After just 32 match days, promoted team 1. FC Heidenheim secured their place in the Bundesliga. Coach Frank Schmidt remembers how his team was traded before the season.
For Schmidt, staying in the Bundesliga is a comparable achievement to promotion a year ago. “It’s great that we’re now 100 percent certain of staying in the league. That outshines everything. It’s something incredibly great. The team really deserves it. That wasn’t to be expected, but it’s absolutely deserved. It’s very nice “, said the head coach of 1. FC Heidenheim after the 1:1 (0:1) against FSV Mainz 05.
It was already decided before their own game against Mainz that Heidenheim would remain in the league on matchday 32. Thanks to VfL Bochum’s 4-3 win at Union Berlin on Sunday afternoon, relegation was already certain before the game against Rheinhessen.
Holger Sanwald: “This is a sensation”
“We are promoted. We weren’t expected to do so much before the season,” said Schmidt, who proudly wore his red shirt for relegation in the interview zone. “Very few people believed we would be able to stay in the league early. It’s all the better that we did it.”
“This season will be remembered forever”
CEO Holger Sanwald also raved about the club’s performance. “I’m so relieved and incredibly happy. That’s quite a sensation,” he said in an interview with SWR Sport. “We have a completely secure midfield position, we were always far behind. I’m overjoyed and proud of the team, coach and everyone who contributed to us staying in the Bundesliga. This season will be remembered forever.”
The 56-year-old went on to say that we now know how the Bundesliga works and are proud to have planning security so early on. That helps enormously with regard to the coming season.
The “relegation sensation” was celebrated extensively by the team, those responsible and fans after the Mainz game. The entire team stood in front of the fan curve and cheered together with the supporters; it was a big party in Heidenheim.
“We’re not going to party for three weeks now”
Meanwhile, FCH coach Schmidt announced that he would also like to play the remaining league games at SC Freiburg and against 1. FC Köln seriously. “We’re not going to party for three weeks now, that’ll come at the end,” announced the coach.
Even Europe is still possible for Heidenheim
And who knows whether Heidenheim will be able to celebrate more than “just” staying in the league after this season? Theoretically, it is even possible for those ranked tenth in the table to take part in the international competition. It would be an incredible happy ending for the already beautiful fairy tale of 1. FC Heidenheim in the Bundesliga.
Broadcast on Monday, May 6, 2024, 6:00 a.m., SWR Aktuell in the morning, SWR Aktuell