Historic Bundesliga survival battle goes to final day with Wolfsburg, Heidenheim and St. Pauli in the mix

For the first time in Bundesliga history, the three teams at the bottom of the table enter the final matchday level on points, setting up a dramatic relegation battle.

The fight centers around the relegation play-off spot (16th place), which offers a two-legged tie against the third-placed team from the 2. Bundesliga rather than direct relegation.

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At the moment, VfL Wolfsburg sit 16th, holding a narrow advantage. They face bottom-placed FC St. Pauli, while 17th-placed 1. FC Heidenheim 1846 host 1. FSV Mainz 05.

Crucially, Wolfsburg also carry a three-goal superior goal difference over both rivals, giving them a significant edge in what is effectively a survival shootout played simultaneously across two stadiums.

Heidenheim’s remarkable fightback

Heidenheim have scripted one of the season’s most unexpected comebacks. Eight rounds ago, they were 10 points adrift of safety. Since then, a strong late surge, 12 points from their last seven matches, has dragged them back into contention.

Head coach Frank Schmidt described the run-in as “something that couldn’t be more thrilling for the fans,” while acknowledging how close they came to being written off.

Their recent 3–1 win over Cologne summed up the momentum: defender Jonas Föhrenbach played through a broken nose with a protective mask, while midfielder Niklas Dorsch returned briefly after a concussion scare.

Club CEO Holger Sanwald summed up the mentality: “To give up isn’t part of our DNA.”

For St. Pauli, the form has dipped at the worst possible time. Coach Alexander Blessin admitted that being the chasing side removes ambiguity but adds psychological weight.

“You have to take the pressure in a positive way,” he said ahead of the decisive fixture.