Three things we learnt from the Bundesliga afternoon kick-offs | OneFootball

Bundesliga Matchday 31, and still nothing is for certain or confirmed (just yet).

Bayer Leverkusen’s 2-0 win against Augsburg meant Bayern Munich’s crowning as champions was delayed until next weekend, despite beating Mainz 3-0. Freiburg and Borussia Dortmund asserted their cases for Europe with wins against Wolfsburg and a dramatic win against Hoffenheim, while Holstein Kiel showed they still had life left in them as they beat Borussia Mönchengladbach 4-3.

Here is what we learnt:

Michael Olise is the undisputed signing of the season:

Now I could make an argument that Tim Kleindienst is the signing of the season, as without him, Gladbach would be a lot worse off, but that would go against the word ‘undisputed’.

In Bayern’s 3-0 win against Mainz, Olise scored and assisted. That has taken his season tally in the Bundesliga to nine goals and 15 assists in 31 games. It is safe to say that he has taken like a duck to water when it comes to integrating into this Bayern team.

Yes, you could say that does €50m on a player make them signing of the season material, as with that money you would expect a big impact. But his performances this season have shown that he has taken a massive step up compared to his time at Crystal Palace.

Olise’s development is a very valid argument for why Bayern do not need to sign Florian Wirtz, especially as it would mean he would have to take a backseat role.

Other players who could be in consideration for the signing of the season are: Kleindienst, Mohamed Amoura and Serhou Guirassy.

Hoffenheim are in the relegation fight:

A dramatic way for Hoffenheim to be sucked in to the fight after coming back twice to level the game and move six points clear of Heidenheim, only to concede very late on and pry open the door for the Dorfverein.

Comparing the two teams’ final three fixtures, it’s not looking good for Hoffenheim. They play Borussia Mönchengladbach (Away), Wolfsburg (Away) and Bayern Munich (H), while Heidenheim play Bochum (H), Union Berlin (A), and Werder Bremen (H).

With all the games on paper looking winnable for Frank Schmidt’s side, there is a real possibility that Hoffenheim could make it into the relegation playoff…

*aggressively taps sign*

…as the SIXTH highest spenders in the league this season with €76m spent (more than Bayer Leverkusen). This goes to show that Hoffenheim’s attempts to recreate Sturm Graz have backfired massively, and god knows how Christian Ilzer has managed to keep his job for so long.

Considering Hoffenheim’s second team has been promoted to the 3.Liga, Hoffenheim getting relegated would make everything perfectly balanced, as all things should be.

So load up transfermarkt, and start imagining which player YOUR club could sign.

The duality of the Borussias:

Both Borussia Mönchengladbach and Borussia Dortmund are fighting for a spot in Europe, and late goals in both of their games showed how they are on different trajectories.

Last week, the pair met in a 3-2 win for Dortmund. This game could be seen as the meeting point of the trajectories, Dortmund on the up, Gladbach going down.

A late goal from Waldemar Anton meant that Dortmund beat Hoffenheim, to move within three points of the Champions League places. The difference in this Dortmund side is that the performance was far from their best; they were wasteful in front of goal and allowed Hoffenheim to get back into the game, but they did not let the late equaliser get them down.

Again, it is a credit to the work that Niko Kovac has done since replacing Nuri Sahin, but it also goes to show the inconsistency of the teams around them that Dortmund are now in the fight for Europe, despite stinking the place up for 2/3 of the season.

Who knows what Dortmund could of achieved if Kovac was in charge from the beginning of the season?

Borussia is Latin for Prussia. Just like Latin and Prussia in 2025, Gladbach were rather useless and put in a toothless performance against Kiel. die Fohlen were able to mount a comeback to make it 3-3, but a late Shuto Machino goal helped the North German side in their quest for survival.

I (the writer) am of the belief that Gladbach should probably change coaches at the end of the season. Their great season is unravelling, and their chances of now qualifying for Europe are slim. For most of this season, Gladbach have been defensively strong, but in attack, very idealess – Tim Kleindienst hit and hope. With Hoffenheim, Bayern Munich, and Wolfsburg to end the season, a big turnaround is needed both in attack and defence.

GGFN | Jack Meenan