A Night of Drama in Paderborn
The Bundesliga playoff second leg ended in heartbreak for VfL Wolfsburg, who fell 2‑1 to SC Paderborn after a goal in the 118th minute decided the match.
The result marks Wolfsburg’s first descent from Germany’s top flight since 1997, a club that had last lifted the championship in 2009 and has been under the steady patronage of Volkswagen.
Early in the contest, Dženan Pejčinović opened the scoring for Wolfsburg in the third minute, only for Joakim Mæhle to be dismissed just eleven minutes later after collecting a second yellow card.
Filip Bilbija’s diving header restored parity before halftime, but it was Laurin Curda who struck the decisive blow in extra time, sealing Paderborn’s promotion.
Paderborn’s celebration is amplified by the fact that this is their third ascent to the Bundesliga, having previously risen in 2014 and 2019, underscoring the club’s resilient trajectory.
The season also offered a brief chapter for Danish midfielder Christian Eriksen, who joined Wolfsburg in September on a two‑year deal but experienced a disappointing campaign, failing to influence the team’s fate.