
Im warn make dem no look dat phone, else accident go happen. But two days later, im team still crash—dem lead Stuttgart 3-1 with extra man, but di game end 3-3.
Hoffenheim throw away important win for Champions League fight. Against Stuttgart, dem lead 3-1 but only draw 3-3.
Both coaches praise di attacking style, but Andrej Kramaric no join. Instead, di TSG top scorer vex: “We play carelessly.”
Bayer Leverkusen use dat slip three hours later. Dem beat RB Leipzig 4-1 and move pass both Baden-Württemberg rivals.
But Leverkusen know dia own wahala. Patrik Schick talk: “Dis season we get many ups and downs. After good performance, next game we no do well.”
Schick score three goals against Leipzig, so Bayer fit hope for Champions League. Di striker say: “Everything still open.”
Leipzig, wey just lose, fit now face St. Pauli—a team wey dey fight relegation. If Leipzig win, dem go take important points for Champions League ticket.
Di remaining ticket go then be for Leverkusen, Stuttgart, and Hoffenheim wey get equal points.
Jobs of coaches Kasper Hjulmand (Bayer) and Ole Werner (RB) no dey completely safe, even though dia contracts run till 2027.
But Ilzer don do well to manage Hoffenheim’s squad change. Sebastian Hoeneß for Stuttgart don also deliver good work since April 2023.
Last season, Dortmund get 57 points for Champions League. Now, Bayer, Stuttgart, and Hoffenheim don already reach 58 points with two games left.
Hoeneß say: “You get tension till di end.”
If Stuttgart and Leverkusen draw like Hoffenheim and Stuttgart do, Hoffenheim fit go to pole position before final round on May 16.
Hoffenheim go face Bremen and Gladbach, so dem fit end as “laughing fourth.”
Also, a “laughing fifth” fit happen if SC Freiburg win Europa League final on May 20.
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