The 2019–20 Bundesliga was the 57th season of the Bundesliga, Germany's premier football competition. It began on 16 August 2019, with seven-time defending champion Bayern Munich hosting Hertha BSC, and concluded on 27 June 2020. Bayern Munich were the seven-time defending champions, and won their record-extending 8th consecutive title and 30th title overall (29th in the Bundesliga era) on 16 June with two games to spare. With 100 goals scored in 34 matches, Bayern became the second side to reach this milestone in a Bundesliga season, after the record 101 goals the club previously managed to score in 1971–72.

The number of substitutes allowed on the bench was increased from seven to nine for the 2019–20 season.

On 13 March 2020, the DFL suspended the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga due to the COVID-19 pandemic. After consultation with the German government, the league resumed behind closed doors on 16 May 2020. Due to the postponement, the final matchday on 27 June was the second latest date any Bundesliga season has concluded, after the 1971–72 season (which concluded a day later).

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic Due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Germany, on 8 March 2020 the Federal Minister of Health, Jens Spahn recommended cancelling events with more than 1,000 people. The following day, the DFL announced that the Bundesliga season would be completed to ensure planning for the following season, and that any postponements would be to matchdays en bloc. On 10 March, it was announced that the catch-up match between Borussia Mönchengladbach and 1. FC Köln on 11 March would be played behind closed doors, the first such occurrence in league history. All fixtures on matchday 26 (13–16 March) were planned to be played without spectators due to local restrictions on public gatherings, but the round was subsequently postponed on 13 March due to safety issues. On 16 March, the DFL General Assembly suspended the league until at least 2 April, and scheduled another meeting for the last week of March to discuss how the competition should proceed. The DFL General Assembly, at their meeting on 31 March, chose to extend the suspension until at least 30 April per the recommendation of the executive committee. At the meeting, the DFL established a sports medicine and special match operations task force responsible for examining a safe method to resume league play.

On 13 March 2020, Luca Kilian of SC Paderborn was the first Bundesliga player to test positive for COVID-19. By 21 March 2020, several clubs, including Eintracht Frankfurt and Hertha BSC, were under quarantine after multiple players and staff had tested positive, and training was made impossible for most others by curfews or the closure of facilities. The DFL looked into possible scenarios to finish the season regularly. However, several virologists raised doubts, stating that any professional football matches in Germany, including those behind closed doors, were unrealistic for at least the next 12 months. In his report for the 31 March DFL meeting, virologist Alexander Kekulé recommended to write off the current season. On 4 April 2020, he clarified that matches behind closed doors were possible in principle, but would require extensive measures, including a total of about 20,000 tests for COVID-19 for the players and staff (testing every player before the start of each game), and an extended quarantine for everyone involved. Kekulé was doubtful though that those measures could be justified at a time when tests for the general population were in short supply.

On 3 April 2020, the DFL reported that the financial situation of most teams was more serious than thought. Of the 36 professional football clubs in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga, 13 would have to declare bankruptcy by May or June unless league operations resumed by then, including four teams from the Bundesliga. Twelve of those clubs had already used the outstanding license fees (which are dependent on the season to be continued) to pay their March debts to creditors. At their 31 March meeting, the DFL had decided that clubs that enter insolvency proceedings this season would not suffer the usual deduction of points, and clubs that enter proceedings next season only lose three instead of the usual nine points.

By 23 April 2020, the DFL had targeted 9 May as a possible resumption date for the Bundesliga. However, this goal suffered a setback when 1. FC Köln announced on 1 May that three people at the club tested positive, without showing any symptoms. This was done as part of a wave of 1,724 tests carried out involving personnel of the 36 Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga clubs, in coordination with the Federal Ministry of Labour and Social Affairs, which resulted in seven further positive results in addition to those of Köln. After consultation with the German government, chancellor Angela Merkel and the leaders of the states of Germany approved the resumption of the leagues for the second half of May, with matches behind closed doors. The following day, the DFL confirmed that the Bundesliga would resume on 16 May, a Saturday, with matchday 26. The final matchday of the season (round 34), originally scheduled for 16 May, took place on 27 June, making it the second latest date any Bundesliga season has concluded. Only the 1971–72 season finished later (due to UEFA Euro 1972), concluding on 28 June.

The relegation play-offs between Werder Bremen, the 16th-placed team of the Bundesliga, and the 3rd-placed team of the 2. Bundesliga take place as planned. Per the competition regulations, clubs in the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga were required to compete in all matches following the restart, even if some players test positive, provided the team has enough healthy players available. On 14 May, after a meeting of all clubs, five substitutions were permitted, which has been temporarily allowed by IFAB following a proposal by FIFA to lessen the impact of fixture congestion. The broadcaster Sky Sport announced that for the first two weeks after the restart, the Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga simulcast ("conference") would be shown on free-to-air television in Germany, in order to prevent gatherings of people without pay TV subscriptions.

+ Bundesliga schedule changes Round Original dates Revised dates 26 13–16 March 16–18 May 27 20–22 March 22–24 May 28 3–5 April 26–27 May (midweek) 29 11–13 April 29 May – 1 June 24 3 June 30 17–20 April 5–7 June 31 24–27 April 12–14 June 32 2–4 May 16–17 June (midweek) 33 9 May 20 June 34 16 May 27 June Relegation play-offs 1st leg 20/21 May 2 July 2nd leg 25/27 May 6 July

Teams

A total of 18 teams participated in the 2019–20 edition of the Bundesliga.

