By Oliver Trust
BERLIN, March 22 (Xinhua) -- A sense of dread swept through Wolfsburg's stadium in the closing minutes of its 1-0 loss to fellow struggler Werder Bremen.
Some fans were in tears, others buried their faces in their hands, and the final whistle only deepened the sense of crisis around the club.
The defeat intensified Wolfsburg's relegation fears and sharpened concerns over its broader future.
The 2015 German Cup winner is grappling not only with problems on the field, but also uncertainty off it, with owner Volkswagen reviewing its financial commitments to football.
Volkswagen chairman Oliver Blume said the company would examine its spending, though he reaffirmed its commitment to the 2008-09 Bundesliga champion.
For now, hope appears to be fading. Wolfsburg has 21 points with seven league games remaining and faces a daunting task to avoid its first relegation since winning promotion to the top flight in 1997.
Disappointed players slumped to the turf after the match, while coach Dieter Hecking cut a grim figure on the sideline.
"The number of opportunities is decreasing, but not everything is lost," sporting director Pirmin Schwegler said.
Hecking, who returned two weeks ago in an attempt to steer the club to safety, said the team needs a boost.
"The team is aware of what it can look like, but it needs the experience of success," he said.
Wolfsburg's missed chances against Bremen underlined the fragility of a side now without a win in 10 matches.
There had been a flicker of optimism when Hecking, a club hero who led Wolfsburg to the 2015 German Cup title and into the Champions League, took charge again. But that hope has quickly been tempered after his side took just one point from its first two matches under his leadership.
With the international break offering a brief pause, Hecking now faces the task of piecing together a survival push for the closing stretch of the season.
"We all knew it was going to be difficult," Hecking said, while pointing to signs of improvement over the past two weeks.
Former Switzerland international Schwegler called for unity and determination.
"It will be a fight until the last moment," he said, urging the club to "stick together and rise again."
Wolfsburg's remaining schedule includes daunting fixtures against Bayer Leverkusen, Eintracht Frankfurt and Bayern Munich, but Schwegler said the team must focus on the opportunity in every game.
"That must be our mindset," he said. "No matter who we play, it's a game with three points within reach." ■
