At 15:30, when all the Bundesliga games kicked off on Saturday, the title race was talked up as a four-way battle. Anything could happen. It was, after all, the most exciting title tussle in Europe. But at 17:20, when all the matches were over, it seemed crazy to have thought that any team other than Wolfsburg could win this year’s Bundesliga title. VfL Wolfsburg had just destroyed Hannover 96 5-0 away from home. With the other results going their way, they opened up a two-point gap at the top of the league meaning they need only to draw at home against Bremen next weekend to clinch the championship.

Wolfsburg’s performance was once again a reminder of why they are top of the league. Their two strikers Edin Dzeko and Grafite were on target again. Dzeko scored three and Grafite added two. Never in the history of the Bundesliga have two strikers playing for the same club each scored over 20 goals. And these guys have scored 26 (Grafite) and 25 (Dzeko) respectively, meaning they have scored 51 of Wolfsburg’s 75 goals this season. Small wonder then that big clubs, including AC Milan, Manchester United and Arsenal are reputed to be lining up to sign the 23-year-old Dzeko. His first goal, to open up the scoring, was pure class. The Bosnian international trapped a cross on the edge of the box with his chest and then blasted the ball on a half-volley into the top right hand corner.

Rivals stumble

After the match, Wolfsburg’s players remained on the pitch and looked up at the stadium’s scoreboard, waiting for confirmation of the Bayern result. Bayern Munich had gone into their match equal on points with Wolfsburg, with a three goal deficit to catch up. They traveled away to 1899 Hoffenheim, who were enjoying a resurgence of form and confidence with two back to back wins. So when Hoffenheim went behind early to a Franck Ribery goal, they did not panic and calmly continued playing their quick passing game, equalizing just five minutes later. And when Brazilian playmaker Carlos Eduardo put the home team ahead in the 29th minute, the Bayern bosses looked worried – rightly so. Bayern looked impressed and their keeper Hans-Jörg Butt had to be at his best to firstly save a Demba Ba header and to clear to a corner a few minutes later as the Senegalese striker rushed through on goal. Butt – despite making contact with the ball – was lucky not to concede a penalty.

But Bayern recovered and Luca Toni scored his 14th goal of the season to equalize in the 44th minute. The current champions tried everything to get an equalizer, but could not get past TSG Keeper Timo Hildebrand, who was enjoying a fine day between the sticks. When the whistle went, the Bayern players looked disappointed and the bosses dejected. Chairman of the board, Karl-Heinz Rummenigge said, “Wolfsburg won’t slip up anymore, because Bremen won’t exactly arrive fresh for the last match against Wolfsburg after the UEFA cup final.”

Looking behind, not ahead

The Bayern boss was only being realistic: Werder Bremen lost 1-3 at home to bottom-placed Karlsruhe SC, in what was nothing more than an exercise of not getting injured before Wednesday’s UEFA Cup match. With the German Cup final scheduled for the weekend following the final day of the season, Bremen are expected to have other priorities than fighting to beat Wolfsburg so as to help out their rivals Bayern Munich.

Bayern need to pay more attention to what is going on behind them in the table, than winning the championship. They have to make sure that they do not lose and end up missing out on a Champions League spot. VfB Stuttgart won their match 2-0 at home against Energie Cottbus to set themselves up for a match that could potentially be worth millions. Both teams are on 63 points and if Berlin – just one point behind them – win their match against Karlsruhe SC, then the loser of the match will slip down to fourth position and out the Champions League qualification positions.

Hertha BSC Berlin could have been in second place already, had they not failed to score against Schalke 04 at home. There were plenty of opportunities, including a close, but correct, offside decision given on a Pantelic “goal”. But ultimately the match showed up Berlin’s limitations, as they are simply not capable of controlling a match against the better sides in the Bundesliga. 37 percent of possession at home in must-win match was simply too little.

A happy 5-0 defeat

Meanwhile, Borussia Mönchengladbach could look back on what must count as the most welcome 5-0 defeat ever recorded. They had just been hammered at the hands of Bayer Leverkusen, but could still be pleased. Why? Because their rivals for survival, Energie Cottbus and Armenia Bielefeld, both lost. Bielefeld even lost 6-0 away to Dortmund, worsening their goal difference compared to Gladbach. Bielefeld and Cottbus are both three points behind Gladbach. For Mönchengladbach to be relegated, Bielefeld would have to win their final match at home against  Hannover 96, whilst Gladbach lose at home against Dortmund. In the process they would have to turn around a five goal deficit. Whilst not impossible, Armenia Bielefeld have not won for nine matches and are not a team known for scoring goals. Furthermore, they are in disarray after having fired their manager shortly after the defeat

As Gladbach slipping back down into the relegation zone is about as likely as a Rob Friend hattrick, the bottom three teams will be looking at their chances of making 16th spot. This season a play-off game against the third placed team from the second Bundesliga has been introduced and so a chance to stay in beckons for all three teams. Bielefeld, already 16th, must count as favourites to maintain their position at home against 11th placed Hannover 96, who have nothing left to play for. Energie Cottbus have 27 points too, but a goal difference that is three goals worse – they play Bayer Leverkusen at home, but will be optimistic about their chances of winning, as Leverkusen will be resting players for the Cup Final. Finally, Karlsruhe SC, on 26 points, have the toughest match. They play Hertha BSC at home, who will desperately want to win, so as to assure Champions League qualification.

Next Saturday’s matches:

VfL Wolfsburg - Werder Bremen
Eintracht Frankfurt - Hamburger SV
Bayern München - VfB Stuttgart
Energie Cottbus - Bayer Leverkusen
Arminia Bielefeld - Hannover 96
Karlsruher SC - Hertha BSC Berlin
1. FC Köln - VfL Bochum
Borussia Mönchengladbach - Borussia Dortmund
FC Schalke 04 - 1899 Hoffenheim

League Table after 33 games played

1 VfL Wolfsburg  66 P
2 Bayern München  64 P
3 VfB Stuttgart  64 P
4 Hertha BSC Berlin  63
5 Borussia Dortmund  58 P
6 Hamburger SV  58 P
7 1899 Hoffenheim  52 P
8 FC Schalke 04  50 P
9 Bayer Leverkusen  49 P
10 Werder Bremen  45 P
11 Hannover 96  39 P
12 1. FC Köln  38 P
13 Eintracht Frankfurt  33 P
14 VfL Bochum  31 P
15 Borussia Mönchengladbach  30 P
16 Arminia Bielefeld  27 P
17 Energie Cottbus  27 P
18 Karlsruher SC  26 P