Hope you get tickets and enjoy your stay. If it's the Regionalliga West then let me say that it's imo the strongest of the five 4th tier Regionalligen (Nord, Nord-Ost, West, Süd-West, Bayern), some former 1.Bundesliga clubs in it (mostly from the 70s) like Rot-Weiß Oberhausen, Wuppertaler SV, Fortuna Köln and the mentioned Alemannia Aachen who are already Champions of the RL West. Next season the RL West most likely even get a former founder member of the 1.Bundesliga in MSV Duisburg. 3 matches to play in 3.Liga and they have a 6 pts gap for the safe place. Looks grim for the Zebras. And this just one season after another founder member Preußen Münster could escape the RL West and is now even on its way to the 2.Bundesliga. (Unfortunately the RL West also have 5 second teams from 1./2. Bundesliga clubs, that's nearly a third. My opinion about these 2nd teams is clear, they shouldn't play in those leagues but in a separate reserve league but this won't happen) They are. Their old stadium "Tivoli" was a Cult-stadium in Germany. Not for it's beauty but for the atmosphere it created. But it was so rodden that they now play in the new modern "Tivoli". I'm glad that this tradition-rich club is back in the professional football.
I thought so! Why should he want to coach in the shark pond that is Bayern when he has a cozy job as Austrian Bundestrainer (aside of that he could gain mutliple of what he gets as a Bundestrainer) What puzzles me is that he's now saying that he wants to concentrate fully at his Austrian job and the Euro (which is understandable) and doesn't want to be distracted and is so happy to stay at least until the end of the World Cup 2026 and doesn't want to be involved in every day coaching at a league club. But he should have said it immediately after Bayern contacted him which seems some time ago and let the Bayern Directors believing that he comes asap. Tbh I understand why he's decided to stay with Austria but on the other side he wasted Bayern's time, too. Anyway, who's now in the draw for new Bayern coach? Zidane? Doesn't speak a bit German, not even Bavarian Hey, I said it before: Ex HSV Coach Tim Walter is still available. He lives in Munich, give him a call. Your Offense would explode, Harry Kane would pulverize the Bundesliga goal record of Lewandowski under him by 10+ goals but Manuel Neuer and the Defensive wouldn't be happy either with his "Harakiri" style football
A derby win is a derby win I suppose but it must still hurt that Pauli will finish above Hamburg for the 1st time in a while (I'm sure Dirk will come up with the answer).
Thank God. Would be really hard to swallow for HSV fans if St.Pauli would've celebrated the promotion in the Volkspark. They'll do it next week at the Millerntor against relegated Osnabrück. 111th Hamburg Derby will be the last for some time, though. (remember that we haven't played for approx 50 years in the same league so no Derby in the league for that span) At least we are unbeaten against St.Pauli this season and therefore becoming the "Stadtmeister" (City Champion) It was a deserved Derby win. Pauli had 1 chance, HSV had 2 goals disallowed (one regular and an irregular) plus a missed penalty plus a goal post shot and some other chances so overall the 1-0 win could be higher but anyway. The most important was not to allow them celebrate the promotion in our stadium. Düsseldorf won the parallel match against Nürnberg 3-1 so the gap to #3 spot is still 4 points with only 2 matches to play. Fortuna won't fail both matches, so for HSV it will be the 4th time 4th spot in 6 seasons. Fortuna also has a theoretical chance to get #2 spot and direct promotion because Pauli is also 4 pts ahead (or if Kiel lose at Wiesbaden they would be only 2 pts ahead of Fortuna). But I don't think that Kiel or Pauli will fail this time (they did in previous seasons, though) Anyway, most likely another season in 2.Bundesliga. But we're now more stable in the defense under Steffen Baumgart (winning the last 2 with no goal conceded is proof) and when Baumgart has a proper preseason I'm convinced that next season we'll do it. This season the sacking of Tim Walter was too late. I'm sure if Steffen Baumgart were already here after the winter break we wouldn't have lost 2-times with 3-4 against Hannover and Karlsruhe in succesive home matches after the winter break.
Sunday: 1.BL: #14 Union Berlin vs #15 VfL Bochum 3-4 Very important away win for Bochum, they are now 14th and 3pts ahead of Union, who are now again in danger of going into the relegation playoff spot (depends on the result of #11 Heidenheim vs #16 Mainz which kicks off in 30 mins. If Mainz wins then they overtake Union) actually: #6 Eintracht Frankfurt vs #1 Bayer Leverkusen 1-4 (with approx 10 mins to play). Another win and only 2 to go for the first ever unbeaten season in the Bundesliga. If they reach that I'll take an Aspirin from Bayer ********************** 2. BL #16 Wiesbaden vs #2 Holstein Kiel 0-1 Yes! Holstein take #1 spot again and has now 5 pts gap to Düsseldorf at #3 with only 2 matches to play. They can't miss promotion again, can they? And the win was also important for Eintracht Braunschweig (3-3 in Fürth) because they're now 3 pts clear of Wiesbaden (who would've taken Eintracht's #15 spot with a win). Excellent! Also good news that FCK looks now safe, after the sensational 3-1 against Holstein Kiel last weekend they now hammered Magdeburg with 4-1 at home. Good matchday overall! edit: Leverkusen 5-1 ahead in Frankfurt. Boniface penalty ----------------------------------- Don't want to forget to congratulate SSV Ulm 1846, Champion of 3.Liga. After 23 years they're back in 2.Bundesliga. And this as a new promoted team in the 3.Liga. And Preußen Münster won 4-1 against Saarbrücken and is now 2nd in 3.Liga. 2 pts ahead of Jahn Regensburg with only 2 matches to play. If they can hold this it would be 2 new teams in 3.Liga who are promoted to 2.Bundesliga. Idk if this ever happened. One team, yes (happened just last season with Elversberg) but two? Sad news, too, that MSV Duisburg is going down to 4th tier for the first time in their history. They're playing in the Regionalliga West next season. edit2: Triple post from me, so I merged at least the last 2. Don't want to spam here
Congrats to FC St.Pauli and Holstein Kiel. Both are already promoted to 1.Bundesliga at the 33rd matchday. Fortuna Düsseldorf will be playing the Relegation Playoff with #16 of 1.Bundesliga, actually Union Berlin. Major Achievements: 0 Previous seasons in 1.Bundesliga: 8 seasons Promoted to 1.Bundesliga: 6-times Fun Fact: 2024/25 First season ever playing in a higher league than HSV Major Achievements: German Champion 1912 Previous seasons in 1.Bundesliga: 0 (Holstein is the 58th club playing in 1.Bundesliga) Promoted to 1.Bundesliga: 1-time Fun Fact: First time that Holstein Kiel is back in the top tier since 1962/63 (last season of the Oberliga Nord which was the highest tier back then for clubs in Northern Germany. Couldn't qualify for the new Bundesliga in 1963. In 2012/13 Holstein Kiel was even playing in the 4th tier, Regionalliga Nord (overall 8 seasons in 4th tier) Both teams deserve promotion and I hope that Fortuna Düsseldorf will also get promotion in the 2 playoff matches against the 1.Bundesliga side. edit: Oops, logos are a bit "big" Anyway...
