SSV Esslingen: Bitter defeat stops Bundesliga dreams!

SSV Esslingen: Bitter defeat stops Bundesliga dreams!

There is excitement in water polo, and the relegation series in the Bundesliga also produced remarkable results. SG Neukölln prevailed in the relegation match against SSV Esslingen and thus qualified for the Bundesliga for the 2025/2026 season. However, the dream of first class for Esslingen has shattered.

Relegation defeats for Esslingen

Last Sunday, June 21, 2025, SSV Esslingen lost the second relegation game against Neukölln 9:19. In a thrilling match, SG Neukölln showed right from the start who controlled the water. The first quarter ended with a score of 3:6, with the Esslingen team trying to catch up. But the Berliners also held the lead in the second quarter (3:3), and SSV Esslingen was no longer really in the game in the second half. The last two quarters clearly went to Neukölln with 1:4 and 2:6. The Esslingen team had to admit defeat 8:14 in the first leg, so the relegation ended prematurely with a clear 2-0 win for the Neukölln team deutsche-wasserpolo-liga.de reported.

The Esslingen players gave their all in terms of fighting, but with their two defeats in the relegation games they were relegated to the B group, which will in future be called the 2nd Bundesliga. After 19 years, SSV Esslingen is also over in the upper house league.

A season with ups and downs

Despite the results, the team expressed overall satisfaction with last season. The decisive factor in Neukölln's victory was the young player Lennart Rojahn, who shone with four goals and once again demonstrated his goal-scoring ability, while coach Andreas Schlotterbeck can be singled out for his excellent attitude to the team.

But what is the competitive landscape in water polo? The 2024/2025 season was characterized by interesting duels, and the relegation games brought some surprising twists. Duisburg SV 98 was also able to achieve two wins against SV Krefeld 72 and thus secured seventh place. Meanwhile, SV Cannstatt, who mastered the B group, celebrated a direct place in the top eight of the Bundesliga.

Future outlook for Esslingen and Neukölln

The build-up for the next season now begins for Esslingen. The focus will be on learning from the experience of relegation and tackling the ambitious goals in the 2nd Bundesliga. Neukölln, on the other hand, is heading into the upcoming Bundesliga season with fresh self-confidence. In addition to participating in the league, the Berliners also qualified for the new European Cup competition, the Conference Cup.

Ultimately, it remains to be hoped that Esslinger will be able to fight their way back and soon pursue their water polo dreams in the first league, while SG Neukölln can justifiably hope for an exciting and successful season. Further information about the water polo Bundesliga can be found at deutsche-wasserpolo-liga.de.