Leipzig secure Champions League spot, Sttugart win top-four clash

RB Leipzig secured a spot in the Champions League after a 2-1 win against St Pauli on Saturday, while VfB Stuttgart prevailed 3-1 to beat Bayer Leverkusen in the direct duel for a spot in the Bundesliga top four.

While Stuttgart moved up to fourth, Leverkusen dropped to sixth after being leapfrogged by Hoffenheim, who defeated 10-man Werder Bremen 1-0.

The dispute for the fourth and final Champions League spot will go down to the last matchday next weekend.

Stuttgart and Hoffenheim are tied on 61 points, with Leverkusen three points behind them.

Bayern Munich star striker Harry Kane missed a penalty in the Bundesliga for the first time since joining the club in 2023, but Michael Olise rescued the Bundesliga champions in a 1-0 win at VfL Wolfsburg.

With one game left this season, former champions Wolfsburg won't be able to leave the bottom three anymore, meaning that their only chance of staying in the Bundesliga is securing a spot in the relegation/promotion play-off.

The result, however, was good news for Bremen and Cologne, who are now safe from relegation.

Elsewhere, Augsburg still have chances of qualifying for the Conference League after a 3-1 win against Borussia Mönchengladbach.

Leipzig make Champions League return

Last season, Leipzig missed Champions League qualification for the first time since 2017-18. This time they join Bayern and second-placed Borussia Dortmund in the top competition.

"We wanted to be back in Europe, and today we were the masters of our own destiny in terms of confirming Champions League qualification. It wasn't easy - it's been a long, intense season. But today, we got the job done," Leipzig defender Willi Orban said.

Xaver Schlager, who's leaving the club at the end of the season, scored in his final home game to give Leipzig the lead in the 45th minute.

The hosts increased their lead in the 54th once again after a corner. This time, David Raum placed the ball onto the head of Orban, who guided it past goalkeeper Nikola Vasilj.

Abdoulie Ceesay pulled one back for the guests in the 86th but his late strike didn't kickstart a comeback for St Pauli, who now face a must-win clash against relegation rivals Wolfsburg next Saturday.

Wolfsburg were the better team but lost to Bayern after Olise unleashed a stunning curling effort from the edge of the box and into the net in the 56th minute.

Wolfsburg missed a huge opportunity to claim at least a point as Mattias Svanberg had only goalkeeper Jonas Urbig to beat but his shot in the 89th hit the post.

"Whether we tied or lost, the situation remains the same. Still, it feels like we played a good game, and I'm happy to take that," Wolfsburg coach Dieter Hecking said.

Wolfsburg and St Pauli are tied on 26 points ahead of next weekend's decisive match. Heidenheim will be level with them if they win Sunday's clash against Cologne.

Stuttgart's future in their own hands

Stuttgart now have the Champions League qualification in their own hands after they recovered from Leverkusen's dream start with a goal in the first minute.

Christian Kofane teed up Aleix Garcia on the left and the Spaniard rushed into to the box to collect the ball and fire the opener past keeper Alexander Nübel.

But Stuttgart fired back quickly and were level just four minutes later through Ermedin Demirović's goal.

Following a lengthy video review, Stuttgart were awarded a penalty after a challenge from Edmond Tapsoba on Demirović and Maximilian Mittelstädt gave the hosts the lead shortly before the break.

Deniz Undav sealed the victory in the 58th, finishing off Jamie Leweling's cross with a first-time shot.

A win at Eintracht Frankfurt next weekend is enough to secure Stuttgart a Champions League spot without relying on other results.

"The game got off to the worst possible start. But the guys responded strongly right away. The quick equalizer gave us the confidence that we could definitely make something happen in this game," Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeness said.

Leverkusen's situation is more complicated. They need a win against SV Hamburg and both Stuttgart and Hoffenheim (who visit Gladbach) to lose their respective matches.

Hoffenheim's hopes are still alive thanks to Bazoumana Toure's winner against Bremen, who had Yukinari Sugawara sent off in the fifth minute.