Wohlgemuth also sees doubts and uncertainty

After reaching the semifinals: sports director Fabian Wohlgemuth congratulates goal scorer Enzo Millot.

IMAGO/sport photo pack

Achievements can be deceptive. The Swabians experienced that first-hand when they sent 1. FC Köln home to the Rhineland with a clear 3-0 win on matchday 21. You felt like you had just finished fourteenth in the relegation battle and were prepared for the following duel with bottom FC Schalke. But good intentions turned into poor overall performance. In the sobering 2-1 defeat, the VfB pros delivered one of their worst performances of the current season.

Relegation thriller in Bochum

In the meantime, the traditional club from 1893 has fallen to last place. VfL Bochum, who are still level on points after 21 games, are currently six points ahead. If that isn’t a warning. Especially since VfB in the cup quarter-finals in Nuremberg did not exactly play the blue of the sky, which was exceptionally just as colored at that moment.

“You could see that there was still a bit of doubt and uncertainty. In a game that was all or nothing,” analyzes Wohlgemuth, who gives the team time to get used to the new circumstances in the cup and under the new one Coach Sebastian Hoeneß admits. “As a team, you have to think about it first, because you know that it can be over quickly in this competition.” After the weak first half, they “had patience and consequently made it 1-0 and deservedly won”.

Cup success gives self-confidence

A result and experience with boost potential. “I’m convinced that the win gives self-confidence,” says the squad planner, who doesn’t want to draw any hasty or overly optimistic conclusions from the progress for the duel with the current fourteenth-placed team.

VfB without a win in a foreign country for 23 games

In Bochum it’s “not just about winning the DFB Cup. There are other factors as well.” For example, the fact that VfB has been unsuccessful in 23 games in a row away from home. The pressure to succeed, not being able to afford defeats anymore. Or the overall impact of the new coach’s impetus until then.

“Maybe the win will unleash a little something, but we’ll see how the game goes on Sunday.” Wohlgemuth is working against the possible danger of diminishing seriousness that had crept paralyzed into the team after the Cologne success and leaves no doubt about the club’s list of priorities. “The most important thing is the fight to stay up.”