Bundesliga

It was an emotional final Saturday in the Bundesliga ….especially in Munich where three big names of German football called it a day.

Bayern goalkeeping legend Ollie Kahn played his last match before retiring,

A tearful Bayern Coach Ottmar Hitzfeld departed too. He takes over the coaching job of the Swiss national side and

Germany`s top referee Markus Merck officiated a Bundesliga match for the last time

Bayern 4 Hertha Berlin 1

Its been a glorious domestic season for Bayern…their new expensive signings won the club the double…Saturdays 4-1 victory against Hertha Berlin was symptomatic of how easy the season has been for Bayern. Their Italian striker Luca Toni scored a hattrick to become the Bundesliga`s top scorer with 24 goals. Bayerns other expensive signing, Frenchman Franck Ribery got Bayern`s other goal whilst Hertha`s Bulgarian striker valeri Domovchijski will have the distinction of being the last bundesliga player to score against Ollie Kahn

Nürnberg 0 Schalke 2

There was one vital relagation issue which had to be settled. would be going down to the second division along with Duisburg ad Rostock?

The clubs in danger were Nürnberg and Bielefeld

Nürnberg, faced Schalke, who also wanted the points in their quest for second place

The match finished Nürnberg 0 Schalke 2. Marcelo Bordon scored both Schalke goals…So, it’s last years German cupwinners Nürnberg who go down …now, strangely enough when Nürnberg became Champions back in 1968 they were also relegated the season after…..maybe Nürnberg should just steer clear of any silverware ….

Bielefeld did themselves proud…they got a 2-2 draw against last seasons Champions Stuttgart ….Bielefeld are safe and Stuttgart miss out on European football

Werder Bremen sealed second place in the Bundesliga and thus automatic qualification for the Champions League thanks to Markus Rosenbergs 80th minute goal at Leverkusen…no European football for Leverkusen next season though

Hamburg fans will be happy after their sides 7-0 thrashing of Karlsruhe…who already seemed to be on vacation

Hamburgs Peruvian striker Paolo Guerero got a hattrick …so Hamburg finish fourth and qualify for the Uefa Cup along with Wolfsburg who got a fine 4-2 victory away to Borussia Dortmund

In Saturdays other matches Frankfurt beat relegated Duisburg 4-2….Hanover overcame Cottbus 4-9 whilst Rostock won 2-1 at Bochum

1 Bayern76

2 Bremen 66

3 Schalke 64

4 Hamburg 54

5 Wolfsburg 54

16 Nürnberg 31

17 Rostock 30

18 Duisburg 29