Borussia Dortmund sealed an extraordinary end to their Bundesliga campaign with a dominant 3-0 win over relegated Holstein Kiel on Saturday, clinching fourth place and the final UEFA Champions League spot for next season. The victory capped off what is now recognized as the greatest comeback over the final seven matchdays in Bundesliga history.
Under the leadership of Niko Kovac, who took charge in February following the departure of Nuri Sahin, Dortmund surged from 11th to fourth in just a matter of weeks. Kovac’s impact was immediate and transformative — the team won six of their final seven matches, finishing on 57 points, two ahead of Freiburg who fell 3-1 at home to third-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Despite the triumph, Kovac remained grounded.
“We are all happy but there is no reason to celebrate,” he said. “I did my job but I want to underline that you cannot achieve anything in football alone.”
Avoiding a Champions League miss was critical for Dortmund, not only for sporting prestige but also for the financial security it offers the publicly traded club.
“For a long time we were just passengers, and on the final matchday we were in the driving seat and did it just in time,” added Kovac.
Dortmund started the match strongly, with Serhou Guirassy converting a penalty just three minutes in. The Guinea international ended the season as Dortmund’s top scorer, becoming the first player in club history to net 21 goals in his debut season.
Kiel’s task became even more difficult after Carl Johansson received a straight red card, but Dortmund couldn’t capitalize on the numerical advantage until after halftime. Marcel Sabitzer doubled the lead just two minutes into the second half, and Felix Nmecha sealed the win in the 72nd minute.
With the regular season now concluded, Dortmund players will take a two-week break before resuming preparations in early June for the FIFA Club World Cup in the United States.
Elsewhere, Bayern Munich had already wrapped up the title and finished with a 4-0 win over Hoffenheim. Bayer Leverkusen, last year’s champions, drew 2-2 at Mainz 05, setting a new Bundesliga record with their 34th consecutive away game without defeat.
Eintracht Frankfurt and Dortmund will represent Germany in the Champions League, Freiburg qualify for the Europa League, and Mainz 05 take the Conference League slot. Meanwhile, VfL Bochum and Kiel are relegated, with Heidenheim heading to the relegation playoff.
