WERDER BREMEN GAVE themselves hope of avoiding relegation from the German Bundesliga by thrashing Cologne 6-1 to grab a play-off place on the last day of the season, while champions Bayern Munich routed Wolfsburg before lifting the trophy on Saturday.

Japan striker Yuya Osako scored twice as Bremen grabbed the relegation/promotion play-off place from Fortuna Duesseldorf, who lost 3-0 at Union Berlin and were relegated with Paderborn, finishing one point behind Bremen.

Florian Kohfeldt’s men will face either Heidenheim or neighbours Hamburg in the play-off first leg on Thursday.

Bremen have spent more seasons than any other team in the Bundesliga, having only spent one term in the second tier, in 1980-81.

At Wolfsburg, Bayern striker Robert Lewandowski scored his 34th league goal of the season, finishing as the top scorer for the fifth time.

Kingsley Coman, Michael Cuisance and Thomas Mueller also got on the scoresheet as Bayern, champions for the eighth straight season, finished 13 points clear of second-placed Borussia Dortmund, who lost 4-0 at home to Hoffenheim.

Borussia Moenchengladbach and RB Leipzig secured qualification for the Champions League after 2-1 wins over Hertha Berlin and Augsburg respectively, as fifth-placed Bayer Leverkusen missed out by two points despite beating Mainz 1-0. 

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