The 2018–19 Bundesliga was the 56th season of the Bundesliga, Germany's premier football competition. It began on 24 August 2018, with six-time defending champion Bayern Munich hosting Hoffenheim, and concluded on 18 May 2019. It also marked the first season without Hamburger SV, previously the only team to have played in the top tier of German football in every season since the end of World War I.
Following a trial phase in the previous season, the video assistant referee system was officially approved for use in the Bundesliga after being added to the Laws of the Game by IFAB.
Bayern Munich were the defending champions, and won their 28th Bundesliga title (and 29th German title) and seventh consecutive Bundesliga on the final matchday.
Teams
A total of 18 teams participated in the 2018–19 edition of the Bundesliga.
Team changes Promoted from2017–18 2. Bundesliga Relegated from2017–18 Bundesliga Fortuna Düsseldorf1. FC Nürnberg 1. FC KölnHamburger SV
Stadiums and locations Team Location Stadium Capacity FC Augsburg Augsburg WWK Arena 30,660 Hertha BSC Berlin Olympiastadion 74,649 Werder Bremen Bremen Weser-Stadion 42,100 Borussia Dortmund Dortmund Signal Iduna Park 81,365 Fortuna Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Merkur Spiel-Arena 54,600 Eintracht Frankfurt Frankfurt Commerzbank-Arena 51,500 SC Freiburg Freiburg im Breisgau Schwarzwald-Stadion 24,000 Hannover 96 Hanover HDI-Arena 49,000 1899 Hoffenheim Sinsheim PreZero Arena 30,150 RB Leipzig Leipzig Red Bull Arena 42,558 Bayer Leverkusen Leverkusen BayArena 30,210 Mainz 05 Mainz Opel Arena 34,000 Borussia Mönchengladbach Mönchengladbach Borussia-Park 54,022 Bayern Munich Munich Allianz Arena 75,024 1. FC Nürnberg Nuremberg Max-Morlock-Stadion 49,923 Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen Veltins-Arena 62,271 VfB Stuttgart Stuttgart Mercedes-Benz Arena 60,449 VfL Wolfsburg Wolfsburg Volkswagen Arena 30,000
Personnel and kits
Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturerShirt sponsor Front Sleeve FC Augsburg Martin Schmidt Daniel Baier Nike WWK Siegmund Hertha BSC Pál Dárdai Vedad Ibišević Nike TEDi Hyundai Motor Company Werder Bremen Florian Kohfeldt Max Kruse Umbro Wiesenhof H-Hotels Borussia Dortmund Lucien Favre Marco Reus Puma Evonik Opel Fortuna Düsseldorf Friedhelm Funkel Oliver Fink Uhlsport Henkel Toyo Tires Eintracht Frankfurt Adi Hütter David Abraham Nike Indeed.com Deutsche Börse Group SC Freiburg Christian Streich Mike Frantz Hummel Schwarzwaldmilch Badenova Hannover 96 Thomas Doll Marvin Bakalorz Jako Heinz von Heiden HDI 1899 Hoffenheim Julian Nagelsmann Kevin Vogt Lotto SAP Prowin RB Leipzig Ralf Rangnick Willi Orban Nike Red Bull CG Immobilien Bayer Leverkusen Peter Bosz Lars Bender Jako Barmenia Versicherungen Kieser Training Mainz 05 Sandro Schwarz Stefan Bell Lotto Kömmerling None Borussia Mönchengladbach Dieter Hecking Lars Stindl Puma Postbank H-Hotels Bayern Munich Niko Kovač Manuel Neuer Adidas Deutsche Telekom Qatar Airways 1. FC Nürnberg Boris Schommers Hanno Behrens Umbro Nürnberger Versicherung Godelmann Betonstein Schalke 04 Huub Stevens Ralf Fährmann Umbro Gazprom DHL Express VfB Stuttgart Nico Willig Christian Gentner Puma Mercedes-Benz Bank GAZİ VfL Wolfsburg Bruno Labbadia Josuha Guilavogui Nike Volkswagen UPS
Managerial changes Team Outgoing Exit date Position in table Incoming Incoming date Announced on Departed on Announced on Arrived on Bayern Munich Jupp Heynckes End of contract 13 April 2018 30 June 2018 Pre-season Niko Kovač 13 April 2018 1 July 2018 Eintracht Frankfurt Niko Kovač Signed for Bayern Munich Adi Hütter 16 May 2018 Borussia Dortmund Peter Stöger End of contract 12 May 2018 Lucien Favre 22 May 2018 RB Leipzig Ralph Hasenhüttl Resigned 16 May 2018 Ralf Rangnick 9 July 2018 VfB Stuttgart Tayfun KorkutSacked7 October 2018 18th Markus Weinzierl9 October 2018 Bayer Leverkusen Heiko Herrlich23 December 2018 9th Peter Bosz23 December 2018 Hannover 96 André Breitenreiter27 January 2019 17th Thomas Doll27 January 2019 1. FC Nürnberg Michael Köllner12 February 2019 18th Boris Schommers (interim)12 February 2019 Schalke 04 Domenico Tedesco14 March 2019 14th Huub Stevens (interim)14 March 2019 FC Augsburg Manuel Baum9 April 2019 15th Martin Schmidt9 April 2019 VfB Stuttgart Markus Weinzierl20 April 2019 16th Nico Willig (interim)20 April 2019
League table
Results
Relegation play-offs All times are CEST (UTC+2).
