Borussia Dortmund or Bayern Munich? Permutations and how to watch Bundesliga finale in UAE

Decade-long dominance of Germany’s top division could be set to end on Saturday as season reaches thrilling climax

Bayern Munich are on the verge of surrendering their Bundesliga title to Borussia Dortmund. AFP

The longest ongoing sequence of title wins in any of Europe’s top five leagues could be snapped on Saturday as Germany’s Bundesliga reaches its culmination.

Bayern Munich have won the past 10 titles. However, a surprise loss at home against RB Leipzig last weekend allowed Borussia Dortmund to take back first place in the table with one game to go.

Aside from the thrilling title race, there is much else to be decided across the top division of German football.

Title permutations

If Dortmund beat Mainz, they will be German champions for the first time since 2012.

If those two sides play out a draw, Bayern will take the title with a win at Cologne based on goals difference. Ahead of the final day, their advantage is 14 goals superior to Dortmund.

If Dortmund lose at home on the final day, only a win will be enough for Bayern against Cologne to leapfrog them at the top of the table.

Bayern must win to stand a chance of retaining the Meisterschale, which is the name given to the championship shield.

Europe

Leipzig clinched Champions League football with their first ever win away at Bayern last Saturday.

They will be joined in Europe’s elite competition by either Union Berlin or Freiburg, who have identical records and points tallies going into the final day.

Union, whose goal difference is four better than Freiburg, face mid-table Werder Bremen on Saturday. Freiburg travel to Eintracht Frankfurt.

Relegation

Two sides will be relegated directly to Bundesliga 2, and two sides promoted directly.

A two-legged play-off is used to determine whether a third club stays up or goes down.

The teams who finish 16th in the Bundesliga and third in Bundesliga 2 contest the relegation play-off. The winner will play in the top tier next season.

The first leg at the home of the Bundesliga club is scheduled for Thursday 1 June, with the return fixture set for Monday 5 June.

Schalke are among the clubs fighting to avoid relegation on the last day of the Bundesliga season. AP

Who could do down?

Hertha Berlin are last and already consigned to relegation.

Hoffenheim, in 13th, are three points ahead of the side who are third last, but are essentially safe because of goal difference.

Augsburg, in 14th, have a three-point and 15-goal buffer over Schalke, who are in the second automatic demotion place.

A point separates Stuttgart, Bochum and Schalke, who face Hoffenheim, Leverkusen and Leipzig respectively.

Who could come up?

Darmstadt are top of the second tier by three points, but could be caught by second-placed Heidenheim, who have a vastly superior goal difference.

Heidenheim themselves have just a one-point cushion over Hamburg in third. So if they slip up, Hamburg could steal the second automatic qualifying place, leaving Heidenheim to face the play-off.

TV

All the final-day Bundesliga matches kick off simultaneously, 5.30pm UAE time.

Both matches that will decide the title will be shown live on BeIN Sports, with Arabic and English language options.

Cologne and Bayern will be on BeIN Sports 2, with Dortmund against Mainz on BeIN Sports 3.