Who will be relegated next to Darmstadt? Who has to or is allowed to be relegated? Who will manage the rescue? Things will remain exciting in the bottom of the table until the end of the season – especially thanks to the Cologne stand-up men.
When no one seemed to believe in Cologne anymore, the exciting relegation battle took a crazy turn. “The football god still had a straw for us. And we clung to it very tightly,” said FC defender Dominique Heintz after the 3-2 win against Union Berlin, which was hardly thought possible.
The last-minute madness of 1. FC Köln has once again shuffled the cards in the fight to stay in the league. Rescue, relegation, relegation – there is plenty of excitement in the table cellar ahead of the Bundesliga season finale next Saturday.
After the winning goal by 19-year-old homegrown player Damion Downs in the third minute of added time, he was “glad that the roof was still on,” said Cologne coach Timo Schultz: “It was so loud that it could almost have taken off.” The ecstasy in the Cologne stadium was understandable, because if there had been a draw, FC would certainly have been relegated. So perhaps there remains a little more than a glimmer of hope. “This could be one of the strangest relegations that has happened in a long time,” said Schultz.
“Actually we were gone, dead”
After 18 minutes, Cologne was 0-2 down, until the 87th minute it was 1-2. “Actually we were gone, dead,” said Heintz: “At 3-2 I had goosebumps and tears in my eyes. Suddenly you’re alive again after such a crazy game.” FC can now save themselves in relegation place 16 if they win their last game of the season at 1. FC Heidenheim and thereby make up for the goal difference that is currently three goals worse than Union. At the same time, Berlin has to lose at home against SC Freiburg.
The situation is now “a little more uncomfortable, a little more difficult,” admitted Union interim coach Marco Grote. He tried to build up the shattered self-confidence of his players: “We still have the confidence, the faith and the conviction and also the trust in this team.” For captain Christopher Trimmel, the season finale will also be a test of character for this season’s Champions League starter. “If there are players who don’t believe in it, then they don’t need to come anymore,” said the 37-year-old: “But I don’t think anyone will be there.”
“Legend” Henriksen and Mainz from rescue
The people of Mainz are certainly not lacking in faith. Coach Bo Henriksen has infected everyone at the club with his optimism, positivity and passion since his arrival in February. “The guy is a legend. He comes in, he laughs, he screams, he dances before games – it’s unbelievable,” said midfielder Nadiem Amiri about the Dane: “In a situation like that you just need that energy.”
Even in the 3-0 win over Champions League finalist Borussia Dortmund, the Rheinhessen team was brimming with self-confidence and they are already assured of relegation place 16. Due to the significantly better goal difference compared to Union, a draw at VfL Wolfsburg will most likely be enough for Mainz to securely stay in the league. “You can never gamble on one point. It shouldn’t happen that we think we have achieved something great,” warned sports director Martin Schmidt and demanded: “We have to keep hunting. We have to remain hunters.”
Terzic sees no distortion of competition
Table 14. VfL Bochum initially hosted champions Bayer Leverkusen on Sunday evening. The club, which was once labeled “irrelegable”, will play Werder Bremen next Saturday. One point from these two games is enough to stay in the league for sure.
Bochum would have been saved on Saturday if Mainz had lost to Dortmund. But BVB started with a B team and was duped in the first half. Does BVB’s full focus on the Champions League final on June 1st against Real Madrid distort competition in the Bundesliga relegation battle? “I can understand that someone is disappointed,” said Dortmund coach Edin Terzic: “But we are not responsible for the situation the clubs find themselves in.” Nobody from Cologne, Berlin or Bochum could be “as angry as I am and we are with the team,” explained Terzic.
Source: Stern
I am Pierce Boyd, a driven and ambitious professional working in the news industry. I have been writing for 24 Hours Worlds for over five years, specializing in sports section coverage. During my tenure at the publication, I have built an impressive portfolio of articles that has earned me a reputation as an experienced journalist and content creator.
