Arminia Bielefeld vs Holstein Kiel prediction 23.01.2026 | 2. Bundesliga

Arminia Bielefeld had a rough period behind them, suffering two consecutive relegations and coming close to their third one in the 2023/24 season. Luckily, they bounced back with a great last season, winning the 3. Liga. Their goal for this season is only to survive. However, after a strong start, the popular Blues significantly slowed down and are now in 16th place with 19 points from 18 rounds. They are currently in the relegation play-off spot and are only one point away from the safe zone. However, considering what we have seen from them in the recent games, they have every reason to be concerned.

After a 1:0 loss to Düsseldorf, coach Mitch Kniat spoke to the media. He said they made some wrong decisions in key moments, especially in the midfield. He eventually said it was a close game and that the goal they conceded was avoidable. However, he wasn't too unhappy, saying the effort was there. 

Holstein Kiel were relegated from the Bundesliga last season and were among the teams considered to be in the promotion battle. However, they failed to deliver and are currently in tenth place with 23 points from 18 rounds. To be fair, they are getting better and are undoubtedly on the rise as the season progresses. Still, reaching the top three spots seems pretty impossible as they are 11 points behind. However, they have proven they are a good team in the DFB-Pokal, already eliminating two Bundesliga teams (Wolfsburg and HSV) and reaching the quarter-finals. There, they will face the reigning cup champs, Stuttgart, in early February. 

After a 2:0 win over Paderborn, coach Rapp spoke to the media. He said it was a balanced match that could have gone either way. "I'm proud of how the team stayed focused and took our chances when it mattered. That efficiency made the difference," the coach added.