Bundesliga 2019-20: Defining moments of the season
It was a strange Bundesliga season for many reasons, but Bayern Munich again walked off with the title. Along with off-field drama there were title tussles, relegation scraps and derby clashes to keep fans entertained.
Union win first top-flight Berlin derby vs. Hertha
November 2, 2019 — It was a historic moment for the city of Berlin as Hertha and Union clashed in their first ever top-flight derby. Sebastian Polter clinched a tight 1-0 victory for the hosts, but the match was marred by ugly scenes in the stands. Hertha ultras launched fireworks onto the pitch and Union ultras attempted to storm the field.
Bayern Munich sack Niko Kovac
November 3, 2019 — Bayern Munich looked in trouble following a 5-1 loss to Eintracht Frankfurt on Matchday 10. Off the title pace by four points, the club decided to part ways with under-fire coach Niko Kovac. It proved to be the right choice, as replacement Hansi Flick went unbeaten for 20 matches to seal an eighth straight Bundesliga title.
Erling Haaland announces Bundesliga arrival with hat trick
January 18, 2020 — The biggest transfer of the Bundesliga proved to be Borussia Dortmund's capture of Erling Haaland. The 19-year-old Norwegian made an immediate impact off the bench as he netted a game-winning hat trick to hand Dortmund a 5-3 comeback victory over Augsburg. Haaland went on to score 13 goals in just 15 games.
Jürgen Klinsmann leaves Hertha in the lurch
February 11, 2020 — When Hertha Berlin appointed Jürgen Klinsmann as coach, not many saw the partnership ending well. Three wins in just ten games signaled his time in charge would be short, but no one predicted the chaotic nature of his departure. Klinsmannn announced he was leaving the club via Facebook, blindsiding his bosses and making a mockery of the club in the eyes of media and rival fans.
Bundesliga fans protest against Hopp
February 29, 2020 — These protests were about much more than just billionaire Hoffenheim owner Dietmar Hopp, who has cut a controversial figure in his bid to circumvent the Bundesliga's 50+1 ownership rule. Several clubs voiced their opposition to the DFB, due to what they saw as a breach of trust in their relationship with fan groups. Bayern Munich's game at Hoffenheim ended in farce.
The Bundesliga shuts down
March 13, 2020 — As COVID-19 spread across Europe and Germany, unprecedented lockdown measures were brought into society and the Bundesliga. Before the competition was suspended, however, Borussia Mönchengladbach and Cologne played the first Bundesliga game in front of no fans on March 11. It was the last game until football returned on May 16.
Bundesliga returns in May with 'Geisterspiele'
May 16, 2020 — There were mixed feelings among fans as the Bundesliga came back, but the DFL was adamant that the financial future of several clubs depended on a return. Games behind closed doors, known as 'Geisterspiele' in Germany, was the only way forward and overall it has proved a successful experiment. What's the plan for the new season though? How long can football continue without fans?
Bayern kill title race with Der Klassiker win
May 26, 2020 — Heading into Matchday 28, there were just four points between Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund. Der Klassiker was therefore a final chance for Dortmund to mount a serious challenge on Bayern's title monopoly. But a Joshua Kimmich wondergoal and a controversial penalty call steered Bayern to a 1-0 win and all but ended any title race.
Klaus Gjasula claims an unwanted record
June 13, 2020 — Paderborn's Klaus Gjasula not only suffered relegation with his club Paderborn, but the 30-year-old also copped a Bundesliga record not many would be proud to hold. Gjasula, playing in midfield, collected his 17th yellow card on Matchday 31 - the most any Bundesliga player has received in one single season.
Bayern Munich win historic eighth straight Bundesliga title
June 16, 2020 — Bayern were pushed further than they have been in the past eight years, but still they did enough to seal yet another Bundesliga title. With two games to spare, they beat Werder Bremen 1-0 on Matchday 32 through a goal from who else but Robert Lewandowski. They finished the season with 13 straight victories, an incredible achievement.
Wirtz becomes Bundesliga's youngest scorer
June 30, 2020 — At 17 years and 34 days, Florian Wirtz became the league's youngest ever goalscorer when he netted for Bayer Leverkusen against Bayern Munich on Matchday 30. He took the title from previous record holder Nuri Sahin, who scored for Dortmund at the age of 17 years and 82 days in 2005. With Kai Havertz's future up the air, could Wirtz become Leverkusen's next superstar?