SV Darmstadt 98 was the first club to be hit. The “Lilien” are relegated from the Bundesliga. Only a miracle can save 1. FC Köln, despite the late point win against 1. FSV Mainz 05. Before that, things are extremely tight. Borussia Mönchengladbach could be the beneficiary of the surprising draw in Mainz. The big winner of the 31st matchday is VfL Bochum, who suddenly got the momentum back on their side with the big redemption against TSG Hoffenheim (3:1).
12th place: VfL Wolfsburg (34 points, goal difference -14): Just two weeks ago things were looking really bad for the Mittellandkanal group club. At RB Leipzig, Ralph Hasenhüttl’s team lost 3-0 and was suddenly deep in the relegation battle. But then two important victories followed. First VfL Bochum, who could have passed with a win, was kept at a distance (1-0), then there was a euphorically celebrated last-minute victory at SC Freiburg on Saturday. “The game had ups and downs, that’s what football is all about, I love it – but it’s also really tiring,” said captain Maximilian Arnold on Sky. Freiburg’s coach Christian Streich objected. “The team played a huge game and lost undeservedly,” he said: “The result is absurd.” Wolfsburg’s rescue has not yet been officially secured; relegation is still mathematically possible. VfL could secure planning security for the next first division season on the next matchday, then relegated SV Darmstadt 98 comes.
Remaining program: SV Darmstadt 98 (H), FC Bayern (A), FSV Mainz 05 (H)
13th place: Borussia Mönchengladbach (32 points, goal difference -7) In the history of the league there have always been clubs that find themselves in dire relegation trouble at the end of a season and then can no longer turn things around. Werder Bremen in the 2020/21 season is one example, Eintracht Frankfurt in the 2010/11 season another prominent victim. This season, Borussia Mönchengladbach could fall into this category. The “Fohlenelf” has undergone a remarkable undesirable development. Still in the round of 16 of the Champions League in 2021, the midfield is no longer Borussia’s habitat (as it was in the past two seasons). There is a lack of a clear playing identity under coach Gerardo Seoane, and sports director Roland Virkus does not seem to have recognized the seriousness of the situation. A dangerous mix.
There are understandably rumblings around Borussia, and the 0-0 draw in the basement duel against 1. FC Union Berlin doesn’t change that. Only the late equalizer from arch-enemy Cologne at Mainz 05 played into Gladbach’s hands. This means that the lead over the relegation place remains at four points, and direct relegation is only possible in a parallel universe. It is possible that the Rhenish rival will keep Borussia in the league with the equalizer. Nevertheless, caution is still required. Gladbach still needs at least one point, more likely two or three, to leave a team from the trio Union, Bochum and Mainz behind and avoid relegation. The good news: Borussia has only lost two games in a row twice in the entire season, and there have never been three defeats in a row.
Remaining programs: Bremen (A), Frankfurt (H), Stuttgart (A)
14th place: Union Berlin (30 points, goal difference -24): The Eisernen are probably experiencing the most bizarre season of all Bundesliga clubs. Having started as Champions League participants, the team is now fighting bitterly to stay in the league. Magical nights like those against Real Madrid (despite the 2-3 defeat in the group stage) have been followed by desperate offensive performances for weeks. The Berliners haven’t scored a goal in six of the last eight games. Coach Nenad Bjelica’s team has been waiting for a sense of success in foreign arenas since February 17th (!). This powerful series didn’t want to end on Sunday in Mönchengladbach. The ball hit the crossbar and the post, but didn’t roll over the line. “The only thing that has been missing in the last few months are the goals. And the goals will come. I am convinced that we will score these goals and save ourselves,” said the Croatian on Sunday. Because the relegation ranking is only two points away and there is actually a threat of catastrophe after this strange season, the next duel against VfL Bochum, with the same points, is extremely important. “The focus in the coming week will be on making the team better. Mental work is also very important in this phase, we are also working with the players there. We are trying to stay calm,” said Bjelica.
Remaining program: VfL Bochum (H), 1. FC Köln (A), SC Freiburg (H)
15th place: VfL Bochum (30 points, goal difference -25): The Bochum team have pulled the momentum back to their side. There was a redeeming win against TSG Hoffenheim on Friday evening, after seven games without a three-pointer. A comfortable position in the relegation battle was carelessly squandered after the sensation against FC Bayern, as a result of which Thomas Tuchel’s departure was decided at the end of the season. Especially in direct duels with the cellar neighbors. At 1. FC Cologne, VfL led until injury time and lost. A 2-0 lead was embarrassingly given away against Darmstadt. VfL suffered defeats against Mainz, Wolfsburg and Gladbach. The situation could have been resolved long ago. But the people of Bochum wouldn’t be the people of Bochum if there was no drama.
