Competition distortion on the last match day? A journey through time

Distortion of competition has often been mentioned in this particular season. In view of Corona, how can you speak of fair competition if, for example, different hygiene rules in different federal states lead to different training options?

The number of home games in front of spectators also differs – one half of the league had 13, the other 12, which makes it all the more important that the field is fair and everyone gives everything. But towards the end of the season, the priorities often shift and not everyone meets opponents who are still “in the mood”.

Those who have achieved their goal or have long missed it can take it easy – despite all the assurances. This means that decisions are always dependent on teams that are already on vacation. Before the last matchday, for example, the relegation candidates Werder Bremen and Fortuna Düsseldorf are concerned.

The CHECK24 double pass with BVB boss Hans-Joachim Watzke on Sunday from 11 a.m. on TV on SPORT1

Werder relies on Schützenhilfe from Union Berlin, which just went down 4-0 in Hoffenheim, Fortuna on the Rhenish neighbor 1. FC Köln (nine games without a win). FC sports director Horst Heldt has already built up and emphasized: “We owe it to the league and the competition. We don’t donate anything against Werder.”

You can believe it, but you don’t have to.

A SPORT1-Overview of the particularly blatant cases of fair play and failure to provide assistance.

The master makers – positive examples

The small game association Unterhaching is at the top of the ranking. It saved itself early in its first Bundesliga year in 1999/2000 and won the championship on match day 34. League leader Bayer Leverkusen came to the sports park and only needed one point. Bayern was in almost a hopeless position, but played the psycho card again.

Stefan Effenberg exaggerated in kicker just a little bit: “Unterhaching is the best team in the Bundesliga.” The neighbor from the Munich suburb liked to hear it, even though coach Lorenz-Günther Köstner emphasized: “Leverkusen is 99.9 percent champion. For us, it’s about a sensible end to the season.” The goal was far exceeded. Haching won – also thanks to Michael Ballack’s famous own goal – 2-0 and made Bayern (3-1 against Werder) a champion. They spontaneously invited their rescuers to the master party.

Schalke 04 didn’t mean well with Bayern and spoiled their championship in 1993 (3: 3) and 1996 (2: 1) in their last home game. Just for the fun of Schadenfreud. The miners accepted that in the second case even used archenemy Borussia Dortmund. Exceptionally. It was not thanked, in 2007 BVB, who was dodging in midfield, won the derby against leaders Schalke 2-0 (matchday 33).

However, anyone who claims that derbies are not about anything has no idea about football. That day the poster with the saying “Just look, don’t touch” and the soccer world went. You can see the championship cup, painted by happy BVB fans.

Bayern never enjoyed playing at MSV Duisburg. In 1971 they had to go there on the last match day, one goal ahead of Gladbach. The MSV was ninth, but hot as fries. Especially since fans from nearby Mönchengladbach also mixed into the audience in the Wedau Stadium and cheered on the MSV.

The Bavarians were already booed when they ran in, Beckenbauer every time they hit the ball. It was also so rough on the pitch that Bayern keeper Sepp Maier had to be replaced as an exception. “South America football in the Bundesliga,” headlined the Munich Mercury and didn’t mean that as praise. Duisburg wanted victory at all costs and won 2-0, neighbor Borussia (4-1 in Frankfurt) became champion. Also in 1998 (0: 0) Bayern lost the championship in Duisburg, but it was not quite as dramatic.

In 1974, Borussia in turn fell victim to an ambitious opponent. In any case, she did not get neighborhood help on match day 33 at Fortuna Dusseldorf and lost 1-0. Now the Bavarians said “Thank you!”

Two other notable cases occurred in the West. In 1980 the newly rescued Bayer Leverkusen champion and championship leader HSV received and beat them 2-0. The Bavarians benefited from the sensation, moving away by two points and introducing the title a week later. In 1997 the Leverkusen team became a fair play victim, neighbor 1. FC Köln did not give them the title a bit and – to the delight of the Bavarians – they shot 4-0.

Ultimately, the HSV rifle aid, which received Bavaria on May 19, 2001 as the thirteenth, was unsuccessful. In the most famous finish of the league history, Sergei Barbarez headed the 1-0 in the 90th minute and Schalke in first place on the lightning table. His manager Andreas Müller demonstratively wore an HSV jersey and performed joyful dances with the 60,000 in the Park Stadium when Patrick Andersson was still making his famous free-kick goal. But no reproach to HSV!

