Union Berlin falters with missed penalties but escapes demotion, while Cologne is relegated.
Insanity at the Alte Försterei: Union Berlin lands in relegation territory in stoppage time, only to have a second penalty called against SC Freiburg. This penalty is missed, but the rebound is saved. Berlin stays afloat, as do Mainz 05. 1. FC Köln is directly relegated, while the horrendously weak Bochum team must go into relegation.
Union Berlin vs. SC Freiburg
Match report imminent!
Werder Bremen vs. VfL Bochum
Match report coming soon!
VfL Wolfsburg vs. FSV Mainz 05 1:3 (1:1)
Carnival atmosphere in May: FSV Mainz 05 managed to save themselves on the final Bundesliga game day and will now participate in their 16th consecutive season of big-league soccer. Coach hero Bo Henriksen effectively disproved any doubts about the team's ability to remain in the top division with a nail-biting 3:1 (1:1) victory over VfL Wolfsburg, and their fans who traveled with them went wild. Brajan Gruda (24'), Sepp van den Berg (72'), and Jonathan Burkhardt (85') scored for Mainz as the season came to a close, while Kevin Paredes' goal (18') was not enough for Wolfsburg.
Mainz initially seemed doomed in the winter but was revived by Henriksen, who took over from Bo Svensson with nine straight wins without a loss. Just in time for the last matchday, they were not in one of the bottom three spots, only the third time this season, and they secured the match point. "We want to settle this ourselves," Henriksen had said before the game, but Mainz began the match cautiously and unsure. It wasn't until they conceded an early goal that they began playing better and were more confident. Gruda's equalizer was a bit overstated at that point, but the visitors created additional chances before the break, while Wolfsburg backed off a bit.
After the break, the tension in Wolfsburg grew with each passing minute, as Mainz didn't want to make a potentially costly mistake. Henriksen paced nervously around the sidelines, encouraging chants from their supporters in the arena. However, the initiative remained with the Wolves, and Mainz often found themselves in a defensive stance. Suddenly, Mainz seized the opportunity with both hands, van den Berg almost missed the header, but he converted the rebound - prompting Mainz fans to go wild. Burkhardt took care of any lingering doubts.
1st Heidenheim vs. 1st FC Köln 4:1 (3:0)
- FC Köln was relegated from the Bundesliga for the seventh time. Following the 1:4 defeat at promoted 1. FC Heidenheim, Köln placed 17th and joined Darmstadt 98 in the 2nd division. Cologne had hoped for relegation before the season finale, but nothing had changed.
Cologne was the Bundesliga's first champions since its formation in 1963. They spent the most time in the top division from their inception. With their first relegation in 1998, though, FC turned into a team that was relegated. Further relegations occurred in 2002, 2004, 2006, 2012, and 2018. In between, FC competed in the European Cup in the 2017/18 and 2022/23 seasons.
There are multiple reasons for the current relegation, including the loss of key players Jonas Hector and Ellyes Skhiri on free transfers before the season. Their unfortunate transfer policy during the summer couldn't be rectified due to the FIFA transfer ban during the winter. Additionally, their lack of offense, which was exacerbated by several injuries to their strikers, played a significant role.
After previous relegations, FC, which is financially solvent, came back four times in the first year and twice in the second year. But given the transfer ban, FC won't be able to bring in any new players this summer, and can only recall loaned players. This return will likely be more challenging than ever before.
Read also:
- Prodigies of sport: Littler's predecessors
- Nagelsmann's announcement: A restless Christmas for national team players
- What sports fans prefer to watch on television
- The calm before the upheaval: Nagelsmann's European Championship plans
Source: www.ntv.de
