The VBL Club Championship does not start into the second half of the season on Tuesday, but into the last matchday of the first half – including the decision for the DFB-ePokal.
When the winter break of the Virtual Bundesliga (VBL) Club Championship by bevestor officially ends on 11 January at 6pm, the hunt for points will not only continue. The final matchday of the first half of the season also marks the last chance for many teams to enter the DFB ePokal.
As was the case in the inaugural 2020/21 season, twelve places in the main round of the competition, scheduled for 31 March and 1 April, are reserved for clubs from the VBL Club Championship this season. The top six teams from both divisions will advance to the DFB-ePokal after the conclusion of the first round.
Heidenheim with six-point cushion
The die seems to be cast in this respect in the south-east season, however. Sixth-placed – and reigning VBL Club Championship champions – 1. FC Heidenheim are separated by a comfortable six points from seventh-placed SV Darmstadt 98.
Both have to face real heavyweights to kick off 2022: Heidenheim face leaders Ingolstadt, Darmstadt take on top favourites Leipzig. FC Augsburg and SpVgg Greuther Fürth still have to take a look in the rear-view mirror, while Hertha BSC and SV Sandhausen still have a chance.
Three North-West chasers in 6th place
The North-West Division is much closer: VfL Bochum occupy the coveted sixth place before matchday 13, but three teams are within realistic striking distance. Bayer 04 Leverkusen are the closest rivals to Bochum, just two points behind, while VfL Wolfsburg and Hansa Rostock are also still in the hunt.
While Bochum face FC St. Pauli on Tuesday evening, who like FC Schalke 04 only have a theoretical chance of finishing sixth, Leverkusen have to face Borussia Mönchengladbach. Wolfsburg, meanwhile, will face Hamburger SV, while Rostock will have to hold their own against league leaders Hannover 96.
1. FC Köln have put themselves in a promising position with a strong 13 points in the two catch-up duels against Leverkusen (4:4) and Hamburg (9:0) from Monday evening. The “Geißböcke” are now in third place with 51 points and a six-point lead over Bayer, but have the following day off and thus still have a bit of trepidation.
