SG Wattenscheid 09 have found hope in the relegation battle in the Regionalliga West. Recently, the promoted team picked up seven points from four games.

Although SG Wattenscheid 09 has the worst defence with 40 goals conceded and the second-worst attack in the Regionalliga West with only 18 goals scored, the hope of staying in the relegation zone has returned for the team at the bottom of the table.

They are currently six points behind the bottom of the league. “We have recently played against good teams like Schalke II and Oberhausen as well as the up-and-coming promoted teams Düren and Kaan-Marienborn. Not only were the results mostly satisfactory, but the performances were also respectable. And when they weren’t right, like in Düren, we still managed to pull it off thanks to a brutal morale boost. Our team is alive,” emphasises Nico Lucas.

The 25-year-old central midfielder has also contributed to the positive run of the Wattenscheid team in recent weeks. In between, the former RWE player had to make do with the bench and was also absent due to a Corona illness. “We are in a team sport here and I am the last one to look at myself. The coach had other ideas and I had to watch from time to time. That’s how it is in football. Now I’m back in the team and I’m happy when I can help the boys,” explains 113-time Regionalliga player.

During the time Lucas had to sit on the bench, he extended his contract by another year until the summer of 2024. And that’s no coincidence, as Lucas explains: “I feel really comfortable in the team, in the club. Everything just fits. Why should I consider a change of club?”

If Wattenscheid were relegated, Lucas would stay. But he doesn’t waste a thought on that. Lucas: “Four or five weeks ago, we had a clear goal: we wanted to reduce the gap between us and the relegation zone. It used to be nine points, now it’s six. Now we have to make up a few more points before the winter break.”

The next opponents are: Fortuna Düsseldorf (H), Preußen Münster (H), Wuppertaler SV (A) and Rot Weiss Ahlen (H). As a reminder: Wattenscheid conceded a whopping 16 goals in three games against Münster and Wuppertal (both 1:4) and Ahlen (0:8) in the first half of the season. “We still have a lot to make up for and will make sure that this doesn’t happen to us again. We have three home matches in the last four games before the break. We are certainly not an easy opponent at Lohrheide. That should also encourage us,” stresses Lucas.