Felix Bastians is finally history at Rot-Weiss Essen. The third division club announced the news on Thursday.

Just a few days after the 5-0 defeat against SC Verl, Felix Bastians was suspended from Rot-Weiss Essen. From then on, the former team captain was no longer allowed to take part in training or matches.

Less than a month later, Bastians’ chapter at RWE is finally closed. The club and the 35-year-old have mutually agreed on the early termination of his contract, which was originally due to run until the end of the season.

“We have had very constructive talks with Felix over the past few days and have agreed to terminate his contract early. This decision now gives everyone involved the opportunity to look to the future,” explained Marcus Uhlig, CEO of RWE, in a press release.

Uhlig continued: “Felix has achieved a lot in his two years with us. He played a significant role in both promotion in 2022 and staying in the league last season. He deserves our thanks for that. We wish Felix and his family all the best for the future!”

Although the end was certainly not what I had imagined, I look back positively on my time at RWE. Celebrating promotion and leading this club onto the pitch as captain was once again something very special.

Felix Bastians

Bastians himself also spoke for the first time since his suspension. The former Bundesliga professional emphasized: “Even though the end was certainly not what I had imagined, I look back on my time at RWE in a positive light. Celebrating promotion and leading this club onto the pitch as captain was something very special once again.”

The defender wrote on his own Instagram channel: “Thank you for an emotional and successful journey. Our promotion, relegation and cup win as captain are moments that will stay with us forever! I wish the entire club, especially the team and the fans, all the best for the future! See you at Hafenstrasse.”

The 35-year-old, who moved to Hafenstraße in 2021, played a total of 69 competitive matches for RWE and scored eleven goals. Since Bastians was officially released from training and match duties, Rot-Weiss Essen have won four 2:1 victories in a row in the 3rd division and climbed to third place