"The most unsympathetic club": Kruse takes a dig at his former club

Bayer 04 Leverkusen v SC Paderborn - Pre-Season Friendly

Max Kruse had a disappointing spell at VfL Wolfsburg. Now the 38-year-old is publicly lambasting the struggling Wolves, who are fighting to avoid relegation.

Speaking to DAZN, Kruse addressed his former club's fight for Bundesliga survival on Matchday 34. VfL Wolfsburg, FC St. Pauli and 1. FC Heidenheim are all vying for 16th place, the relegation playoff spot. "Everyone knows how I feel about VfL," he stated. I don't have a fundamental issue with the club, but of the three sides, Wolfsburg is the one I like least—if I may put it that way."

Commenting on the Lower Saxony side's disastrous season, Kruse said: "Given the budget and resources Wolfsburg has compared to the other two clubs, they simply ought to be finishing higher than 15th in the table. Of the three clubs, the Wolves have disappointed me the most in terms of their football. That's why, in my opinion, it would be only logical for them to be relegated."

Kruse, who played for Wolfsburg during the 2015/16 season and for eleven months in 2022, added: "A lot of money is involved; they spend heavily, yet it often doesn't gel. The squad simply isn't assembled correctly every year."

kruse

Kruse: "Some people who know next to nothing about football"

Kruse is critical of sponsor Volkswagen's influence. "There's a conflict between the VW plant and the club, or rather those in charge. People who, in some cases, know nothing about football want to have a say," he explained. "The more people grabbing the wheel, the harder it is to keep the ship on course. That's why Wolfsburg has been off the rails for years."

Given the club's precarious situation, Kruse believes St. Pauli and Heidenheim have the upper hand because their players know what's at stake. "If you're down there with VfL Wolfsburg and many players in the squad have probably never experienced a relegation battle in their lives, then it's not easy," he said. "In the end, everyone knows livelihoods are at stake, yet many players also know they'd probably leave the club rather than play in the second division, since their contracts don't cover that. Frankly, some just don't care."

The relegation battle promises to be nothing short of dramatic.

Kruse continued: "They're missing the kind of players who know how to battle against relegation. Put simply, that's the issue. Despite slight improvements in recent weeks, the points simply aren't coming, and over 34 matchdays that's not good enough. While I expect VfL Wolfsburg to survive, on balance they deserve to go down."

Matchday 34 now promises pure drama in the relegation battle: bottom club St. Pauli, Heidenheim (17th) and Wolfsburg (16th) all enter the finale level on points.

Heidenheim's late comeback handed the wooden spoon to St. Pauli, and both sides share an identical -29 goal difference. Wolfsburg are three goals better off.

The final-day narrative is simple: Wolfsburg travel to St. Pauli, while Heidenheim host 1. FSV Mainz 05. If Heidenheim win, two clubs could finish level on points and goal difference.

VfL Wolfsburg v FC Bayern München - Bundesliga

Bundesliga: The bottom three sides in the table