Arminia Bielefeld’s Brutal Relegation Crash: From Bundesliga to Third Division in Just Twelve Months

From Bundesliga club to third division club in just twelve months: Arminia Bielefeld’s brutal crash is sealed after a year full of bankruptcies. The East Westphalians lost to SV Wehen-Wiesbaden in the relegation second leg 1: 2 (1: 2) and were only passed through to neighbor SC Paderborn 2016 as before. Wehen, who triumphed 4-0 in the first leg, are well deserved going into their fourth second division season thanks to double packer Benedict Hollerbach.

After all, after the riots by Bielefeld fans in Wiesbaden, it was initially largely quiet on the Alm. Captain Fabian Klos (4th) gave Arminia hope for the football miracle with his 171st goal in the 420th game for his heart club. But Hollerbach (35./45.+2), who is about to move to Cologne, set the course for Wehen’s return to the second division after three years in the third division.

The mood among the 24,000 spectators was initially hostile and directed against their own team. “We’re Arminen and you’re not!” The professionals shouted as they warmed up. When the team line-up was read out, there was a whistling concert. Coach Uwe Koschinat emphasized that the team “had a hard time nibbling on the goal of direct promotion from day one. There was never a clear hierarchy behind Fabian Klos”, the fan idol was “put on the sidelines”.

The coach, whose future is open, lost five new ones to Klos, “fresh forces who are fresh in dealing with the overall situation”. The goal: “To win back the fans who are ready for reconciliation with the absolute will in small steps,” he said on Sat.1. The lead after a goalkeeping mistake by Florian Stritzel was a start. Bielefeld stayed tuned, Oliver Hüsing (26th) headed to the crossbar.

But with the counterattack to 1: 1 the last belief was gone, the mood soon became eerily calm. “You can all go, except Fabi,” the fans sang in the final phase. In the second half, 16-year-old attacker Henrik Koch gave a glimpse of Arminia’s possible future on his professional debut. But whether the designated new sports director Michael Mutzel will succeed in keeping him is an open question, as is much.