Greuther Furth vs RW Essen prediction 26.05.2026 | 2. Bundesliga

Greuther Furth come into Tuesday’s decisive 2. Bundesliga contest looking to overcome a 1:0 defeat from last Friday’s first-leg reversal in Essen. 

A disappointing run of form at the end of the season saw Heiko Vogel’s side lose five and win only two of their last nine matches. Furth finished the 2. Bundesliga campaign 16th in the division with 37 points.

Yet, despite their poor form, Greuther have maintained a solid run of results in home fixtures. Vogel’s men won four and lost just one of their last seven games at Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer.

Head coach Vogel has three confirmed absentees this week. Marco John is ruled out with a fractured fibula, while Lukas Reich (muscle) and Reno Münz (muscular issues) are also unavailable.

RW Essen make the trip to Furth looking to protect a one goal-advantage after last Friday’s narrow win in Essen. Torben Müsel’s second-half strike secured a priceless first-leg advantage for RW.

Uwe Koschinat’s side finished their 3.Bundesliga campaign in mixed form, winning three and losing two of five games before their hard-fought victory last week. The third division side had won eight successive matches before their recent downturn in form. 

Recent road results have been poor, with 11 goals conceded in recent away reversals against Stuttgart II (6:1) and Cottbus (5:3). 

Uwe Koschinat has three players missing ahead of the trip to Sportpark Ronhof Thomas Sommer. Jannik Mause is sidelined with an elbow injury, while Franci Bouebari (muscle) and Klaus Gjasula (ankle ligaments) are also ruled out.