Saviours required for Bundesliga relegation battle
The Bundesliga relegation battle is hotting up with just 11 games left. Who will come to the rescue? We outline a potential saviour for each club.
For the teams down the bottom of the table, the threat of relegation looms large, and consequently their key men, now more than ever, will be expected to stand up and be counted, at a time when high-impact performances can make all the difference.
From Cologne in 12th place down to Heidenheim in 18th, we turn the spotlight on one influential player who could be instrumental in ‘saving’ his respective club from the dreaded drop...
Ragnar Ache (Cologne, currently 12th)
While Ache may have churned out a modest output (five goals, three assists) up front for Cologne so far this campaign, he appears to be hitting some form at just the right time.
After registering a beautifully taken equaliser against VfB Stuttgart at the MHP Arena on Matchday 22, he followed that up with a stunning overhead kick opener – a goal that raised eyebrows all over the football world – in the Billy Goats’ 2-2 home draw with Hoffenheim.
If the former Eintracht Frankfurt striker can continue to chip in with important goals, he and his team-mates should be able to avoid becoming too embroiled in the relegation skirmish.
Nadiem Amiri (Mainz, 13th)
Amiri has been in eye-catching form this term, racking up ten goals from midfield – already three more than he managed in the entirety of the 24/25 season.
Joint sixth in the Bundesliga scoring charts, the influential skipper has put in some elite-level performances of late, typified by his match-winning display against Augsburg on Matchday 21.
With just three points presently separating the 05ers and 17th position, their fanbase will be hoping that the dynamic No.10 can continue to grab games by the scruff of the neck in similar fashion.
Moritz Nicolas (Borussia Mönchengladbach, 14th)
In a relegation scrap, a strong goalkeeper is key, and in this domain Gladbach appear to have the upper hand on the teams around them.
Not only has Nicolas made more saves than any other Bundesliga custodian this season, but his overall performances have also provided much-needed confidence to a defence that has struggled in recent weeks.
Even in matches where the Foals have come away empty-handed (versus Freiburg on Matchday 23, for example) or been forced to accept a share of the spoils (as in the 0-0 draw in Bremen on Matchday 20), the 28-year-old has been one of the best players on the park – and that augurs well for the battles ahead.
Christian Eriksen (Wolfsburg, 15th)
It took Eriksen, signed to much fanfare in September, a good couple of months to get into his stride, but his increasingly impactful outings in midfield could prove vital in helping Wolfsburg to maintain the top-tier status they have enjoyed since 1997.
Recent strong performances against Augsburg, Heidenheim and St. Pauli have shown that the Danish veteran is still more than capable at this level, and his precise dead-ball delivery and vast experience should provide a solid springboard to propel the Wolves up the table and away from danger.
Manolis Saliakas (St. Pauli, 16th)
Some players thrive under the pressure of a relegation fight, and Saliakas has played an essential role in Pauli’s recent relative uptick in form.
The Greek international recorded his first goal – an unstoppable effort from just inside the box – and assist of the season against Stuttgart on Matchday 21, before neatly setting up Joel Chima Fujita’s memorable winning strike versus Bremen two weeks later.
Having regained his place in the team at home to RB Leipzig in late January, the on-song wing-back has now started five of the last six matches for the Hamburg side.
Romano Schmid (Werder Bremen, 17th)
Werder may be on a tough 13-match winless run in the league, but one bright spot has been the strong form of midfielder Romano Schmid.
The tireless Austrian has impressed with his work ethic; indeed, he is ranked fifth in the Bundesliga for intensive runs and eighth in distance covered, a significant improvement on his final placing of 28th last season.
Against Bayern Munich at the Weserstadion on Matchday 22, he was arguably the hosts’ best player, and Werder will require a similar level of performance from him if they are to avoid a return to Bundesliga 2.
Arijon Ibrahimović (Heidenheim, 18th)
Although Heidenheim’s current predicament appears bleak, Ibrahimović is one player who could help to launch a Great Escape, if his recent displays are anything to go by.
Against Stuttgart on Matchday 23, the technically proficient midfielder was a constant thorn in the opposition defence, and his coolly taken penalty was crucial to his side claiming a hard-earned point.
Remarkably, given the lowly position in which Frank Schmidt’s team find themselves, the promising 20-year-old is ranked top in the entire league for sprints and sixth for intensive runs.
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