Drelegation has been postponed, but SpVgg Greuther Fürth in the Bundesliga can hardly be saved. After the goalless draw at TSG 1899 Hoffenheim on Sunday, four games before the end of the season, eleven points separate the promoted team from Franconia from VfB Stuttgart, who are currently in relegation rank 16. A jump to the saving 15th place is already almost impossible.
The 16,100 spectators saw a weak game with few highlights and many mistakes. “I’m not completely dissatisfied, overall it was a good defensive performance. We acted at eye level, so we don’t take the point undeservedly,” said Fürth’s trainer Leitl at DAZN.
The disappointment was much greater for the hosts, who are now five league games without a win and once again failed to master a mandatory task at home and score points in the fight for international places. “It was too little and is very disappointing. It just lacks a bit of conviction. In a game like this we just have to make it 1-0, force it,” said TSG coach Sebastian Hoeneß.
This weekend, 1. FC Köln and 1. FC Union Berlin overtook the Kraichgauers, the gap to fifth-placed SC Freiburg has grown to six points and can hardly be caught. The rest of the program is also tough: with Europa League semi-finalists Frankfurt, plus against Freiburg, Leverkusen and Mönchengladbach. “We will still get up and compete. We’ll get the three that we wanted to get today in Frankfurt,” said Hoeneß. Christoph Baumgartner added: “The simplest things are difficult for us at the moment. “We are now in the role of hunters and want to fight back and fight for international places.”
In glorious spring weather, very little happened in the first half. TSG striker Munas Dabbur (4th) shot over from a short distance after a corner. Andrej Kramaric shone with a Zinedine Zidane role, but then finished much too laxly (11th). At Hoffenheim, a lot went through the former Fürth David Raum, who had returned after a yellow card suspension and, like the 6: 3 in the first leg, made a good pace. Fürth limited himself to defending, offensive actions were scarce in the first half. At half time there were whistles for 45 minutes of football lean food.
After the change, things continued with a brief moment of shock. The two Hoffenheim players Stefan Posch and Diadie Samassékou rattled their heads after a throw-in. Posch, who apparently suffered a laceration, got it harder, the Austrian was bleeding and had to be replaced.
Ihlas Bebou (57th) then clearly missed the next TSG finish. But Fürth didn’t just hide: when Julian Green (62′) took a powerful shot, Hoffenheim’s goalkeeper Oliver Baumann had to really stretch for the first time and turned the ball around the post.
While the fight for Europe continues for Hoffenheim despite the current misery, it should mainly be about damage limitation for the clover leaves in the remaining games. Getting the first away win or surpassing the 21 points from the relegation season: These could be possible goals for head coach Stefan Leitl’s team.
Four victories would be needed to overtake 16th Stuttgart and 17th Bielefeld. And VfB would have to lose all of their clear games because of the significantly better goal difference, and Bielefeld should hardly score any more. As early as next Saturday (3.30 p.m.) against Bayer Leverkusen, the second Bundesliga relegation threatens to be mathematically perfect.
