Soccer-Talking points from the Bundesliga weekend

BERLIN (Reuters) - Talking points from the Bundesliga weekend:

BOCHUM RETURN

The Bundesliga may have lost two traditional top division club with the relegation of former champions Werder Bremen and Schalke 04, but fans are already looking forward to another history-rich club returning to top flight with VfL Bochum.

The Ruhr Valley club return to the Bundesliga after 11 years for their 35th season in the top division with an exciting blend of attacking football that had Bochum fans on the streets on Sunday after securing the second division title with a 3-1 win over Sandhausen.

UNION SUCCESS

Some 2,000 Union Berlin fans in their Alte Foersterei stadium were equally ecstatic after their team made sure of European football next season for the first time in 20 years while also outclassing city rivals Hertha Berlin.

Max Kruse's stoppage time winner over RB Leipzig had earned them a Europa Conference League spot with a sensational seventh place finish while Hertha narrowly avoided relegation to finish 14th.

COLOGNE HOPES

Three-time German champions Cologne are preparing for their relegation playoff tie in the coming days against Holstein Kiel, third in the second division, after grabbing a lifeline on the last matchday.

An 86th-minute goal by Belgian Sebastiaan Bornauw gave them a 1-0 win over Schalke, moving them onto the relegation playoff spot and sending Werder down.

(Reporting by Karolos Grohmann; Editing by Kevin Liffey)