Champions Bayer Leverkusen aim to achieve an undefeated Bundesliga season on Saturday, a feat never accomplished even by the greatest Bayern Munich sides.
Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen will make history if they avoid defeat against Augsburg, completing an unbeaten campaign in all competitions with a European record 50-game streak, including runs to the German Cup and Europa League finals.
A victory would secure Leverkusen 90 points from 34 games, tying for the second-highest tally in German football history. Striker Patrik Schick likened the match to a final, while captain Lukas Hradecky spoke of "immortality" in sight. Regardless of the outcome, Leverkusen will lift the Bundesliga shield on Saturday, and Hradecky humorously assured fans he would be careful not to hold it upside down, referencing a past blunder by Stuttgart's captain in 2007.
Meanwhile, Union Berlin face a desperate fight for survival. Despite an impressive start to the season and a recent Champions League clash with Real Madrid, Union now teeters on the brink of relegation. They must defeat Freiburg and hope for favourable outcomes in other matches to avoid the drop. Even with a win, Union's safety isn't guaranteed; they would need Mainz or Bochum to lose their respective games.
Union Berlin's captain, Christopher Trimmel, recently extended his contract, affirming his commitment to the club he joined in 2014. Trimmel, the last remaining player from Union's first promotion in 2019, expressed his determination to continue their remarkable journey, stating, "The story isn't over yet."
In other Bundesliga news, Borussia Dortmund will host Darmstadt in Marco Reus' final game at the Westfalenstadion, and Bayern Munich will secure second place with a probable draw against Hoffenheim. Harry Kane aims to surpass Robert Lewandowski's single-season record of 41 goals.
As the Bundesliga season draws to a close, all eyes will be on Leverkusen's pursuit of an unbeaten season and Union Berlin's fight for survival.
