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VfL Wolfsburg’s survival hopes took another hit as they were held to a goalless draw in a tense first leg of the Bundesliga relegation play-off, leaving them in a precarious position ahead of the decisive return fixture against SC Paderborn.

Despite boasting a stronger squad and a full house at the Volkswagen Arena, Wolfsburg failed to secure a crucial advantage and now inch closer to what could be a disastrous relegation to the 2. Bundesliga.

With Volkswagen CEO Oliver Blume watching from the stands, the Wolves laboured to a disappointing 0–0 result on Thursday evening. Facing SC Paderborn, who finished third in the second division, Wolfsburg now await the second leg nervously, knowing their top-flight status hangs in the balance after a season riddled with setbacks and inconsistency.

The fate of both clubs will be decided on Whit Monday, when Wolfsburg travel to East Westphalia for the second leg, needing a decisive performance to remain in the Bundesliga. The Wolves struggled creatively in attack, appearing short of ideas and conviction, while Paderborn, organised and defensively solid, positioned themselves well for a possible return to the top tier after six years away. Jonah Stecker’s suspension, following a second yellow card deep into stoppage time, will be a blow for SCP in that decisive clash.

Wolfsburg, a Bundesliga mainstay since their promotion in 1997, have twice preserved their top-flight status through play-offs — against Eintracht Braunschweig in 2017 and Holstein Kiel in 2018. Historically, the odds favour the top-division team; since the reintroduction of the play-offs in 2008/09, only three second-tier clubs have managed to win promotion through this route.

SC Paderborn previously secured direct promotion to the Bundesliga in 2014 and 2019 but were relegated after just one season on both occasions. Coach Ralf Kettemann described the current situation as a “once-in-a-lifetime opportunity”, asserting that his side had “far more to gain than to lose” from this tie.

VfL Wolfsburg lacked the cutting edge to make their dominance count — Filip Bilbija’s late miss proved costly. The Wolves began the season with ambitions of European qualification but quickly found themselves battling for survival. They appeared composed in the opening minutes, but frequent errors in their build-up play, exposed by Paderborn’s high press, forced them into recycling possession repeatedly. The visitors comfortably dealt with the resulting long balls.

Paderborn absorbed the early pressure and created the first major chance of the match. Santiago Castaneda’s close-range strike was brilliantly denied by a desperate block from Jeanuel Belocian and goalkeeper Kamil Grabara in the ninth minute. Thereafter, the match remained evenly balanced but produced few clear opportunities. Denis Vavro’s long-range effort in the 23rd minute sailed over, while Adam Daghim’s angled shot in the 32nd minute was saved by SCP goalkeeper Dennis Seimen. Wolfsburg’s superior individual talent failed to break down a disciplined and compact Paderborn side.

After the interval, Wolfsburg continued to struggle in the attacking third. Persistent fouls and poor coordination disrupted their rhythm. Playmaker Christian Eriksen worked tirelessly to influence proceedings, but the Danish midfielder could not conjure his usual magic. His well-struck free-kick in the 67th minute was comfortably claimed by Seimen. In the 84th minute, substitute Filip Bilbija squandered a golden opportunity for Paderborn to secure a memorable away win.