The 2020–21 2. Bundesliga was the 47th season of the 2. Bundesliga. It began on 18 September 2020 and concluded on 23 May 2021. The season was originally scheduled to begin on 31 July 2020 and conclude on 16 May 2021, though this was delayed due to postponement of the previous season as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic. The relegation games were scheduled to be held between 26 and 30 May 2021. From 22 December 2020 to 1 January 2021, the season was interrupted by a shortened winter break. A total of 306 league and four relegation games were to be played, including three English weeks.

The fixtures were announced on 7 August 2020.

Effects of the COVID-19 pandemic The season was originally scheduled to open on 31 July 2020 and end on 16 May 2021. As the pre-season operation was suspended for several weeks between 11 March and 16 May 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic, and the international club competitions of the same season did not end until August 2020, a postponement of the start of the season became necessary. The DFB and the DFL, in consultation with FIFA, also adapted the summer transfer period (in principle 1 July to 31 August). The transfer window was open on 1 July (change period I.1) and from 15 July to 5 October 2020 (change period I.2). The first one-day phase was planned, in particular for the registration of contracts already concluded, starting on 1 July.

On 3 September 2020, the DFL General Assembly voted to extend the use of five substitutions in matches to the 2020–21 season, which was implemented at the end of the previous season to lessen the impact of fixture congestion caused by the COVID-19 pandemic. The use of five substitutes, based on the decision of competition organisers, had been extended by IFAB until 2021.

On 15 September 2020, three days before the opening of the new season, the premiers and representatives of the league agreed on a concept that would allow a spectator count of 20 percent of the stadium capacity by the end of October. In the end, 13 of 54 matches had to be played in the first six days of the season, but on average only 1,900 spectators were allowed into the stadiums until then. Following a decision by the Prime Ministers on 29 October, a general exclusion of spectators was finally ordered at least for match days 7 to 9. The background was the shutdown, which was initially only valid for November nationwide, but did not include the general operation of the two Bundesligen.

Teams

Team changes Promoted from 2019–20 3. Liga Relegated from 2019–20 Bundesliga Promoted to 2020–21 Bundesliga Relegated to 2020–21 3. Liga Würzburger KickersEintracht Braunschweig Fortuna DüsseldorfSC Paderborn Arminia BielefeldVfB Stuttgart Wehen WiesbadenDynamo Dresden

Stadiums and locations Due to the COVID-19 pandemic, only partial utilisation of the respective total capacities is permitted indefinitely, there are regional differences resulting from decisions of the respective state governments. In addition, since the 7th day of play, only ghost games may be played with the exclusion of the public.

Team Location Stadium Capacity Erzgebirge Aue Aue-Bad Schlema Erzgebirgsstadion 15,711 VfL Bochum Bochum Vonovia Ruhrstadion 29,299 Eintracht Braunschweig Braunschweig Eintracht-Stadion 23,325 Darmstadt 98 Darmstadt Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor 17,000 Fortuna Düsseldorf Düsseldorf Merkur Spiel-Arena 54,600 Greuther Fürth Fürth Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer 18,500 Hamburger SV Hamburg Volksparkstadion 57,000 Hannover 96 Hanover HDI-Arena 49,000 1. FC Heidenheim Heidenheim Voith-Arena 15,000 Karlsruher SC Karlsruhe Wildparkstadion 29,699 Holstein Kiel Kiel Holstein-Stadion 15,034 1. FC Nürnberg Nuremberg Max-Morlock-Stadion 49,923 VfL Osnabrück Osnabrück Stadion an der Bremer Brücke 16,667 SC Paderborn Paderborn Benteler-Arena 15,000 Jahn Regensburg Regensburg Jahnstadion Regensburg 15,210 SV Sandhausen Sandhausen BWT-Stadion am Hardtwald 15,414 FC St. Pauli Hamburg Millerntor-Stadion 29,546 Würzburger Kickers Würzburg Flyeralarm Arena 14,500

Personnel and kits Team Manager Captain Kit manufacturer Shirt sponsor Front Sleeve Erzgebirge Aue Dirk Schuster Martin Männel Nike WätaS Wärmetauscher Sachsen Leonhardt Group VfL Bochum Thomas Reis Anthony Losilla Nike Tricorp Workwear Viactiv Betriebskrankenkasse Eintracht Braunschweig Daniel Meyer Martin Kobylański Erima Heycar MT Massivhaus Darmstadt 98 Markus Anfang Fabian Holland Craft Software AG Dialog Minds Fortuna Düsseldorf Uwe Rösler Adam Bodzek Uhlsport Henkel Toyo Tires Greuther Fürth Stefan Leitl Branimir Hrgota Puma Hofmann Personal BVUK Hamburger SV Horst Hrubesch Tim Leibold Adidas Orthomol Popp Feinkost Hannover 96 Kenan Kocak Dominik Kaiser Macron Heinz von Heiden HDI 1. FC Heidenheim Frank Schmidt Marc Schnatterer Nike Kneipp Voith Karlsruher SC Christian Eichner Jérôme Gondorf Macron Klaiber Markisen CG Gruppe Holstein Kiel Ole Werner Hauke Wahl Puma Famila Lotto Schleswig-Holstein 1. FC Nürnberg Robert Klauß Enrico Valentini Umbro Nürnberger Versicherung Godelmann Betonstein VfL Osnabrück Markus Feldhoff Maurice Trapp Puma sunmaker Sievert SC Paderborn Steffen Baumgart Sebastian Schonlau Saller sunmaker Effect Energy Drink Jahn Regensburg Mersad Selimbegović Benedikt Gimber Saller Netto Dallmeier electronic SV Sandhausen Stefan Kulovits Dennis Diekmeier Puma gymper BWT FC St. Pauli Timo Schultz Christopher Avevor Under Armour Congstar Astra Brauerei Würzburger Kickers Ralf Santelli / Sebastian Schuppan Daniel Hägele Jako BVUK Flyeralarm

