The Regionalliga Nord may have already ended on Saturday. However, the decision on relegation was not made until Whit Monday – by the association.

The last matchday of the Regionalliga Nord on Saturday promised high tension in the relegation battle. Several teams could still slip to a direct relegation place or a relegation place. The result has only been clear since Monday evening: Werder Bremen’s U23 will be relegated to the Oberliga. The reason for this is a match reclassification at the green table.

Kickers Emden, Atlas Delmenhorst, VfV Borussia Hildesheim and BSV SW Rehden had already been relegated before the last match day. However, since SV Meppen and VfB Oldenburg were relegated from the 3rd Division and will play in the Regionalliga Nord in the coming season, it was clear that the 15th-placed team would also be relegated directly. The 14th-placed team will play a relegation match this week against Lupo Martini Wolfsburg – second in the Oberliga Niedersachsen.

Werder II lose direct duel with Phönix Lübeck

Before the final game against Teutonia Ottensen, Bremer SV were 15th and therefore relegated. Phönix Lübeck were in the relegation places, SSV Jeddeloh were 13th and Werder II twelfth. Jeddeloh won their own game against TSV Havelse on Saturday and saved themselves. Werder was challenged in the direct duel at Phönix Lübeck. Until the 86th minute, the Bundesliga reserve led 2:1, but then the drama took its course. Lübeck equalised first, before Phönix scored the 3:2 winner in the 93rd minute – thus the club passed Werder and celebrated its relegation.

Werder II thus dropped to the relegation place – and if Bremer SV had won, their city rivals would have passed them as well. But the game between BSV and Teutonia Ottensen was never finished. At the score of 1:2 from the Bremen point of view, the Teutonia players left the pitch in unison – and did not want to continue playing. The reason: an alleged racist insult against Teutonia captain Marcus Coffie.

NFV scores the match for Bremer SV

However, this insult could not be proven – neither the referee team had noticed anything nor did video recordings provide any information. Because Teutonia had decided on their own authority not to continue the game, the North German Football Association (NFV) declared on Monday evening that the match would be assessed 5:0 for Bremer SV.

BSV thus passes Werder II without a fight and will now play in the relegation against Lupo Martini Wolfsburg for the right to stay in the league – and sends Werder’s second team to the Bremen Oberliga. This is a bitter blow for the Bundesliga club’s promotion of young talent, as the Bremenliga is probably the weakest Oberliga in Germany.