The Club Hits Reset
Dortmund made sure of a place in next season’s Champions League with a straightforward 4-0 victory over Freiburg at home, a result that removed any remaining doubt about their top‑four status.
Maximilian Beier, Serhou Guirassy and Ramy Bensebaini had the game decided inside the first half hour, and substitute Fabio Silva added a late goal to complete the scoring.
Goalkeeper Gregor Kobel kept a clean sheet, denying Cyriaque Irié a consolation in the closing minutes.
It was the kind of win that was settled before the substitutes had time to stretch.
With three rounds left, Dortmund is assured of finishing among the top four and securing a spot in Europe’s premier club competition.
Freiburg coach Julian Schuster made a host of changes after a bitter German Cup semifinal defeat by Stuttgart on Thursday, and the club now turns its attention to a trip to Sporting Braga for the first leg of their Europa League semifinal.
The Timing Says Plenty
Freiburg’s rotation left them looking like a side already thinking about Portugal.
Dortmund coach Niko Kovač gave Samuele Inacio his first start, and the 18‑year‑old Italian forward earned ovations when he was replaced in the 74th minute.
United States Under‑17 forward Mathis Albert came on for the final minutes to make his debut, while a 16‑year‑old from Greenville, South Carolina, who joined Dortmund’s academy in 2025 from LA Galaxy’s academy and featured at last year’s Under‑17 World Cup, also entered the match late.
Another youngster, 18‑year‑old midfielder Rouven Tarnutzer, made his Freiburg debut late in the game.
Stuttgart’s hopes of Champions League qualification were tempered in a 1‑1 draw with Werder Bremen, a result that kept them fourth on goal difference ahead of Hoffenheim.
Ermedin Demirović cancelled Jens Stage’s early goal for the visitors, preserving Stuttgart’s position.
The Next Hire Matters
The result kept the race for the fourth spot as tight as a late‑season tie usually is.
Both Stuttgart and Hoffenheim sit on 57 points, two ahead of Bayer Leverkusen, who still harbour their own ambitions for a top‑four finish.
Werder Bremen’s point moved them six points clear of the relegation zone.
Bayern Munich have already clinched the title and will face Stuttgart in the German Cup final on May 23.