How the Bundesliga season unfolded
Highs, lows, underdog success stories, familiar winners and a coach in his twenties. Here's a look back at some of the key moments of 2015/16 in the Bundesliga.
Another record for brilliant Bayern
After 26 titles, it starts to get a bit tricky to find new records to break but Bayern Munich managed it this season. They became the first team in Bundesliga history to win four consecutive titles when they wrapped up the league on matchday 33. Pep Guardiola will leave for Manchester City having bagged a Bundesliga hat-trick.
The Armenian assist machine shows his class
Henrikh Mkhitaryan stepped in to the limelight for Borussia Dortmund under new coach Thomas Tuchel. The Armenian became far more clinical, scoring 11 and assisting on a league-high 15 goals. Dortmund fans will be hoping their midfield maestro doesn't follow the well-trodden path to Munich any time soon.
The taming of the Wolves
A runners-up finish and German Cup win last season led many people to tip Wolfsburg as the team to challenge Bayern. That didn't work out at all. The Wolves finished an inconsistent and frustrating season in eighth place and will have to do without European competition in the next campaign.
Schmidt didn't fancy the stands
After complaining about a decision by referee Felix Zwayer during his team's clash with Borussia Dortmund in February, Bayer Leverkusen coach Roger Schmidt was ordered to the stands. Clearly unaccustomed to not having authority, Schmidt refused. A 12 minute suspension of the match, a Schmidt apology and a three-game touchline ban followed.
If you're good enough, you're old enough
'PR stunt', 'Baby-faced boss.' These were the kind of barbs thrown in the direction of Hoffenheim and their coach Julian Nagelsmann. But at just 28 years of age, the league's youngest ever coach has masterminded his club's run to safety with a controlled, attacking style of play that's won him plenty of admirers.
Horrible Hannover
In retrospect, Thomas Schaaf probably wouldn't have taken the Hannover job. The man who won a double with Werder Bremen was hired in December to save 96's skin. What followed was one win, ten losses and a sacking in April with the club adrift. Hannover will spend next season in the second division.
Darmstadt punch well above their weight
Incredibly the smallest team in the league were able to celebrate safety with a match to spare despite only two home wins all season. Perhaps even more incredibly, Darmstadt picked up 26 points on the road, the fourth best tally in the division. No wonder midfielder Marcel Heller labelled them the 'eighth wonder of the world.'
Farewell to Breitenreiter
André Breitenreiter's season-long reign at Schalke came to its end on the last day of the campaign, to the surprise of very few. With the club missing out on the Champions League, Horst Heldt's succesor as general manager Christian Heidel decided the ex-Paderborn man simply wasn't up to the job.