"We didn't miss the chance to stay in the league today": Bitter end for Gießen's strong series
With a brilliant final spurt, FC Gießen had kept hopes of staying up until the final matchday. However, after the season finale defeat to champions Hoffenheim II, the newly promoted team was forced to take the bitter step of relegation to the fifth division.
Disappointment after the 1:4 defeat against Hoffenheim II: Gießen must return to the Oberliga IMAGO/Oliver Vogler
Now it's clear: Despite their strong second half of the season, FC Gießen will be relegated to the Hessenliga. Only a win at TSG Hoffenheim II could have saved them from immediate relegation – but that seemed a distant prospect early on Saturday. The champions led 3-0 at halftime; in the end, the future third-division team prevailed comfortably in Sinsheim ( 4-1 ).
FCG will thus find itself in the fifth division in 2025/26, just like Eintracht Frankfurt II and fellow promoted teams Göppinger SV and FC 08 Villingen. Eintracht Trier is the only newcomer to remain in the league.
We didn't miss out on staying in the league today. I'm thinking more about games like the draw against Göppingen and the occasional defeat.
"Hoffenheim was incredibly strong and superior to us in every respect," explained Michèl Magel. Shortly after the match, which numerous fans of the Hesse team watched under the slogan "Everyone in red to Sinsheim!", Giessen's managing director reflected on the past few months: "Of course it hurts. But we were prepared and knew it could happen. We didn't miss out on staying in the league today. I'm thinking more about games like the draw against Göppingen and the occasional defeat."
Discrepancy between first and second half of the seasonIndeed, there is a significant discrepancy between the points tally in the first half of the season and the second half. While Gießen collected only 12 points in the first half of the season, they managed a whopping 26 in the second. Had FCG also achieved the same number of points in the first half, they would have a total of 52 points. By comparison, with this number of points, Stuttgarter Kickers finished sixth in the final standings – far from being in danger of relegation.
"The disappointment is huge. Before the game, we had hoped for something despite the circumstances. But we weren't alert enough today. Many couldn't handle the pressure," said Michael Fink. The former Bundesliga player was promoted to head coach following the early signing of Daniyel Cimens (SG Barockstadt) and mastered many challenges in this grueling year. With a surprising and impressive final spurt, his team had recently fueled hopes of staying in the league. Among other games, they beat FSV Frankfurt and SGV Freiberg (both 1-0) and drew 1-1 with runners-up Kickers Offenbach.
Small changes possible"Being relegated with 38 points is bitter. But now it's important to get back on track," says Magel. Next week will provide information on changes to the squad. The manager expects "not a huge change, but a certain amount of upheaval." A core structure is to be maintained; new signings are also expected to provide "new momentum." Departures of key players have not yet been announced. However, players such as central defender Pietro Besso and attacker Oliver Kovacic are likely to have piqued the interest of other clubs.
Even before the season finale, the club had announced contract extensions with Tolga Duran , Davide Itter , and Dominik Rummel . Lennox Reichenbächer, a talented player, was also signed until 2027. However, the mood was dampened by the serious injury of Wessam Abdel-Ghani . Giessen's captain tore his cruciate ligament in training.
We want to put together a team that can compete as high as possible.
"One thing is clear: We want to field a team that can compete as high as possible. We will give it our best," emphasizes Fink. The club will continue to rely on him, as well as on his assistant coaches Stephen Jäckel and Meba Karnapke – and, of course, on the strength of a team that has had to overcome numerous setbacks and almost crowned its furious second half of the season with a barely thought-possible relegation. Even if that was little consolation for Magel, Fink, and Co. on Saturday: FC Gießen leaves the Regionalliga with their heads held high.