First leg
Second leg
2–2 on aggregate. Union Berlin won on away goals and were promoted to the Bundesliga, while VfB Stuttgart were relegated to the 2. Bundesliga.
Statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Robert LewandowskiBayern Munich 22 2 Paco AlcácerBorussia Dortmund 183 Kai HavertzBayer Leverkusen17 Luka JovićEintracht Frankfurt Andrej Kramarić1899 Hoffenheim Marco ReusBorussia Dortmund Wout WeghorstVfL Wolfsburg8 Ishak Belfodil1899 Hoffenheim16 Timo WernerRB Leipzig10 Sébastien HallerEintracht Frankfurt15 Yussuf PoulsenRB Leipzig
Hat-tricks
Player Club Against Result Date Alfreð Finnbogason FC Augsburg SC Freiburg 4–1 Paco Alcácer Borussia Dortmund FC Augsburg 4–3 Luka Jović5 Eintracht Frankfurt Fortuna Düsseldorf 7–1 Jonas Hofmann Borussia Mönchengladbach Mainz 05 4–0 Alassane Pléa Borussia Mönchengladbach Werder Bremen 3–1 Dodi Lukebakio Fortuna Düsseldorf Bayern Munich 3–3 Alfreð Finnbogason FC Augsburg Mainz 05 3–0 Wout Weghorst VfL Wolfsburg Fortuna Düsseldorf 5–2 James Rodríguez Bayern Munich Mainz 05 6–0 Yussuf Poulsen RB Leipzig Hertha BSC 5–0 Jean-Philippe Mateta Mainz 05 SC Freiburg 5–0 Ishak Belfodil 1899 Hoffenheim FC Augsburg 4–0 Lucas Alario Bayer Leverkusen Hertha BSC 5–1 Wout Weghorst VfL Wolfsburg FC Augsburg 8–1 5 Player scored five goals
Clean sheets Rank Player Club Cleansheets 1 Péter GulácsiRB Leipzig 16 2 Yann SommerBorussia Mönchengladbach 133 Roman BürkiBorussia Dortmund10 Manuel NeuerBayern Munich 5 Lukáš HrádeckýBayer Leverkusen 96 Koen CasteelsVfL Wolfsburg8 Rune JarsteinHertha BSC Kevin TrappEintracht Frankfurt 9 Ron-Robert ZielerVfB Stuttgart 610 Oliver BaumannTSG 1899 Hoffenheim5 Michael EsserHannover 96 Florian MüllerMainz 05 Jiří PavlenkaWerder Bremen Michael RensingFortuna Düsseldorf Alexander SchwolowSC Freiburg
Awards Monthly awards Month Player of the Month Rookie of the Month Goal of the Month Player Club Player Club Player Club August colspan="2" colspan="2" Axel Witsel Borussia Dortmund September Marco Reus Borussia Dortmund Achraf Hakimi Borussia Dortmund Jacob Bruun Larsen Borussia Dortmund October Jadon Sancho Borussia Dortmund Reiss Nelson 1899 Hoffenheim Paco Alcácer Borussia Dortmund November Marco Reus Borussia Dortmund Achraf Hakimi Borussia Dortmund Marco Reus Borussia Dortmund December Dodi Lukebakio Fortuna Düsseldorf Jean Zimmer Fortuna Düsseldorf January Leon Goretzka Bayern Munich Nicolás González VfB Stuttgart Maximilian Eggestein Werder Bremen February Julian Brandt Bayer Leverkusen Evan Ndicka Eintracht Frankfurt Jadon Sancho Borussia Dortmund March Max Kruse Werder Bremen Ozan Kabak VfB Stuttgart Robert Lewandowski Bayern Munich April Kai Havertz Bayer Leverkusen Matheus Pereira 1. FC Nürnberg Matheus Cunha RB Leipzig May colspan="2" Franck Ribéry Bayern Munich
Annual Awards Award Winner Club / Details Rookie of the Season Ozan Kabak VfB Stuttgart Goal of the Season Franck Ribéry Bayern Munich Save of the Season Roman Bürki Borussia Dortmund VDV Player of the Season Marco Reus Borussia Dortmund Team of the Season Goalkeeper Kevin Trapp(Eintracht Frankfurt) Defenders Danny da Costa(Eintracht Frankfurt) Marcel Halstenberg(RB Leipzig) Joshua Kimmich(Bayern Munich) Midfielders Filip Kostić(Eintracht Frankfurt) Marco Reus(Borussia Dortmund) Kai Havertz(Bayer Leverkusen) Jadon Sancho(Borussia Dortmund) Forwards Luka Jović(Eintracht Frankfurt) Robert Lewandowski(Bayern Munich) Julian Brandt(Bayer Leverkusen)
Attendances
References