That’s why SV Meppen wants to be 17th

The season is not over yet in terms of sport: Ernst Middendorp and SV Meppen.
IMAGO / Werner Schultz

In purely mathematical terms, SV Meppen was relegated. After six years, the Emslanders have said goodbye to the Third League and will play in the Regionalliga Nord next season. After Halle won 2-0 at home against Essen, SVM could no longer reach a salvaged 16th place even if they beat Dynamo Dresden in the evening.

Of course one had hoped, said coach Ernst Middendorp. “But I made it clear to the players in the dressing room after the Osnabrück game that we should have won the game.” In the derby in VfL, who were still hoping for promotion, there was recently a 2-2 draw – fantastic, but not enough, as it turned out.

Meppener does not want to give up the last two games of the season. The club wants to make the most of both against promotion candidate Dresden in the final Monday match in German professional football – 8,500 tickets sold as of Monday morning – and in the 38th in second place SC Freiburg II.

Reminders of 2021 and KFC Uerdingen

Coach Middendorp posted No. 17 as an obvious target. The first position down the line is potentially important, that is, if a competitor is denied a Class C license. In addition, the future of German relegation club Hertha is currently unclear. Berliners are concerned about admission to the second division, and if this is refused, there is a chance of a fresh start in the regional division.

SVM could already pass Oldenburg on Monday – with a hat-trick against Dresden. “We certainly have a clear responsibility there. Meppen has experienced it before,” Middendorp said. Meppen was also relegated in 2020/21, but benefited from the fact that KFC Uerdingen was unable to meet the terms of the license.