Today: When SV Werder Bremen were relegated to the 2nd division after more than 40 years in the Bundesliga
Five hours between hope and riots
The mood at the Osterdeich tilts within five hours. Five hours that lie between last hope and pure disappointment, between green-white support in the run-up and aggressive rioting in the aftermath. These are the five hours in which the first Bundesliga relegation of SV Werder Bremen since 1980 took place, a club that managed to unite nationwide sympathies over the years. A club that was once admired for its Hanseatic cleverness in regularly playing for the German championship. On this day, however, it has little to do with all that. The present looks gloomy, the future: uncertain.
An estimated 2,000 fans gathered in front of the Weser Stadium on the Saturday of 22 May around the matchday 34 game despite the pandemic. They want to stand by their club, once again, as has often been the case in the past when Werder has not been doing well in sporting terms. About a year ago, when the proud traditional club was only able to save itself in two relegation matches against 1. FC Heidenheim, this was also only possible to a manageable extent due to the corona. But in 2016, when it came to the relegation final against Frankfurt on the last matchday, Bremen supporters coined the term “Green White Wonderwall”.
Spalier for the buses, waving Werder flags, plumes of green and white smoke
The crowd before this year’s season finale is certainly not a comparable one, but at least it demonstrates Bremen’s unique cohesion. Supporters form a line to receive the two team buses, clap, bawl and cheer the players behind the darkened windows – with Werder flags waving and amid clouds of green and white smoke. A large police contingent has of course also arrived, but the atmosphere remains largely peaceful.
Even fireworks don’t wake up the Werder pros
At 3.32pm, shortly after kick-off of the match against Mönchengladbach, fireworks shoot across the façade of the Weser Stadium. If this is the last effort of the fans to wake up the team from outside the arena, which has slipped to the relegation place before the match, this attempt also fails. After only three minutes Werder is 0:1 behind. The impression from the reporters’ seats is already devastating: the players seem paralysed, lifeless as a team. Unable to fight back in any way – despite the looming relegation scenario.
Selke and the last sign of life
At least the 100 admitted spectators in the upper counter stand are not discouraged at first. They are exclusively club employees who, according to sports director Frank Baumann, have earned this privilege and in return should at least “provide some atmosphere”. With scarves, clapping rags and chants. It’s not up to them. Davie Selke misses the one-hundred-percent shot that could have brought about the equaliser. And perhaps the turning point. A last sign of life.
In the second half, all encouragement quickly dies away. Bremen concede three more goals, the game has long since been decided. Thomas Schaaf, the coaching legend installed for the finish, remains steadfast, except for his desperate instructions from the touchline, only the fan chants from outside the stadium can now be heard. There is still hope. The score in Cologne is still 0-0 – Werder would have reached the relegation play-off again.
Death kick in the 86th minute – “Cologne leads “
71st minute, Sebastian Andersson scores for FC but the goal is taken back. No flinch, however, from the fellow reporters, no sigh of relief at all. No one wants to trust that it will somehow turn out well for Werder. They have long been used to being disappointed by the team that has lost eight of its last nine league games. No one seems to believe in Bremen’s ability to stay in the league. Especially as Cologne play against FC Schalke 04, who have already been relegated. Then someone in the stands says it again: “Cologne is leading.” 86th minute. This time it counts. FC sends Werder into the 2nd Bundesliga. Green White total failure.
“Say it!” – and then stifling silence
Some of the Werder professionals didn’t even realise they had been relegated until the end of their own game, which ended 4-2. “Say it!”, demands the ignorant Niclas Füllkrug towards the substitutes’ bench. When certainty reigns, he slinks off the pitch, accompanied by a silence that is stifling. Josh Sargent cannot hold back his tears. Theo Gebre Selassie says goodbye after nine years with a final walk across the Weser Stadium turf, in front of whose gates the atmosphere gradually begins to simmer.
About an hour and a half after the final whistle, around 200 of the 2,000 supporters have crowded in front of the Marathon Gate at the Ostkurve, where the police have to stop them from entering the stadium with pepper sprays and set-up water cannons. “Board out”, they chant, and “Baumann out”, and wait for the team, which has long since been escorted out of the catacombs. Only when this news leaks out does the protest gradually dissipate.
