My boys from Union Berlin may have helped bail Josh Sargeant and Werder Bremen out today. With nothing to play for, Union defeated Düsseldorf 3-0 while Bremen defeated Köln 4-0. So Bremen makes into the playoff after sitting 17th with a negative goal differential before the start of play today.
Which is a long way for me to brag about Union finishing 10th, even ahead of Schalke.
Thank you for your service.
As for Josh Sargent's chances for staying up, his team has actually looked pretty lively the last few weeks and they had some truly hard-luck losses. They will host the 2.Bundesliga 3rd place (probably Heidenheim) next Thursday the 2nd, and then away on Monday the 6th.
Here is how the pro/rel playoffs have gone the last 10 years:
2019: Stuttgart (28 pts) falls to Union Berlin 2-2 on away goals and is relegated.
2018: Wolfsburg (33) beats Kiel 4-1 to remain up
2017: Wolfsburg (37) beats Braunschweig 2-0 to remain up
2016: Frankfurt (36) beats Nurnburg 2-0 to remain up
2015: Hamburger (35) beats Karlsruher 3-2 to remain up
2014: Hamburger (27) beats Greuther Fürth 1-1 on away goals to remain up
2013: Hoffenheim (31) beats Kaiserslautern 5-2 to remain up
2012: Hertha (31) falls to Dusseldorf 3-2 and is relegated
2011: Gladbach (36) beats Bochum 2-1 to remain up
2010: Nurnburg (31) beats Augsburg 3-1 to remain up
So, 8 of the last 10 years have seen the 1.Bundesliga team win and stay up. The two teams that fell were on the lower end of the point scale. Bremen will head into the match with 31 points.