Promotion/Relegation Excitement in Germany

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Whereas some of the top European leagues, such as the English Premier League and Italian Serie A have a basic system for relegation and promotion, this is not the case in Germany.

Finishing 16th of 18 teams in the Bundesliga does not mean automatic relegation to Bundesliga II.  Instead, the team finishing in that position must play a two-legged play-off match against the team who finished third in Bundesliga II.

This adds great excitement to the end of the German football season and this year, Wolfsburg will meet Eintracht Braunschweig.

It’s been a huge fall from grace for Wolfsburg, who last season reached the quarter-final of the Champions League. Not only that but they defeated Real Madrid 2-0 at home, making Wolfsburg the last team to defeat the current holders in Europe’s premier competition.

The first leg of the tie will be played at the Volkswagen Arena on Thursday night and Wolfsburg will want to try and give themselves a good advantage heading into the second leg next week.

Trends show Wolfsburg have won five of their previous seventeen home Bundesliga games this season.  That’s not the sort of record you want heading into a match which will decide if you remain in the top flight for next season.

Nine of those seventeen games have ended in defeat, with three draws.  However, only twice this season have Wolfsburg been comfortably beaten at home and those defeats came at the hands of Borussia Dortmund and Bayern Munich.  Wolfsburg have kept six clean sheets in their seventeen Bundesliga home games and will need to improve defensively if they are to prevent the visitors from scoring.

Eintracht Braunschweig had third place in Bundesliga II wrapped up before the final match of the season but won their game at home to Karlsruher SC 2-1.  This was a much better display from Eintracht Braunschweig, who went down 6-0 at relegation threatened Arminia Bielefeld a week earlier.

Trends show Eintracht Braunschweig have lost only five away matches in the Bundesliga II this season, which is a good record.  Between mid-December and mid-April Eintracht Braunschweig did not lose a game on the road and they will be looking at these performances for inspiration ahead of this first leg.

Eintracht Braunschweig have kept four clean sheets in their last seven away games, the only concern will be the fact they have failed to score a goal in three of their previous four matches on the road.

Wolfsburg are without Riechedly Bazoer , Jeffrey Bruma, Paul Seguin and Sebastian Jung due to injury.  Luiz Gustavo may drop into central defence and this will allow Maximilian Arnold to start in midfield.

Eintracht Braunschweig manager, Torsten Lieberknecht, will be without Phil Ofosu-Ayeh and Marcel Correia for this game.  Domi Kumbela and Christoffer Nyman should start up-front, if Lieberknecht decides to go for away goals in this first leg.

With both cities near each other, this is going to be a very nervy occasion.  Wolfsburg have the better quality in their team but seem to be struggling to come to terms with their position mentally.  This will be a very close game and goal scoring chances could be at a premium.  Do not be surprised to see it end 0-0 or 1-0 in favour of the home team.