Bundesliga and 2. Bundesliga Teams Battle Relegation and Promotion in Crucial February Matches

The fight for Bundesliga survival and promotion heats up as several teams face pivotal fixtures crucial for their season goals. Hertha BSC continues to struggle in the 2. Bundesliga, searching for a win after six matches without success under coach Stefan Leitl. The team has been hampered by severe winter weather conditions affecting training, with Leitl lamenting, "The weather has been a disaster since the beginning of the year, and the training ground reflects that." Adding to their challenges, striker Dawid Kownacki has been suspended for three matches following a foul in their last game against Darmstadt, although Hertha is appealing to reduce the ban to two. In his absence, Luca Schuler will step into the forward position despite a less than impressive season so far. Meanwhile, defender Deyovaisio Zeefuik returns after a yellow card suspension, potentially displacing Julian Eitschberger, while newly acquired Josip Brekalo from Real Oviedo is expected to inject fresh quality and versatility into the squad. Hertha needs a win in their upcoming match against second-placed Elversberg to revive their promotion chances.

In the Bundesliga, VfB Stuttgart and FC St. Pauli prepare for a decisive clash reflecting the stark contrasts in their seasons. Stuttgart sits fourth in the table, firmly in contention for a Champions League berth, undefeated in 2026 with four wins and one draw, and advancing recently to the cup semifinals with a 3-0 victory over Kiel. Contrarily, St. Pauli languishes in 17th place, yet to win a league game this year with two draws and three losses. St. Pauli was also recently knocked out of the cup by Bayer Leverkusen with a 0-3 defeat. Stuttgart’s Deniz Undav noted that while St. Pauli plays attractive football, they have lacked the crucial finishing touch, which Stuttgart hopes to capitalize on. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß may rotate his squad due to the congested fixture list, possibly giving young player Jeremy Arévalo, who has struggled for playing time since his transfer from Racing Santander, a valuable opportunity to impact. Sporting director Fabian Wohlgemuth stressed the importance of improving on their previous 2-0 victory against St. Pauli earlier in the season.

This weekend’s matches thus represent key turning points for teams battling relegation survival in the 2. Bundesliga and those fighting for European qualification in the top flight. The outcomes could significantly influence both promotions and relegations as the season progresses.