In the relegation between the 2nd and 3rd leagues (from Friday, June 2nd, 2023) SV Wehen Wiesbaden is the favorite against Arminia Bielefeld. The reasons: Arminia is worried about injuries – and the statistics speak for themselves.
“Since Sunday 5.20 p.m. my view – and that of the team – we are no longer second division”said Arminen coach Uwe Koschinat before the game against Hessen, “We have nothing to defend, we have to get something. We have to act now, that makes a difference.” The coach was alluding to the way in which Bielefeld had gotten under the wheel against Magdeburg (0:4) on the last day of the game. Veteran Fabian Klos spoke afterwards of one of the footballers “bittest days of my career”.
| first leg | second leg | |
|---|---|---|
Bundesliga – 2nd Bundesliga | 01.06. VfB Stuttgart – Hamburger SV | 05.06. Hamburger SV – VfB Stuttgart |
2nd Bundesliga – 3rd League | 02.06. SV Wehen Wiesbaden – DSC Arminia Bielefeld | 06.06. DSC Arminia Bielefeld – SV Wehen Wiesbaden |
The coach has to do without Lukas Klünter and the suspended Jomaine Consbruch against the opponent from the 3rd division. Long-term absentees Masaya Okugawa and Guilherme Ramos are also unavailable.
Kauczinski smells the morning air
Koschinat’s colleague Markus Kauczinski sniffs for his Wiesbaden morning air: “The relegation showed that anything is possible. Anything can happen. Even the lower-class team has the chance to cross the finish line.”, said the 53-year-old. He had missed out on promotion by just one goal. As fourth in the 3rd league, the Hessians benefited from the fact that the third-placed Freiburg reserves were not allowed to be promoted to the 2nd league.
Koschinat and Kauczinski – wasn’t there something…?
Uwe Koschinat and Markus Kauczinski had “contact” in the early phase of the season. Koschinat, then still a coach in Saarbrücken, yelled at one of the Wehen players in the game against Wiesbaden after a tackle – and Kauczinski then loudly fiddled his colleague on the pitch with his opinion. “Everything is cleared”it was quickly said at the time, which the coaches repeated before the meeting on Friday.
The statistics speak a clear language
“A statistic lasts until it breaks”, it is popularly said. And even with these numbers there is no claim to certainty – and yet they show how difficult it is for the second division teams to assert themselves against the aspirants from the 3rd division: In only four out of 14 cases has the relegation been introduced higher class club enforced. In addition, there is the euphoria of the Wiesbadeners, who could crown their good season with another sense of achievement: “It is important to be there. It will be a tough fight by hook or by crook for 180 minutes”knows Kauczinski.
Arminia donates tickets
After the indisputable performance against Magdeburg, Arminia Bielefeld’s team took over entry to the away game in Wiesbaden as compensation for their fans. “This sign to our extremely loyal fans is important to us. We will only be able to stay in the league together: team and fans together.”said Captain Fabian Klos, “We know that they will have our backs again on Friday. We want to honor the passion of our supporters with our campaign.”said Klos. The Bielefeld contingent has 1,879 tickets.
By the way: Both the video assistant and the goal-line technology are also used in the two relegation games between the 2nd and 3rd leagues.