Managerial changes Team Outgoing Exit date Position in table Incoming Incoming date Announced on Departed on Announced on Arrived on Darmstadt 98 Dimitrios Grammozis End of contract 26 February 202030 June 2020Pre-season Markus Anfang 16 April 2020 1 July 2020 FC St. Pauli Jos Luhukay Mutual consent 29 June 2020 Timo Schultz 12 July 2020 Hamburger SV Dieter Hecking End of contract 4 July 2020 Daniel Thioune6 July 2020 VfL Osnabrück Daniel Thioune Signed for Hamburger SV6 July 2020 Marco Grote22 July 2020 Eintracht Braunschweig Marco Antwerpen End of contract7 July 2020 Daniel Meyer10 July 2020 1. FC Nürnberg Michael Wiesinger End of contract11 July 2020 Robert Klauß30 July 2020 Würzburger Kickers Michael SchieleSacked29 September 202018th Marco Antwerpen29 September 2020 Marco Antwerpen9 November 2020 Bernhard Trares9 November 2020 SV Sandhausen Uwe KoschinatSacked24 November 202015th Michael Schiele26 November 2020 VfL Osnabrück Marco Grote15 February 2021 Florian Fulland (interim)15 February 2021 SV Sandhausen Michael Schiele 16th Stefan Kulovits / Gerhard Kleppinger (interim) VfL Osnabrück Florian Fulland (interim) End of caretaker spell3 March 2021 15th Markus Feldhoff3 March 2021 Würzburger Kickers Bernhard TraresSacked2 April 2021 18th Ralf Santelli / Sebastian Schuppan (interim)2 April 2021 Hamburger SV Daniel Thioune3 May 2021 3rd Horst Hrubesch (interim)3 May 2021

League table

Results

Promotion/relegation play-offs The relegation play-offs took place on 27 and 30 May 2021.

All times are CEST (UTC+2).

Overview

Matches

FC Ingolstadt won 4–3 on aggregate and are promoted to the 2. Bundesliga, while VfL Osnabrück are relegated to the 3. Liga.

Statistics Top scorers Rank Player Club Goals 1 Serdar DursunDarmstadt 98 27 2 Simon TeroddeHamburger SV 243 Marvin DuckschHannover 9616 Branimir HrgotaGreuther Fürth Dennis SrbenySC Paderborn6 Simon ZollerVfL Bochum15 Robert ŽuljVfL Bochum8 Andreas AlbersJahn Regensburg13 Kevin BehrensSV Sandhausen Chris FührichSC Paderborn Philipp HofmannKarlsruher SC Christian Kühlwetter1. FC Heidenheim Janni SerraHolstein Kiel

Clean sheets Rank Player Club Clean cheets1 Florian KastenmeierFortuna Düsseldorf11 Alexander MeyerJahn Regensburg3 Kevin Müller1. FC Heidenheim10 Manuel RiemannVfL Bochum Leopold ZingerleSC Paderborn6 Jasmin FejzićEintracht Braunschweig9 Ioannis GeliosHolstein Kiel Marius GersbeckKarlsruher SC Sven UlreichHamburger SV 10 Michael EsserHannover 96 8

Highs of the season The highest-scoring match was FC Erzgebirge Aue's 8–3 home loss to SC Paderborn 07 on Matchday 32, when eleven goals were scored. Only in three games in the history of the second division have more than eleven goals been scored. The highest victories were by five goals difference each: VfL Bochum's 5–0 win against Fortuna Düsseldorf on Matchday 9; Hamburger SV's 5–0 win against VfL Osnabrück on Matchday 16; SC Paderborn 07's 8–3 win against FC Erzgebirge Aue on Matchday 32. The highest-scoring draws were six goals each: Fortuna Düsseldorf's 3–3 draw against SpVgg Greuther Fürth on Matchday 17; FC Erzgebirge Aue's 3–3 draw against Hamburger SV on Matchday 20; Hannover 96's 3–3 draw against Hamburger SV on Matchday 27. The highest-scoring matchday was Matchday 32, which was also the highest-scoring matchday in second division history with 46 goals. Serdar Dursun (SV Darmstadt 98) scored the most goals in a match in his team's 5–1 win over 1. FC Heidenheim.

Number of teams by state PositionStateNumberTeams14Greuther Fürth, 1. FC Nürnberg, Jahn Regensburg and Würzburger Kickers231. FC Heidenheim, Karlsruher SC and SV Sandhausen3VfL Bochum, Fortuna Düsseldorf and SC Paderborn3Eintracht Braunschweig, Hannover 96 and VfL Osnabrück52Hamburger SV and FC St. Pauli61Darmstadt 981Erzgebirge Aue1Holstein Kiel

Notes

References

External links