VfL Wolfsburg secured their spot in the Bundesliga relegation playoff with a nerve-wracking final-day victory over St. Pauli at the Millerntor-Stadion. The Wolves entered the match knowing only a win would guarantee them a chance to fight for survival in the playoff, and they delivered when it mattered most.
The 1-0 win was hard-fought, but the result meant Wolfsburg finished 16th, setting up a two-legged tie against the third-placed team from the 2. Bundesliga. For the hosts, St. Pauli, the defeat confirmed their already certain relegation, adding a layer of emotion to the afternoon.
After the final whistle, VfL coach Dieter Hecking did not celebrate wildly. Instead, he expressed deep sympathy for the opposition. In his post-match press conference, Hecking noted that the situation was all too familiar, having experienced a similar heartbreak at the same ground just a year earlier.
"Letztes Jahr sind wir hier abgestiegen," Hecking said, translating to "Last year we were relegated here." The remark referenced Wolfsburg's own demotion from the Bundesliga in the 2023‑24 campaign, which was sealed with a defeat at St. Pauli's stadium on the penultimate matchday.
That painful memory lingered as Hecking watched St. Pauli's players slump to the turf. He acknowledged the quality in their squad and insisted they would bounce back quickly, but the immediate aftermath was one of shared misery rather than personal triumph.
Wolfsburg now have a tight turnaround to prepare for the playoff, which will decide their top-flight status for next season. The club's board has already expressed full support for Hecking, who took charge amid the relegation crisis in October and steadied the ship just enough to reach this point.
Based on reporting from Kicker.