I thought that Bundesliga final relegation spot was still up for grabs with Union Berlin , Mainz & Bochum still in the running for the unwanted position ? I watched Bayern have a comfortable afternoon at home to Wolfsburg with many fringe players having a run out & have just noticed the Invincibles of Leverkusen are 2-0 up away at Bochum , fair play to them & also Alonso IF he stays !
That's why I wrote "actually Union Berlin". If Union Berlin wins the last match (at home against SC Freiburg who are still fighting for #7 spot which means European competition) then Bochum (at Werder Bremen) and Mainz (at Wolfsburg) both need at least a draw to avoid #16. If Union loses then Cologne can still reach #16 with a win at Heidenheim. Why "IF"? Xabi said that he stays at Leverkusen for the next season btw: Leverkusen won 5-0 at Bochum and extending their unbeaten run in all competitions this season to 50! Last possibility to "prevent" the first unbeaten season in the Bundesliga has FC Augsburg next weekend in Leverkusen.
HSV in der Zukunftsfalle: Lähmende Uneinigkeit Jesus Christ, after reading the above kicker.de article I realized that HSV will be now with the promotion of St.Pauli and Holstein next season the club with the most consecutive years in the 2.Bundesliga. From Dino of the 1.Bundesliga to Dino of the 2.Bundesliga Next season we're going into our 7th season in the 2nd tier: But there's hope in the old 70s song "Über 7 Brücken musst du gehn" (You have to cross 7 bridges) (Original from the East German Band "Karat" and covered by Peter Maffay) [Refrain] Über sieben Brücken musst du geh'n Sieben dunkle Jahre übersteh'n Siebenmal wirst du die Asche sein Aber einmal auch der helle Schein You have to cross seven bridges Endure seven dark years Seven times you will be the ashes But once also the bright light https://lyricstranslate.com So, one more year being "the ashes" and then we'll be in the bright light again Sorry, could not resist to post this.
Back from a solid couple of groundhopping days. Following Sechzig is great, I definitely missed that. Packed away end, great beer, great food and an away win to secure survival in the Drei. Essen is one of the more unfancied ground in the Ruhrpott (or Rhine whatever) but it's definitely worth a visit. No trouble with locals in the evening walking around in my 1860 top. There rarely is as the fans are generally respected for not supporting FCB. The following day at Bielefeld for a massive game at the bottom of the Drei. I didn't quite catch the context before the game so didn't quite understand why Halle were making more of an effort than Bielefeld but the hosts only need a point to stay up while Halle badly needed the win. Finished goalless but was an eventful game. Loads of shots just wide and Halle hit the post very late on. Then the whole ground sang absteiger (relegated) to the away end and things got a little hectic but the riot police intervened swiftly enough. It was also the last game for Bielefeld's Fussballgott Fabi Klos. Fitting. Surprised Dirk hasn't mentioned it (maybe he has, I speed read but without being able to) but his beloved Braunschweig ensured their own survival beating Wiesbaden 1-0. The result was never really in doubt. Couple of scares but that's about it. Full house (did well buying the ticked early on) but it's not the noisiest of grounds (one tier & an athletics track). Sorry D but I wouldn't recommend it. All in all good fun. Roll on next month for a couple of other grounds at the Euros!
This time it's the Ruhrpott No need for a sorry, I wouldn't recommend the Eintracht Stadion, either, because it's not a football only one. Have written it already last month when you mentioned that you maybe will make a trip to Braunschweig. btw: No I didn't mention the Eintracht result. Totally forgot it after the St.Pauli promotion on Sunday where my 2 daughters sent me dozens of sms from the Millerntor to mock me
Leverkusen have a case for best team in the world. Left the Bundesliga dominating CL semi finalists for dead, breaking the European unbeaten record, on course for an invincible season, final of the Europa League, if they win that they've done as much as they could in Europe... And a domestic cup final on the horizon. Truly special season if they get that unbeaten treble.
Congratulations to Mainz & Union , last day safety . Sky Sports Mix have had Bundesliga Goal Zone on with cameras at all the grounds & flipping between goals , gripping stuff .
