VFB Stuttgart Season 2022 Match 34

VfB Stuttgart – Hoffenheim

Date: 27th May 2023, 3:30 pm

Result: 1 – 1

Do you remember what I wrote when I was playing with numbers in last week's post? Now the results are in. Stuttgart drew against Hoffenheim, but as I often say, a draw is as good as a loss. Bochum won 3-0 against Leverkusen, which means that Stuttgart will be relegated.

Almost. For the team that finishes in 16th place there's a lifeline. Instead of automatic relegation, there's a playoff against the team that finished third in the second division. That's Hamburg SV. Stuttgart must play two games against them on 1st June and 5th June. If the score is equal after the two games, the winner will be decided on penalties.

On Saturday I was called a fake VfB fan. Honestly! I defended myself by rattling off the names of the players, proving I know about the team, but I understand the criticism. I've only been to the stadium once this season, and I've only watched a few of the games live on television. A friend of mine who's a real VfB fan says he'll stick with the team in good times and bad. I understand that. However, my support depends on Stuttgart's success.

In 2020 Stuttgart was in the second league. I promised my son that if Stuttgart were promoted I'd buy a scarf. They were promoted, and I bought a scarf. I wouldn't say I was a real fan at the time, but wearing it in public made me part of a community. When people saw me on the bus they spoke to me like I was an old friend. I liked it. So at some point I started to consider myself a fan. But now I've made my son another promise. I've told him that if Stuttgart is relegated I'll stop wearing the scarf. Does that make me a fake fan? Maybe.

This is the final league table. One of my friends criticised me for not including the goal difference, which is used when two teams have the same points. In this case it's important, because Bayern München has only taken first place by goal difference, equal in points with Dortmund. So I've included the goal differences. Better late than never.

1.	Bayern München	71	+54
2.	Dortmund	71	+39
3.	RB Leipzig	66	+23
4.	Union Berlin	62	+13
5.	SC Freiburg	59	+7
6.	Leverkusen	50	+8
7.	Eintracht Frankfurt	50	+6
8.	Wolfsburg	49	+9
9.	Mainz	46	-1
10.	Mönchengladbach	43	-3
11.	Köln	42	-5
12.	Hoffenheim	36	-9
13.	Werder Bremen	36	-13
14.	VfL Bochum	35	-32
15.	Augsburg	34	-21
16.	VfB Stuttgart	33	-12
17.	Schalke 04	31	-36
18.	Hertha	29	-27