Bruce

[Dunny]

Your thoughts on Karlsruher getting into the top 2? They seem to have an easier run in than Kaiserslautern!! Keeping my fingers crossed for Daniel and his team. Watched a few of their games and Daniel Gordon have been outstanding, hope he carry that level of performance to the Reggae Boyz.

[Bruce]

Karlsruhe is currently in third place (promotion playoff) two points ahead of Darmstadt, and two behind second-place Kaiserslautern (automatic promotion.) Four rounds are remaining on the schedule.

This past Friday, Karlsruhe was handed a gold plated gift by RB Leipzig, who are in fifth place and believe they can sneak into third place. Playing at home against Darmstadt, the score tied 1-1, they gambled for the win, and pushed their goalkeeper all the way forward for a corner kick in stoppage time. The ball fell at his feet, he was not offside, and he spun around and whacked the ball into the net.

This Saturday, Darmstadt plays at Kaiserslautern. Next Monday, Karlsruhe hosts Darmstadt. On the final week of the season, Kaiserslautern plays at Ingolastadt (Team Audi), who has all but clinched first place.

Incidentally Darmstadt is coached by Dirk Schuster, who was Winnie's captain at Karlsruhe. Darmstadt won the Liga 3 vs. Bundesliga 2 promotion
playoff last yearwith a dramatic, stoppage time, come from behind victory.

If Karlsruhe goes to the promotion playoff, it would be a two-leg series. One of the possibilities is VFB Stuttgart, who happens to be Karlsruhe's long time mortal enemy. If it were to happen, there could be an all-out war.

[Bruce]

These are the five Bundesliga teams in the running to finish 16th and a playoff to hang on to their place in the big time, and the story line.

14. Freiburg 34 pts (-10 goal difference) Karlsruhe's neighbor. A Baden derby. Note: Hoffenheim is also located in Baden.

15. Hannover 29 pts (-18) No real story.

16. Hamburg 28 pts. (-27) Never been relegated out since the Bundesliga was formed in 1963. Their website proudly ticks away the nearly 52 years since Hamburg joined the Bundesliga. Last year, Hamburg barely survived the relegation playoff against Greuther Furth.

17. Paderborn 28 pts (-31) Was promoted to the big time for the first time ever after finishing second in Bundesliga 2 last year.

18. VFB Stuttgart 27 pts. (-21) Karlsruhe's longtime mortal enemy.
Every Karlsruhe fan I know has a hard-wired hatred of VFB Stuttgart. A series between Karlsruhe and Stuttgart could lead to all out war inside and outside the stadium. VFB Stuttgart has recently showed some signs of life in a push to get out of relegation.