Bundesliga Champions League Race Heats Up with Key Duels

This weekend's direct duels, pitting sixth-ranked Leverkusen against third-placed Leipzig, and fourth-ranked Stuttgart against fifth-placed Hoffenheim, heighten the tension. Stuttgart have reached the 2026 German Cup final against Bayern on May 23 and qualified for next season's Europa League, but coach Sebastian Hoeness has a higher target. "We are currently fourth, and it's clear that we want to push through to the Champions League," Hoeness said ahead of Saturday's game against Hoffenheim.

Hoeness regarded the Champions League as an additional source of motivation. "Two years ago, we experienced how exciting it is to play in Europe's best arenas and to challenge the best clubs," he said.

Stuttgart are facing the possible departure of several key players. The media reported that German internationals, including Angelo Stiller, Deniz Undav, and Jamie Leweling, have attracted the attention of leading European clubs.

Leverkusen is trying to catch up, and coach Kasper Hjulmand is reported to possibly lose his job if the team fails to qualify for the Champions League.

For them, the outcomes of the duels against Leipzig and Stuttgart seem like the last chances to turn things around.

Bayern Munich still believe they can reach the UEFA Champions League final after a dramatic 5-4 defeat to Paris Saint-Germain in the semifinal first leg, chairman Jan-Christian Dreesen said.

Speaking at a late-night team function in Paris, Dreesen recalled the tension of the match, in which Bayern trailed 5-2 before mounting a late fightback. "If you are down 2-5, you are initially dead. You sit in the stands and think: Oh dear, how is this going to end?" he said. "But what happened after that was historic and unique."

Dreesen praised the team's resilience, saying the comeback had kept Bayern's hopes alive ahead of the second leg in Munich on May 6.

- IANS