Wolfsburg’s relegation to the second division
Wolfsburg lost their Bundesliga status after losing 2-1 to Paderborn in the second leg of the playoff. The match was decided in extra time, when Laurin Curda scored the promotion goal for the local team.
Wolfsburg played with ten men from the 13th minute due to the expulsion of Joakim Mæhle, who received two yellow cards in a few minutes. Despite starting the lead with an early goal from Dženan Pejcinovic, the team was unable to sustain the lead.
Paderborn equalized before the break through a header from Filip Bilbija. Already in the second half, Sebastian Klaas hit the post with a shot. Finally, in the tenth minute of extra time, Curda took advantage of a cross from Sven Michel to seal the tie.
“I could only cry, I couldn’t control my emotions at all,” said Paderborn midfielder Ruben Müller.
Goalkeeper Dennis Seimen, who made two key saves late, said: “Indescribable, it’s incredible what happened here.”
For Wolfsburg, this is the first relegation since promotion in 1997. The Volkswagen-backed club won the championship in 2009, but in recent years had avoided relegation in previous playoffs. Christian Eriksen, who signed in September, was captain in the match and received condolences from the rivals after the final whistle.
Wolfsburg winger Patrick Wimmer defended his expelled teammate: “He feels just as bad. He knows that what happened probably shouldn’t have happened. But I don’t think the whole team should go after Joakim.”
Paderborn, a city east of Dortmund, thus achieves its third promotion to the Bundesliga, after 2014 and 2019, in which it finished last. Coach Ralf Kettemann warned: “We were promoted twice before, but we haven’t maintained it yet. We have to make sure we make good decisions this summer.”
