Demotion to a lower league or division. - Uchino grieves - Allofs: "We launch another offensive"
Takashi Uchino found himself sitting on the stairs in the corridor, shedding tears at 23:14. As the Japanese defender for Fortuna Düsseldorf, he'd missed the final penalty kick in their shootout against VfL Bochum. With that, their dream of returning to the Bundesliga came crashing down. On top of postponing the initially planned celebratory party, even board member Klaus Allofs couldn't help but feel the weight of it all. "We were on the verge of making it to the Bundesliga. Unfortunately, the nerves didn't cooperate," said the former national player.
Meanwhile, the Düsseldorf fans continued to celebrate their team's successful season. Captain André Hoffmann was another unfortunate soul; he missed the first penalty kick for Düsseldorf, who narrowly lost 5:6 in the shootout. Neither Hoffmann nor Uchino seemed able to come to terms with their loss.
For Coach Daniel Thioune, the pain was just as intense. "A total vacuum. The team had played an exceptional season. I've never seen so many tears; they didn't deserve that," said Fortuna's coach. Thioune also admitted that he'd had his own personal dreams for the Bundesliga. "It's heartbreaking, particularly watching little Takashi there, it's tough," he admitted.
Though Düsseldorf was seen as the Bundesliga team with a certain level of quality after their strong first leg performance, Thioune acknowledged VfL Bochum's determination. "They demonstrated why they're a first division team. We were a good match for them, but today, they were just too strong," said Thioune.
Allofs vowed to recover from the defeat. "We weren't as good as we've been recently. It's part of football to experience failures like these. But now we're starting fresh," declared the 67-year-old. He also showed respect towards the Bochumers. "Bochum had nothing to lose. They embodied the qualities of a first division team. We should have lost today."
Fortuna Düsseldorf squad VfL Bochum squad
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- Despite their heartbreaking loss in the shootout, Fortuna Düsseldorf's aspirations to secure a spot in the Bundesliga 2 remained intact, with Takashi Uchino and Andre Hoffmann among the key players.
- Daniel Thioune, the coach of Fortuna Düsseldorf, expressed his disappointment upon realizing that North Rhine-Westphalia's tough opponents, VfL Bochum, deserved their place in the Bundesliga due to their exceptional determination.
- Klaus Allofs, the former German national player and a board member of Fortuna Düsseldorf, expressed his optimism about the team's recovery, acknowledging that relegation to Bundesliga 2 was a part of football's unpredictable nature.
- Germans excitedly watched their home team battles both Fortuna Düsseldorf and VfL Bochum for a spot in Germany's most prestigious soccer league, the Bundesliga, offering their support during the tense, nail-biting matches.
- The soccer world was abuzz with the drama unfolding in Düsseldorf, with elementary school students lining the cabin aisle in hopes of catching a glimpse of their soccer idols and journalists dissecting the potential consequences of relegation for both teams.
- With relegation seemingly imminent, Takashi Uchino found solace in reflecting on the season, his teammates, and the soccer journey he had embarked upon in Germany - a journey that began in the heart of North Rhine-Westphalia, where soccer is deeply rooted in both tradition and passion.
- Despite the painful loss against VfL Bochum and the potentially challenging road ahead, Fortuna Düsseldorf remained steadfast in their determination to bounce back, with Andre Hoffmann and Daniel Thioune vowing to lead their team toward success in the Bundesliga 2, hoping to secure a spot in the revered Bundesliga Soccer Bundesliga in the near future.
Source: www.stern.de
