Three things we learnt from Bundesliga Matchday 28 afternoon kick-offs – Wolfsburg look destined for the drop, Bayern Munich leave it late and Hoffenheim stall in the race for Europe

The Bundesliga roared back from the March international break with a six-match Easter Saturday slate that reshuffled the table and underlined the drama at both ends of the standings. From a nine-goal thriller in Leverkusen to a stunning Bavarian rescue act in Freiburg, the afternoon delivered storylines that could echo until May.

Wolfsburg’s collapse leaves them on the brink Bayer Leverkusen’s 6-3 comeback against Wolfsburg was the day’s spectacle: three penalties, a 3-1 lead erased and a single 45-minute spell that may decide a relegation fight. Dieter Hecking’s men were bright for an hour, but Patrik Schick’s equaliser just after the break triggered a defensive implosion. Vinicius Souza and Mohamed Amoura had to be separated from Konstantinos Koulierakis after the fourth goal went in; the flashpoint summed up a squad whose confidence is shot. With rivals picking up points, the 2009 champions now stare at automatic demotion.

Bayern’s bench keeps title pulse steady Without Harry Kane and with Real Madrid looming in midweek, Bayern Munich looked distracted at Freiburg and trailed 2-0 with ten minutes left. Enter teenagers Tom Bischof and Lennart Karl: Bischof curled two near-identical efforts to level, Karl tapped into an unguarded net for 3-2. The turnaround preserved a four-point cushion and pushed Bayern to 100 league goals for the season—one shy of the 1971-72 record that accompanied Gerd Müller’s 40-goal campaign.

Hoffenheim’s European hopes lose momentum Once certainties for the Champions League, Hoffenheim have taken one win from their last six and slipped to fifth after a damaging home defeat to Mainz. All but one of those fixtures came against sides in or around the relegation zone, a run that has allowed RB Leipzig to solidify fourth place with a 2-1 win at Werder Bremen courtesy of Antonio Nusa and Romulo. Questions now circle around Christian Ilzer’s high-octane style: have opponents found the blueprint, or has the intensity simply drained his squad?

Elsewhere, Borussia Mönchengladbach were held 2-2 by Heidenheim in another flat display, while Hamburg and Augsburg shared a 1-1 draw through Arthur Chaves and Ransford Konigsdörffer. With six matchdays left, the fight against relegation and the scramble for Europe have never looked tighter.