With Bayern running away with the title, much of the excitement in the Bundesliga through the second half of the season is set to focus on the battle for Champions League qualification. Borussia Dortmund seem pretty entrenched in second after opening up a six-point gap on those behind them, but there is set to be an almighty fight over the next few months for the final two - or perhaps three - spots.
Right now, Hoffenheim are in pole position to claim one of those places after Saturday's 1-0 win over Bayer Leverkusen saw them climb up to third. Christian Ilzer's side have lost just one of their last 11 league matches, winning eight of them, which has allowed them to climb above the likes of Leverkusen and Leipzig in the table.
Hoffenheim have come a long way in a short space of time. They finished one place above the relegation spots last season, but have already surpassed their points total from 2024-25 (32) with half their fixtures still to play this time around.
"The lads put in a lot of effort, so I'm full of praise for them. It's important for us to take the next step," Ilzer said. "We wanted to show, to solidify our claim, that we can beat a team like this. With this victory, we've shown that we deserve our high position in the standings."