In Germany, there are two types of clubs, Traditionverein, traditional clubs and Plastikverein, “plastic” clubs. A term used to refer to two clubs that circumvent the 50+1 rule, Dietmar Hopp’s TSG Hoffenheim and Red Bull-owned RB Leipzig. However, two other clubs are somewhat between the two due to the status of their owners. Thus, Bayer Leverkusen, although founded in 1904, was created by the chemical and pharmaceutical company Bayer. VfL Wolfsburg is also a sport-washing model since it belongs to the car manufacturer Volkswagen.
Founded in 1945 and brought to the Bundesliga for the first time in 1997, Wolfsburg did not move up there to make up the numbers. Obtaining 9 European participations over this period, Wolfsburg won the 2009 Bundesliga and the 2015 German Cup while enjoying some nice European careers. Quarter-finalist in the 2016 Champions League (3-2 aggregate defeat against Real Madrid), the Lower Saxony club did the same in the Europa League in 2010 (3-1 aggregate defeat against Fulham) and 2015 (6-3 aggregate defeat against Naples). Great references for Wolfsburg who were still in the Champions League during the 2021/2022 season. However, the Wolves now dance more with the red zone.
The failure Paul Simonis
Yet eleventh without trembling too much last year, Wolfsburg was more likely to play in the middle of the table and if possible a little more. New coach Paul Simonis, who was coming off a positive experience with Go Ahead Eagles, had to improve a team that wanted to fight for Europe. However, the transfer window struggled to materialize with the arrivals of Vini Souza (Sheffield United), Mohamed Amoura (Union Saint-Gilloise) and Denis Vavro (Copenhagen) for just over 30 million euros as well as loans with an option to buy Saël Kumbedi (Olympique Lyonnais), Jesper Lindstrøm (Naples) and Adam Daghim (Red Bull Salzburg). Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen also signed freely from Manchester United. Material to shine for Wolfsburg, but the marriage never really took place.
Despite a great opening victory against Heidenheim (3-1), Wolfsburg then had three draws and seven defeats in eleven matches which caused them to tumble down the rankings. The moment chosen by the leaders to thank Paul Simonis after having tried the bet for a long time in vain. “In football, it’s results and points that ultimately count, and the events of recent weeks have not gone as we hoped. After extensive discussions with the Supervisory Board, we have come to the conclusion that change is necessary to ensure stability and success on the ground. We are all responsible for the current situation: the sports management, the technical staff, the players and the entire club.confided the general director of sports Peter Christiansen on November 9. Located one point behind the St. Pauli play-off after 10 days, Wolfsburg wanted to bounce back with Daniel Bauer as interim. It didn’t work out.
A failed interim, an old one as reinforcement
Despite two victories in December, the results were not necessarily better. Fourteenth at the time of the winter break, Wolfsburg was three points ahead of play-off St. Pauli and took quite a beating to start 2026. Defying Bayern Munich, the Wolves were massacred by Bayern Munich (8-1). A hell of a slap which highlighted the defensive problems a little more and pushed the club to invest in the transfer window. Ghanaian defender Jonas Adjetey arrived from Basel, Brazilian Cleiton came free from Flamengo while Jeanuël Belocian was loaned by Bayer Leverkusen. Three defenders who were to change the face of the team. Already at the club, Saël Kumbedi was bought permanently while Japanese striker Kento Shiogai arrived from NEC Nijmegen. Still spending almost 30 million euros, Wolfsburg wanted to have their chances of getting back into the middle of the table.
But the start of 2026 was not expected with only one victory in ten matches including seven defeats which led to the departure of Daniel Bauer. It must be said that the crisis was total, reflecting the words of Yannick Gerhardt at the beginning of March: “the club is not doing well at the moment and is not in good health. The gap between expectations and reality is far too great.» Daniel Bauer followed suit: “the fact is that we need to change many structures. The atmosphere and culture within the club are not worthy of the Bundesliga. We must instill a new state of mind throughout the structure.» A week later, the managers replaced him with Dieter Hecking who had offered one of the two best pages in the club’s history between 2013 and 2016. Coming to be the savior, the 62-year-old coach was aware of the difficulty of the task: “coming back to VfL Wolfsburg is very important for me. I experienced an intense and successful period there and I know the quality and energy that drives this club. It is now essential to fully focus on the next goals and join forces to stay in the Bundesliga.»
The hope of the dams
Then tumbled to 17th place, four points behind St. Pauli and Mainz, the play-off and the first non-relegation team, Wolfsburg then had its back against the wall. Especially since the financial situation of the Volkswagen automobile group is not in good shape and the structural deficit of the German formation is worrying. But Dieter Hecking has restored some calm. Relying on a compact 3-5-2 and counting on the offensive role of his pistons, he allowed Wolfsburg to maintain hope of maintaining. Thus, with 3 days remaining, the Wolves are still relegated to 17th place. Located one point from the St. Pauli dam, the Lower Saxony club can hope to maintain its position by this route. On the other hand, direct maintenance promises to be more difficult, because Hamburg, which is fifteenth, is six lengths behind. Still having the worst defense in the League (66 goals conceded as many as bottom-placed Heidenheim), Wolfsburg nevertheless came through offensively with 41 goals scored, making it the tenth attack in the championship.
In this slump, some players were able to limit the damage like the revelation Dzenan Pejcinovic (7 goals scored). Not always regular, Mohamed Amoura remains useful (8 goals and 4 assists), as does Patrick Wimmer (4 goals and 3 assists). Finally, Christian Eriksen shows that he still has something under his belt at 34 years old with 3 goals and 7 assists. If a few individuals survive, the climate remains complicated with certain players expected to leave. Patrick Wimmer has been announced for the Borussia Dortmund side, while Stuttgart have been announced as a suitor for Mohamed Amoura. Finally, players like Jonas Wind, Yannick Gerhardt and Kevin Paredes will be at the end of their contract at the end of the season. Enough to push Dieter Hecking out of his depth after the last match against Borussia Mönchengladbach (0-0): “what bothers me a little – and I want to mention it briefly, because I just heard it – is that, in the current context, after such a match, it is inappropriate to ask questions about the future of our players. I don’t think it’s good for them to be constantly confronted with these kinds of topics.»
The next few weeks will be decisive for Wolfsburg, which travels to Freiburg today before hosting Bayern Munich on Saturday May 9. Finally, on May 16, a trip to Sankt Pauli which should seal the future in the Bundesliga of one of the two teams will have the smell of sulfur. Far from Hamburg, the first non-relegation team, Wolfsburg seems destined to have to go through the play-off box to remain in the German elite. This will be against whoever finishes third in 2. Bundesliga among Paderborn (2nd, 58 points), Hannover (3rd, 57 points) and Elversberg (4th, 56 points). In the Bundesliga since 1997, Wolfsburg, however, had to go through the play-offs twice in 2017 and 2018. Getting the better of Eintracht Brunswick (1-0 and 1-0) as well as Holstein Kiel (3-1 and 1-0), Wolfsburg escaped, but in both cases the Wolves did not experience as much difficulty during the season. The Whites and Greens hope to experience this kind of scenario and not fall into the second division for the first time in the 21st century.