This season the team had earned a reputation as the league’s last-minute duds. Numerous points were given away after the 90 minutes. On Friday evening there were great fears that the curse would strike again. Bochum had led 3-0, and after 84 minutes the weak Hoffenheim team had moved up to 2-3. The stadium shook. But this time the team didn’t fall. The momentum was finally back “anne Castroper”. Butscher said the last five minutes had been “crazy”: “You’re already thinking: Don’t let it be like that this time.” Optimism is back for the remaining games. “When you saw how we worked on the pitch today,” said once again strong full-back Felix Passlack, “that gives me courage and confidence.” By the way, the phenomenal champions Bayer Leverkusen are coming to visit in two weeks. He returns to the place where the last defeat in a competitive game took place almost a year ago…
Remaining program: Union Berlin (A), Bayer 04 Leverkusen (H), Werder Bremen (A)
16th place: 1. FSV Mainz 05 (28 points, goal difference -17)
Everything looked so good for 1. FSV Mainz 05: The home team led against the desperate 1. FC Köln until the final minute, before goalkeeper Robin Zentner knocked down the Cologne attacker Sargis Adamyan and Florian Kainz with the one leg he used was not yet in the second division at the time and converted the penalty. At that moment, Mainz tumbled from virtual 14th place back to the relegation spot. Instead of being eight points ahead of 1. FC Köln, they are five points ahead. Those responsible commented on the shock combatively: “We have to hunt, hunt and hunt again,” said coach Bo Henriksen, repeating the mantra that he had prescribed to his team, the entire club, the entire city, before starting a remarkable series: he had eleven points took them out of the five games before the basement summit against Cologne and – very importantly – fought for the much-vaunted momentum. That intangible or measurable superpower that is said to be able to influence things for the better and sometimes makes the improbable compelling.
Will Mainz be able to maintain their momentum beyond injury time on matchday 31? In view of the complicated remaining program (European Cup-hungry Heidenheimers! Champions League euphoric Dortmunders! Rescued Wolfsburg!) it would be a powerful, important ally, especially since in Heidenheim the two offensive forces that were so eminently important for the revival of FSV Mainz 05, which was still dead in the winter, Brajan Gruda and Nadiem Amiri will be missing due to suspension. “I’m proud of our path,” said Henriksen after the blow to Cologne. Will the path lead beyond the relegation zone – or perhaps even directly into the second division? The Cologne equalizer opened up a lot of forks.
Remaining program: Heidenheim (A), Dortmund (H), Wolfsburg (A)
17th place: 1. FC Cologne (23 points, goal difference -30): It’s not a matter of morale at 1. FC Cologne. A point saved in Mainz in stoppage time. Three points won against VfL Bochum in stoppage time. But far too often the team had been inferior and the quality had not been enough. That’s why things will probably continue in the second division next season unless another miracle happens. And it should look like this: “You have to win three times, you don’t need to talk about it – at least normally. And the others aren’t allowed to win often,” said sports director Christian Keller, who has fallen out of favor with the fans. “We believe in it, that’s our motto,” said coach Timo Schultz: “We believe that we can do it. We saw last week that we shouldn’t count. We still have three match days left. The big line is coming After matchday 34, everything is still possible.” His team has an “impeccable character” and will definitely “not give up”.
Remaining program: Freiburg (H), Union (H), Heidenheim (A)
18th place: SV Darmstadt 98 (17 points, goal difference -47): The “Lilien” were relegated this weekend. This made official what had been clear for months. However, President Rüdiger Fritsch was hit hard by the certainty: his mood was “modest or shitty – depending on what choice of words you want to use.” In the meantime, the team went 22 games in a row without a win. “I don’t know if that’s a clever comparison: But it’s like with the 102-year-old grandma, where you know that at some point it’s going to happen and then it’s done. Then you’re still very, very sad.”
Farewell tour: VfL Wolfsburg (A), TSG Hoffenheim (H), Borussia Dortmund (A)
2024-04-29 06:51:00
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