The master makers – negative examples

In the first place should be Borussia Dortmund, which contributed in 1978 to Mönchengladbach still catching up ten goals on Cologne. BVB played miserably and lost on match day 34 (in Düsseldorf) with 0:12. Still too low, since Cologne won 5-0 in Hamburg – with relegated St. Pauli. BVB coach Otto Rehhagel flew out, the players were fined and the DFB investigated for sports fraud. Nothing came of it, it was cheating on the viewer. It’s a good thing Cologne won the championship anyway.

In contrast, a listless HSV Werder Bremen helped twice to the championship. In 1993 on the 33rd matchday (5-0) and 2004 on the 31st matchday (6-0) the Hamburgers let their minds down and play reservists, although the fan camps of both clubs are not particularly green. The Bavarians were affected again, the then vice-Karl-Heinz Rummenigge complained in 1993 about the “lousy North German provincial antics”. In 2004 Werder might have made it without HSV, but in 1993 every goal counted.

But Bayern also benefited from listless opponents – in a remote duel with Werder. In 1986 they needed a home win against Gladbach on the last match day and got it: 6-0! Werder had an opponent of a different format and lost in Stuttgart. For VfB it was still about the UEFA Cup space. The goal difference ultimately spoke for Bayern, and Gladbach coach Jupp Heynckes stammered: “I don’t know how some players want to refute the justified allegations from Bremen now.”

In 2009, Bayern would have preferred Werder to play a little more, which lost 1-5 in the last game at VfL Wolfsburg, so that Lower Saxony became champions for the first time.

Support for relegation:

It’s hard to believe that one can praise Tasmania Berlin in a historical text. The beating boy of the Bundesliga otherwise stands for all kinds of negative records, but his second and last win on match day 33 in 1965/66 swept Borussia Neunkirchen down. Much to the joy of Karlsruher SC. Tasmania even declined an offer of bribes at half-time (DM 500 per capita).

Bravo! This also applies to these clubs:

In 1973 Fortuna Düsseldorf saved Hannover 96 from relegation by selflessly winning 2-1 in Braunschweig.

In 1976 relegated kickers Offenbach then pulled Hanover down and celebrated their highest win of the season (4-0) when it was of no use.

In 1981 the Karlsruher SC celebrated a regular shooting match (7-2) against 1860 Munich, so that Arminia Bielefeld still passed the lion.

In 1998 Arminia took down 1. FC Köln, the ex-Cologne Uwe Fuchs of all places made both goals 2-1 and was then plagued by remorse.

Schalke didn’t really feel comfortable when they shot 1. FC Nürnberg into the 2. Liga in 2014 (4: 1). After all, both clubs are closely linked in friendship. The HSV said thank you.

Failed assistance in the relegation battle:

In 1973, Wuppertal SV, who had just moved into the UEFA Cup, was slaughtered 0: 4 in Hanover. Braunschweig got off.

In 1980, Uefa Cup winner Eintracht Frankfurt lost 2: 3 to Bayer Uerdingen (Matchday 33). Bayer stayed in, thanks to the better goal difference compared to Hertha BSC. Their defender Michael Sziedat then moved to Frankfurt and smeared his new colleague on the bread: “We had hoped that you would help us.”

In 1983, Bayern let the season slip away and lost their last home game, also Paul Breitner’s last game, against the Sixteenth Schalke with 0: 1. Captain Breitner raged: “I can no longer stand in front of this team.” Schalke came into the relegation, but then dismounted.

In 1988 Borussia Mönchengladbach sank where she won more than anyone else. The 5-2 saved Kaiserslautern from the relegation to which neighboring Waldhof Mannheim had to go.

In 1989 champions Bayern suddenly lost on Matchday 33 in Nuremberg (1: 2). And the rumor continues to this day that he would have loved to do it. Because of the good neighborly relationship and the hope of two sold out derbies. Sufferer: the Stuttgart Kickers. The 1: 2 of Bayern 2015 in Freiburg probably had other reasons. Because her coach was now Pep Guardiola and his motto after winning the title was: “Bundesliga is ready!” Freiburg descended anyway.

In 1995 Schalke kept the small district neighbor VfL Bochum alive for a week and unexpectedly lost there clearly on Matchday 33 with 1: 5.

In 2013 Borussia Dortmund, who had helped relegation candidates eight times (!) In the final phase since 2010, disgraced themselves at home against Hoffenheim (1: 2), who thanks to two penalties by Sejat Salihovic to Fortuna Düsseldorf’s misfortune went into the relegation and then into the saved next Bundesliga season.

And who will help whom on the last day of the 2019/20 season?

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