Thanks to the performances of German clubs in UEFA competitions last year, including final appearances by Dortmund and Bayer Leverkusen in the Champions League and Europa League respectively, the Bundesliga started the season with five clubs competing in the Champions League in Leverkusen, VfB Stuttgart, Bayern, RB Leipzig and Dortmund.
Bayern romped to a 5-0 aggregate win over Leverkusen in the last 16, while Dortmund edged out Lille to advance to the quarter-finals. Frankfurt, meanwhile, thrashed Ajax 6-2 on aggregate to progress to the next round of the Europa League.
Leverkusen had secured direct passage to the last 16 after finishing sixth in the new 36-team league phase, meanwhile Bayern and Dortmund negotiated the play-offs to reach the knockouts. Stuttgart and Leipzig went out in the league phase as the path to the final at Munich’s Allianz Arena, which last hosted the showpiece in 2012, takes shape.
Hoffenheim narrowly missed out on a play-off berth in the Europa League via the league stage standings. Heidenheim too bowed out of European action after losing their round of 16 play-off tie against Copenhagen in dramatic fashion at the Voith Arena.
