Who will escape the drop in what is shaping up to be another intense relegation tussle? - © DFL Deutsche Fußball Liga

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The 2024/25 relegation battle: who will escape the drop?

15.03.2025

Having only survived via the relegation/promotion play-offs last season, Bochum are once again battling to stay up in 2024/25 – but they are just one of a number of teams aiming to do so, with Heidenheim, St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel also eager to secure top-flight status.

Union Berlin
Position: 13th
Points: 27 (26 games)
Goals: 23-39 (-16)

Last 5 results:

Next 5 matches:

One of Union’s defining characteristics in recent seasons – from gaining promotion to the Bundesliga to securing UEFA Champions League qualification – has been their miserly defence. Steffen Baumgart has used that steeliness as the basis to push the side from the capital away from relegation danger since taking charge in December - and Union have every hope of securing top-flight football for a seventh consecutive season in 2025/26. Benedict Hollerbach has chipped in with some vital goals over the campaign.

Watch: Union snatch draw against Bayern on Matchday 26

Hoffenheim
Position: 14th
Points: 26 (26 games)
Goals: 32-48 (-16)

Last 5 results:

Next 5 matches:

Augsburg (h)
RB Leipzig (a)
Mainz (h)
Freiburg (a)
Dortmund (h)

Despite – or perhaps because of – finishing seventh in the Bundesliga last season and therefore qualifying for the UEFA Europa League, Hoffenheim have struggled for consistency this term. Christian Ilzer, who enjoyed great success as head coach of Sturm Graz in Austria, was brought in to steer the ship to calmer waters following the dismissal of Pellegrino Matarazzo after Matchday 10 in November. Ilzer has plenty of quality to work with, notably Andrej Kramarić up front and the ever-improving Tom Bischof in midfield.

Watch: The best of Tom Bischof

St. Pauli
Position: 15th
Points: 25 (26 games)
Goals: 20-30 (-10)

Last 5 results:

Next 5 matches:

This season was expected to be a tough one for St. Pauli. A first campaign in the top flight tends to be tricky for promoted teams, but all the more so for the Boys in Brown after their Bundesliga 2-winning coach Fabian Hürzeler left to join Brighton over the summer. Alexander Blessin took over and has managed to create a solid defence and ability to grind out results, fuelling hope in Hamburg of survival for the side captained by Australia international Jackson Irvine.

Watch: Highlights of Pauli's Matchday 26 win over Hoffenheim

Bochum
Position: 16th
Points: 20 (26 games)
Goals: 27-52 (-25)

Last 5 results:

Next 5 matches:

Bochum were hoping to recover from a poor start to the season when they replaced Peter Ziedler - less than four months after hiring him - for renowned firefighter Dieter Hecking. Although there wasn't a flurry of positive results, there has been plenty of battling spirit, with Myron Boadu leading the line well and netting a memorable hat-trick as Bochum bounced back to draw 3-3 with Leipzig. Victories over both Bayern Munich and Borussia Dortmund in recent weeks prove they are more than capable of survival.

Watch: Bayern Munich 2-3 Bochum - highlights

Heidenheim
Position: 17th
Points: 19 (26 games)
Goals: 31-52 (-21)

Last 5 results:

Next 5 matches:

Heidenheim, much like Hoffenheim, are perhaps victims of their own success last season. Consistently impressive displays not only earned qualification to the UEFA Conference League, they shone a spotlight on their best players, with top scorer Tim Kleindienst and top assist provider Jan-Niklas Beste lured away over the summer. That left head coach Frank Schmidt with a rebuilding job, all while navigating the extra workload and travel that European competition involves. A leaky defence has been the main issue over the current campaign, leaving last season's surprise package flirting with relegation danger despite talents like Paul Wanner and Budu Zivzivadze on their books. A vital win over Kiel in a relegation six-pointer on Matchday 26 may just have revived their hopes of survival.

Watch: Highlights of Heidenheim's win over Holstein Kiel

Holstein Kiel
Position: 18th
Points: 17 (26 games)
Goals: 38:64 (-26)

Last 5 results:

Next 5 matches:

The season was looking rather bleak for Kiel until a morale-boosting 5-1 win at home to Augsburg just before the winter break was a major boost. “You could see what we’re capable of,” said Phil Harres, scorer of two goals in that victory. “We needed that. Obviously it makes no difference if we win 2-1 or 5-1, but it’s a fantastic psychological boost.” The newly promoted side took that battling spirit into the new year, with a memorable 4-2 win over Borussia Dortmund, while the narrow 1-0 win over Union Berlin and 2-2 draw with VfB Stuttgart continue to provide hope, although defeat in Heidenheim on Matchday 26 saw them slip to the bottom of the table.