First division football clubs have an advantage Relegation saves crisis clubs in particular
May 23, 2024, 7:31 p.m
Since the 2008/09 season, there have been relegation matches between the third-to-last team in the Bundesliga and the third-place team in the second division. The statistics clearly favor the first division teams, who get a second chance to avoid relegation through the relegation – and almost always use it.
The joy at Holstein Kiel was immense on May 11, 2024. It was the day on which the long, long run of the traditional club from Schleswig-Holstein towards the Bundesliga was finally successful and the special first-time promotion to the top division was finally made perfect. Kiel will go down in the Bundesliga history books as the 58th club.
The fact that Kiel does not wear the number 56, but that this honor was given to Union Berlin, is due to the relegation between the Bundesliga and the second division that was reintroduced for the 2008/09 season. This stipulates that only two teams will be relegated directly from the 1st league and only two teams will be promoted directly from the 2nd league. The third-from-bottom team in the first division and the third-place team in the second division will play the possible third relegation or promotion team in the return leg. And it was precisely this relegation that cost Kiel its direct promotion for the first time in the 2017/18 season and also prevented Schleswig-Holstein from getting its first first division football team back then.
For the first division club VfL Wolfsburg, which was in constant crisis at the time, it was the second year in a row that a second chance to stay in the league opened up in relegation. Overall, the relegation statistics since 2008/09 clearly speak in favor of the first division teams: in the 15 duels so far, the lower-class club has only been able to prevail and be promoted three times. The first division team saved relegation 12 times – most recently VfB Stuttgart, which then achieved a miraculous resurrection with second place in the 2023/24 season.
Stuttgart saved itself last season against the former Bundesliga dinosaur Hamburger SV, who have now become the relegation dinosaur with four appearances. HSV’s record is balanced with two wins and two losses. But: Both victories were achieved by the Hamburg team – of course – as a first division team.
2024-05-23 17:31:00
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