The Bundesliga not only faces an exciting final sprint in the title fight between FC Bayern and BVB, things are also extremely tight in the basement. Six teams are still in acute danger of relegation four games before the end, the mood is extremely different from club to club. A sextet consisting of Hertha BSC, FC Schalke 04, VfL Bochum, VfB Stuttgart, 1899 Hoffenheim and FC Augsburg is still shaking. Who saves himself, who stays in? sport.de does the check!
In theory, even Borussia Mönchengladbach, 1. FC Köln and Werder Bremen in tenth, eleventh and twelveth place can still be relegated. The trio plays disappointing back series across the board, but still have a small lead. The danger in the next few places becomes more realistic.
What gives hope, what worries? Checking out the basement sextet:
FC Augsburg (13th place/31 points/39:55 goals)
Remaining program: Union Berlin (H)VfL Bochum (A), Borussia Dortmund (H)Borussia Monchengladbach (A)
Shape and Mood: FC Augsburg can fight relegation. The people of Fuggerstadt have proven this again and again in recent years. In addition, the many home wins this year give coach Enrico Maassen courage for the next happy ending.
Thanks to the lead, FCA have it in their own hands – despite tough home opponents like Union and BVB. However, the absence of the ailing Mergim Berisha weakens the team. If he fails until the end of the season, things could get very tight.
Forecast: Augsburg has to tremble for a while, but scores at least two more times and stays just inside in the end.
TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (14./29./39.51)
Remaining program: Eintracht Frankfurt (H)VfL Wolfsburg (A), Union Berlin (H)VfB Stuttgart (A)
Shape and Mood: A squad with Andrej Kramaric, Ihlas Bebou or Sebastian Rudy is actually too good for relegation. The winning streak against Hertha BSC, Werder Bremen and Schalke 04 showed that there is more to the team than 14th place.
However, the change of coach has hardly stabilized TSG. André Breitenreiter had to go after nine games without a win. Under the successor Pellegrino Matarazzo there were five defeats, followed by three wins and a 1-1 draw at Bayern and two more bankruptcies.
Forecast: Just no relegation final in Stuttgart! TSG has a lot of quality but little tailwind. After 34 match days, Hoffenheim only stays in there because of the better goal difference.
VfB Stuttgart (15./28./38.52)
Remaining program: Hertha BSC (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H)FSV Mainz 05 (A), TSG 1899 Hoffenheim (H)
Shape and Mood: The trend is your friend: Under the direction of coach Sebastian Hoeneß, VfB have yet to lose. The new system is working, striker Serhou Guirassy is fit and accurate again and morale is right.
However, the away weakness is a cause for concern: the Swabians have only celebrated one win abroad this season. In addition, the VfB professionals still too often make individual mistakes that are punished.
Forecast: At home, Stuttgart has recently developed a lot of force. If VfB scores in Berlin and/or at home against Hoffenheim, the last-minute relegation against Hoffenheim will be bagged.
VfL Bochum (16th/28th/33:67)
Remaining program: Borussia Moenchengladbach (A), FC Augsburg (H)Hertha BSC (A), Bayer Leverkusen (H)
Shape and Mood: Bochum were only twice in a relegation zone in the second half of the season and are the strongest team at home. Even BVB didn’t win on Castroper Strasse. In addition, VfL still plays against three teams at eye level.
However, some numbers are alarming: With 33 goals, the Revierelf have the second weakest attack in the entire league and by far the worst goal difference.
Forecast: The Bochumers are real stand-ups and often come back after setbacks. More than four points did not jump out in the final phase, in the end VfL had to go into relegation because of the lousy goal difference.
FC Schalke 04 (17./27./28.57)
Remaining program: FSV Mainz 05 (A), FC Bayern Munich (A), Eintracht Frankfurt (H)RB Leipzig (A)
Shape and Mood: Two home wins recently nourish the hope of rescue. With a mentality like in the home game against Bremen (2:1), the team can still make a difference.
However, the rest of the program remains a Herculean task. Of the four remaining games, three will take place away from home, where Schalke have hardly gotten anything recently – and the opponents are tough too.
Forecast: Despite great morale and fighter mentality in the back series – Schalke will be relegated without two more wins. These are most likely to be in there against Mainz and Frankfurt, but normally the miners get a maximum of 3-4 points here. That would be the breaking of the neck.
Hertha BSC (18./22./35:61)
Remaining program: VfB Stuttgart (H)1. FC Cologne (A), VfL Bochum (H)VfL Wolfsburg (A)
Shape and Mood: Many have already written off the old lady. A small glimmer of hope is the rest of the program: The Berliners are still playing at home against two direct competitors. And: Defensively, Hertha was stabilized against FC Bayern.
But the gap to the relegation place is already six points. Hertha should probably get at least nine points from the last four matches. In the 15 games this year there have only been eight together.
Forecast: Because of the many direct duels of the competition, a winning streak is needed for the miracle. At home there is even something in it against Stuttgart and Bochum, who are weak away from home, but four threes are still utopian. Hertha deserves to be relegated.
Heiko Lütkehus (with dpa material)