Dortmund secure Champions League football with a win over Freiburg

They couldn’t compete for the title alongside the ruthlessly dominant Bayern Munich. They’ve been out of the German Cup since December, and were eliminated from the Champions League early—at the end of March in the playoff for the Round of 16—so the spring has been rather uneventful for Borussia Dortmund. For weeks now, the “Millionaires” have focused solely on domestic league duties, and today, in the 31st round of the Bundesliga, they achieved their only remaining goal—securing a place in next season’s Champions League. At the Westfalenstadion, the team led by Niko Kovač comfortably dismantled SC Freiburg, spoiling the mood of the Europa League semifinalists ahead of their trip to Braga—4:0. Dortmund will finish either second or third, meaning they will play in the Champions League for the 11th consecutive season.

Within half an hour, Dortmund tore apart the visitors and slowed their push for European qualification, leaving them in eighth place. Maximilian Beier opened the scoring, while Serhou Guirassy converted an assist from Julian Brandt for his 15th league goal and doubled the lead. It was a combination of players who won’t be wearing the yellow shirt next season—at least not in Dortmund. Brandt’s departure at the end of his contract was already announced in March, while Guirassy is expected to boost the club’s finances with a June transfer. Brandt, a week before his 30th birthday, made his 380th Bundesliga appearance today, and only one player has more appearances in Germany’s top flight before turning 30—Karl-Heinz Korbel, the Eintracht Frankfurt legend who played for the club from 1972 to 1991.

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After goals from Beier and Guirassy, Ramy Bensebaini also got on the scoresheet, finishing a corner set up by one of the league’s best creators, Julian Ryerson. The Dortmund full-back recorded his 14th league assist today, moving ahead of Luis Díaz (13), but for now he can only be called the “prince” of assists in the Bundesliga. The “king” is Michael Olise, with 18 assists leading to goals. Vincent Kompany is expected to reduce the Frenchman’s minutes toward the end of the season to keep him fresh for the Champions League, but even in those circumstances, it’s hard to imagine Ryerson overtaking Olise for the crown.

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Borussia Dortmund continued its established dominance over SC Freiburg. Although the team from the far south of Germany took points from them earlier in the season, Dortmund got their revenge today, beating them for the eighth time in their last nine encounters. The final touch to the visitors’ heavy defeat was added by substitute Fabio Silva. The Portuguese forward came on in the 84th minute and, just three minutes later, made it 4–0.

BUNDESLIGA - MATCHDAY 31

Friday

RB Leipzig - Union Berlin 3-1 (2-0)

/Finkgrafe 22, Romulo 25, Baku 63 - Doekhi 78/

Saturday

Augsburg - Eintracht Frankfurt 1-1 (1-0)

/Kade 45 - Doan 66/

Heidenheim - St. Pauli 2-0 (1-0)

/Zivzivadze 3, Dinkci 82/

Koln - Bayer Leverkusen 1-2 (0-1)

/Waldschmidt 77 - Schick 41 pen, 52/

Mainz - Bayern Munich 3-4 (3-0)

/Kohr 15, Nebel 29, Becker 45+2 - Jackson 53, Olise 73, Musiala 80, Kane 83//

Wolfsburg - Monchengladbach 0-0

Hamburger - Hoffenheim 1-2 (1-2)

/Glatzel 34 pen - Asllani 18, Lemperle 45/

Sunday

Stuttgart - Werder 1-1 (0-1)

/Demirovic 61 - Stage 18/

Dortmund - Freiburg 4-0 (3-0)

/Beier 8, Guirassy 14, Bensebaini 31, Silva 84/