Borussia Dortmund wrapped up the final automatic UEFA Champions League berth with a dramatic 4-3 (2-1) home victory over SV Werder Bremen on the final day of the season. The Black and Yellows, who twice came from behind to secure a third-place finish in the Bundesliga, have now gone back-to-back league campaigns (2015/16 and 2016/17) without suffering a single defeat in front of their own fans.

Dennis-Julian Gottschlich reporting

The 81,360 fans at a sold-out Signal Iduna Park provided a breathtaking backdrop for this match, which got off to an exciting if unfortunate start when goal-line technology ruled that Junuzovic's sixth-minute shot had crossed the line. The technological intervention was necessary too, with no TV replays offering conclusive evidence as to whether the Bremen man's strike had really gone in. The Black and Yellows responded by creating wave after wave of chances before the interval and turned the game on its head with two great goals from Reus and Aubameyang in the 32nd and 42nd minutes respectively, but Bremen hit back through Bartels (46) and Kruse (68) after the restart to lead 3-2. BVB, however, converted two penalties (Reus, 74; Aubameyang, 89) in the closing stages to wrap up a 4-3 victory and send the home faithful into raptures.

The scenario:
Third-placed Borussia Dortmund needed a victory to be sure of an automatic spot in next season's UEFA Champions League, while eighth-placed Werder were aiming to claim a UEFA Europa League berth. BVB had won ten of their previous 11 meetings with Werder. Each of the previous four matches between the sides had ended in victory for the Black & Yellows, meaning it was they who had the marginally better head-to-head record going into this one.

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Reus wore the captain's armband.

Personnel matters:
In addition to Weigl (ankle operation), Schürrle (fitness), Piszczek (adductors) and Götze (metabolic disorder), who were all sidelined, coach Thomas Tuchel lost Schmelzer to injury during the warm-up. Bartra made his comeback in the captain's stead, while Sahin and Durm replaced Weigl and Piszczek, but otherwise it was the same starting line-up that drew 1-1 in Augsburg last week. Bremen were without Bauer (suspended), Caldirola (broken metatarsal), S. Garcia (fibre tear), Fritz (syndesmosis operation), Hajrovic (fitness training), J. Eggestein (torn syndesmosis) and Eilers (torn cruciate ligament).

Tactics:
BVB lined up with a three-man rearguard that was expanded into a back five by wide men Durm and Guerreiro when Werder had the ball. Sahin pulled the strings in front of the defence, while Kagawa and Dembélé provided the creativity in midfield and Reus paired up with Aubameyang in attack. After the interval, Thomas Tuchel switched to a 4-2-3-1 formation and brought on Pulisic in place of Durm. Reus moved out wide, while Kagawa dropped back into defensive midfield alongside Sahin. Bremen took to the field in what appeared to be a 3-3-2-2 system in which the three-man rearguard was regularly expanded into a back five. Junuzovic distributed the balls in midfield, while Bartels and Kruse spearheaded the attack.

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Dembélé performance was capped off by yet another assist for Aubameyang.

The match & analysis:
It was clear that there was a lot at stake for both teams. BVB dominated proceedings and created two good chances for Aubameyang in the fourth and ninth minutes respectively, but Wiedwald saved the first at the back post following a corner and the Gabon striker headed the second inches wide from six metres out. By that point, though, the visitors, who looked a constant threat on the counter, had already taken the lead in rather curious circumstances. Garcia failed to get a touch onto a cross into the six-yard box and the ball broke loose to Junuzovic, whose shot was fished out of the bottom corner by Bürki's outstretched leg. However, goal-line technology revealed that the ball had crossed the line and the referee pointed towards the centre-circle (6).

The goal prompted a furious reaction from the hosts, who pressed Werder back into their own half and came close to restoring parity when Reus hit the woodwork from a narrow angle (15) and Guerreiro's long-range effort was saved by Wiedwald (19). The visitors could consider themselves rather fortunate that Günter Perl, overseeing his last game as a Bundesliga referee, opted to play on when Aubameyang was felled by Moisander in the box fives minutes later, before Ginter headed a Dembélé corner narrowly high and wide shortly afterwards.

Reus and "Auba" turn the game around

BVB launched wave after wave of attack and eventually equalised through Reus in the 32nd minute. Having received an excellent ball through the middle from Sahin, Kagawa threaded it through to the BVB captain, who kept his composure and poked the ball into the corner from 12 metres out. At this point things got really exciting. Bürki made an outstanding save to deny Junuzovic less than 60 seconds later, before BVB countered through Dembélé and Reus but were denied by Wiedwald as he came off his line (33). Then, in the 38th minute, BVB came very close following a brilliant passing move involving Reus, Guerreiro and Kagawa, but Wiedwald saved the Japan international's effort and Aubameyang missed the rebound by inches.

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Aubameyang heads narrowly wide of the post.

An extremely entertaining and high-quality first period at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK then reached its zenith in the 42nd minute when Dembélé lobbed the ball into the penalty area towards Aubameyang, who swivelled and blasted a volley past Wiedwald to put the hosts in front. With rivals Hoffenheim still drawing 0-0 with Augsburg, the Gabon forward's wonder strike moved the Westphalians back up into the coveted third spot in the Bundesliga table.

Aubameyang claims the Golden Boot

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Bartra made his comeback in defence.

In terms of tempo and entertainment, the second half started much as the first had ended. Bremen levelled the scores at 2-2 with their first attack, Kruse brilliantly controlling a long goal-kick downfield and speeding towards the byline before pulling the ball back for Bartels to tap home from six metres (46). Kagawa had the chance to level but missed from 19 metres out (47), then Bremen came close again but Bartra produced an outstanding slide tackle in the box to rob Kruse of the ball (52). Both teams were playing for the win and the game quickly developed into an end-to-end encounter. In an otherwise fair match, Dembélé, Sahin and Bartels were all booked in the ensuing minutes.

The drama really kicked off in the closing stages. Time and time again, BVB linked up in the box without ever really getting into good shooting positions, while at the other end Kruse took full advantage of Werder's next counter to put them back in front (68). But BVB still had 22 minutes to find a way back. Wiedwald made two saves to deny Bartra in the 69th and 70th minutes, before a penalty was awarded for a foul on Reus in the box. The captain fired the ensuing spot-kick into the top corner to make it 3-3 (74). In the final 15 minutes, Wiedwald saved brilliantly to deny Pulisic (76) and Kagawa (77), then clawed Ginter's header away from Aubameyang 60 seconds later. 

There was a hearts-in-mouths moment minutes later when Reus crashed into the woodwork as he attempted to get on the end of an Aubameyang cross after the Gabon forward had broken free down the right. The whole stadium held their breath but the captain received treatment and was able to continue. It was another penalty that decided the game: Pulisic stormed into the box from the right and was brought down. Aubameyang stepped up this time and swept home the goal that won him the Golden Boot and his team the game. 

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Prospects:
The best part comes last! For the sixth successive year, Borussia Dortmund have reached a major final. This time, they will be squaring off against Eintracht Frankfurt in the DFB Cup final at Berlin's Olympiastadion next Saturday (20:45 CET).

Teams & goals