Werder Bremen secured a crucial victory over Heidenheim, ending a painful streak of thirteen matches without a win in the Bundesliga. This was also the team's first success under coach Daniel Thioune. In other matches of the 24th round, Borussia Mönchengladbach defeated FC Union Berlin after a thrilling finale and VAR intervention, while St. Pauli caused a surprise by beating Hoffenheim. In the second division, Paderborn remains the leader.

End of Werder's Losing Streak

The club from Bremen won its first match in 13 games, defeating a direct rival in the relegation battle.

Union's Drama in Gladbach

The Berliners lost in added time after a VAR intervention, halting their climb up the table.

Sensation in Sinsheim

FC St. Pauli won on the difficult ground of Hoffenheim, causing one of the round's biggest surprises.

Paderborn Leads the Second Division

In the second league, Paderborn solidifies its lead after a victory over Kaiserslautern.

Saturday's series of matches in the German Bundesliga was marked by breakthroughs and dramatic outcomes in the battle for survival and European cups. The most attention was drawn to the clash between Werder Bremen and Heidenheim, dubbed a 'basement duel' in the table. Werder, which hadn't managed to win a points match for thirteen rounds, finally managed to take all three points. This result is particularly significant for the new coach, Daniel Thioune, for whom this was his first victory on the Bremen bench. This success allows the club from northern Germany to maintain realistic hopes of avoiding relegation, although the situation at the bottom of the table remains tense. Equally thrilling was the match in Mönchengladbach, where the local Borussia hosted Union Berlin. The fate of the match was decided in added time by a goal scored by Kevin Diks. This goal caused considerable controversy, and the final decision to award it was made only after a lengthy analysis by the VAR. For Union Berlin, which had beaten favored Leverkusen a week earlier, this defeat is a painful blow, especially as experts rated the Berliners' offensive efforts poorly. Meanwhile, league leaders Bayer Leverkusen only managed a draw with Mainz, salvaging a point with a last-gasp goal. Werder Bremen is one of the most decorated clubs in the history of German football, a four-time national champion. However, recent years have been a period of deep crisis, which in 2021 even led to the team's first relegation to the second division in 41 years. In Kraichgau, a major surprise occurred, where newcomers FC St. Pauli defeated higher-ranked Hoffenheim. This victory strengthens the Hamburg side's position in mid-table and distances them from the relegation battle. Simultaneously, in the 2. Bundesliga, there were also changes: Paderborn retained the top spot after a victory in Kaiserslautern, and Hannover 96 secured an important win over Arminia Bielefeld thanks to a penalty awarded for an unfortunate handball. „Das ist eine riesige Erleichterung für uns. Diese Mannschaft brauchte ein Erfolgserlebnis, um endlich wieder an ihre Fähigkeiten im Abstiegskampf zu glauben.” (This is a huge relief for us. This team needed a success to finally start believing in their abilities again in the relegation battle.) — Daniel Thioune

Mentioned People

  • Daniel Thioune — Coach of Werder Bremen, who secured his first victory with the club in the Bundesliga.
  • Kevin Diks — Player for Borussia Mönchengladbach, scorer of the winning goal in the match against Union Berlin.