Traumatic game
Second division coach reveals: “That destroyed a lot for us”
12/23/2024 – 3:53 p.mReading time: 2 minutes
In May, Fortuna dramatically missed promotion to the Bundesliga. The club had to nibble on this for a long time.
The missed promotion to the Bundesliga still has an impact on Fortuna Düsseldorf and coach Daniel Thioune. “This May 27th destroyed a lot for us, but we were also able to take a lot from it, for example this resilience,” explained Thioune in an interview with “Kicker”. Since then, the team has developed “a very high level of resilience”.
The 2024 season was a year full of ups and downs for Fortuna. While the club attracted attention by reaching the semi-finals of the DFB Cup, the dream of promotion to the Bundesliga remained unfulfilled. The defeat on penalties against VfL Bochum in the second leg of the relegation match was particularly painful. “I never watched the game again. That would have reopened this scar, I didn’t want that,” admitted Thioune.
Düsseldorf won the first leg in Bochum 3-0, then lost the second leg 0-3. Bochum then prevailed in the penalty shootout in the Düsseldorf stadium.
The day after the bitter defeat was particularly difficult for the team, the coach recalled. “I was sure that you would never be able to find the right words that day – and then Klaus Allofs came into the room and spoke sensationally well to the team. That cannot be overestimated and it led to us being one There was little more ease in the matter.”
At the 2024/25 winter break, Fortuna Düsseldorf is in eighth place in the 2nd Bundesliga and is fighting to make the 2025 season more successful.