In the 2nd Bundesliga, the snail race for promotion after the messenger of the top clubs HSV, 1. FC Köln and 1. FC Kaiserslautern continues. The tight top of the table promises an exciting season finale, but is also historically bad.
Since the introduction of the three-point rule 30 years ago, the first three clubs in the table have so far only had any points in the 2003/2004 season as the HSV (52 points), 1. FC Köln (51) and SV Elversberg (47).
As bad as 2004: When Jürgen Klopp Mainz 05 led to the Bundesliga
At that time, the 1st FC Nürnberg also stood with 52 points at the top of the table, followed by this year’s Cup Schreck Arminia Bielefeld with 51 points.
At that time, both were relegated from the Bundesliga and each achieved direct return with 61 and 56 points. Energie Cottbus also dreamed of the quick return to the upper house as the third relegation and was currently in the 3rd place with 47 points as well as SV Elversberg.
In the end, however, the climb grabbed the 1st FSV Mainz 05, who first moved into the Bundesliga with a certain Jürgen Klopp as a coach – third place at that time meant the direct climb. Cottbus, on the other hand, finished fourth and missed the ascent with cult coach Eduard Geyer only because of the poorer goal difference.
Are the HSV four points to climb?
The HSV would only need four points to reach the ongoing season in order to achieve the 56 points necessary for the climb. For the 3rd place of the Mainz – since 2008/09 the relegation place – only 54 points were necessary: the slightest score of a promoted scale.
Six points less than last season
The HSV, Cologne and Elversberg are currently on average at just 50 points. Such a bad point yield on the top of the table is unusual and illustrates the great chance of promotion that the snail race offers.
Last season Holstein Kiel, FC St. Pauli and Fortuna Düsseldorf had already collected an average of around six points more. Two years ago, the Top 3 were even 58 points on average.
The “best 2nd league of all time”, which was actually so far, existed in the 2001/2002 season: Hannover 96, Mainz 05 and Arminia Bielefeld were even stronger and stormed into the season finale with an average of ten points than the HSV and Co.
Norman Droste