Team changes Promoted from2018–19 2. Bundesliga Relegated from2018–19 Bundesliga 1. FC KölnSC PaderbornUnion Berlin VfB StuttgartHannover 961. FC Nürnberg

Following a victory against VfB Stuttgart on away goals in the relegation/promotion play-offs, Union Berlin were promoted to the Bundesliga for the first time in their history, becoming the 56th club to feature in the Bundesliga, and the first from the former East Berlin.

Stadiums and locations Team Location Stadium Capacity FC Augsburg Augsburg WWK Arena 30,660 Hertha BSC Berlin Olympiastadion 74,649 Union Berlin Berlin Stadion An der Alten Försterei 22,012 Werder Bremen Bremen Wohninvest Weserstadion 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 1899 Hoffenheim Sinsheim PreZero Arena 30,150 1. FC Köln Cologne RheinEnergieStadion 49,698 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 59,724 Bayern Munich Munich Allianz Arena 75,000 SC Paderborn Paderborn Benteler-Arena 15,000 Schalke 04 Gelsenkirchen Veltins-Arena 62,271 VfL Wolfsburg Wolfsburg Volkswagen Arena 30,000

Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Front Sleeve FC Augsburg Heiko Herrlich Daniel Baier Nike WWK Siegmund Hertha BSC Bruno Labbadia Vedad Ibišević Nike TEDi Hyundai Motor Company Union Berlin Urs Fischer Christopher Trimmel Macron Aroundtown ONE Versicherung AG Werder Bremen Florian Kohfeldt Niklas Moisander Umbro Wiesenhof Tou Tou Borussia Dortmund Lucien Favre Marco Reus Puma Evonik Opel Fortuna Düsseldorf Uwe Rösler 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 1899 Hoffenheim / Marcel Rapp / Kai Herdling Benjamin Hübner Joma SAP SNP 1. FC Köln Markus Gisdol Jonas Hector Uhlsport REWE DEVK RB Leipzig Julian Nagelsmann Willi Orban Nike Red Bull CG Immobilien Bayer Leverkusen Peter Bosz Lars Bender Jako Barmenia Versicherungen Kieser Training Mainz 05 Achim Beierlorzer Danny Latza Lotto Kömmerling QQ288 Borussia Mönchengladbach Marco Rose Lars Stindl Puma Postbank H-Hotels Bayern Munich Hansi Flick Manuel Neuer Adidas Deutsche Telekom Qatar Airways SC Paderborn Steffen Baumgart Christian Strohdiek Saller Sunmaker Effect Energy Drink Schalke 04 David Wagner Omar Mascarell Umbro Gazprom DHL VfL Wolfsburg Oliver Glasner Josuha Guilavogui Nike Volkswagen Linglong Tire

Managerial changes Team Outgoing Exit date Position in table Incoming Incoming date Announced on Departed on Announced on Arrived on 1899 Hoffenheim Julian Nagelsmann Signed for RB Leipzig 21 June 2018 30 June 2019 Pre-season Alfred Schreuder 19 March 2019 1 July 2019 RB Leipzig Ralf Rangnick Appointed as sporting director 9 July 2018 Julian Nagelsmann 21 June 2018 VfL Wolfsburg Bruno Labbadia End of contract 12 March 2019 Oliver Glasner 23 April 2019 Schalke 04 Huub Stevens End of caretaker spell 14 March 2019 David Wagner 9 May 2019 Borussia Mönchengladbach Dieter Hecking Sacked 2 April 2019 Marco Rose 10 April 2019 Hertha BSC Pál Dárdai Mutual consent 16 April 2019 Ante Čović 12 May 2019 1. FC Köln André Pawlak / Manfred Schmid (interim) End of caretaker spell 27 April 2019 Achim Beierlorzer 13 May 2019 Bayern Munich Niko Kovač Mutual consent3 November 2019 4th Hansi Flick3 November 2019 1. FC Köln Achim Beierlorzer Sacked9 November 2019 17th Markus Gisdol18 November 2019 Mainz 05 Sandro Schwarz Mutual consent10 November 2019 16th Achim Beierlorzer18 November 2019 Hertha BSC Ante Čović27 November 2019 15th Jürgen Klinsmann27 November 2019 Fortuna Düsseldorf Friedhelm Funkel Sacked29 January 2020 18th Uwe Rösler29 January 2020 Hertha BSC Jürgen Klinsmann Resigned11 February 2020 14th Alexander Nouri (interim)11 February 2020 FC Augsburg Martin Schmidt Sacked9 March 2020 14th Heiko Herrlich10 March 2020 Hertha BSC Alexander Nouri (interim) End of caretaker spell9 April 2020 14th Bruno Labbadia 9 April 2020 13 April 2020 1899 Hoffenheim Alfred Schreuder Mutual consent9 June 2020 7th / Marcel Rapp / Kai Herdling (interim)9 June 2020

League table

Results

Relegation play-offs All times are CEST (UTC+2).

Overview

Matches

2–2 on aggregate. Werder Bremen won on away goals, and therefore both clubs remained in their respective leagues.

Statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Robert LewandowskiBayern Munich 34 2 Timo WernerRB Leipzig 28 3 Jadon SanchoBorussia Dortmund 17 4 Wout WeghorstVfL Wolfsburg 16 5 Rouwen HenningsFortuna Düsseldorf 156 Jhon Córdoba1. FC Köln13 Erling HaalandBorussia Dortmund Florian NiederlechnerFC Augsburg Robin QuaisonMainz 0510 Sebastian AnderssonUnion Berlin12 Serge GnabryBayern Munich Kai HavertzBayer Leverkusen Andrej Kramarić1899 Hoffenheim André SilvaEintracht Frankfurt

Hat-tricks