Bundesliga

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

Just finished watching Borussia Dortmund win 3-0 away at Augsburg in the most exciting Bundesliga title race in over a decade. The WWK stadium in Augsburg today was packed and bouncing. I don't know what the crowd figures were but the away following was mighty impressive. Was their any fan not wearing a Dortmund shirt.

All season the lead has bounced between Dortmund and Bayern Munich and with one week to go it's now in Dortmund's hands. 2 points clear a win at home to Mainz 05 next Saturday will secure them the title but a draw won't be enough if Munich win at Koln as their goal difference is hugely superior. Should be a pretty amazing atmosphere in a 80k crowd. 

[Gillies Downs Leeds]

Tuchal's time at Bayern Munich been a disaster so far.

[Silvio Dante]

20 minutes ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

Just finished watching Borussia Dortmund win 3-0 away at Augsburg in the most exciting Bundesliga title race in over a decade. The WWK stadium in Augsburg today was packed and bouncing. I don't know what the crowd figures were but the away following was mighty impressive. Was their any fan not wearing a Dortmund shirt.

All season the lead has bounced between Dortmund and Bayern Munich and with one week to go it's now in Dortmund's hands. 2 points clear a win at home to Mainz 05 next Saturday will secure them the title but a draw won't be enough if Munich win at Koln as their goal difference is hugely superior. Should be a pretty amazing atmosphere in a 80k crowd. 

The Augsburg ones.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Silvio Dante

[chinapig]

17 minutes ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

Just finished watching Borussia Dortmund win 3-0 away at Augsburg in the most exciting Bundesliga title race in over a decade. The WWK stadium in Augsburg today was packed and bouncing. I don't know what the crowd figures were but the away following was mighty impressive. Was their any fan not wearing a Dortmund shirt.

All season the lead has bounced between Dortmund and Bayern Munich and with one week to go it's now in Dortmund's hands. 2 points clear a win at home to Mainz 05 next Saturday will secure them the title but a draw won't be enough if Munich win at Koln as their goal difference is hugely superior. Should be a pretty amazing atmosphere in a 80k crowd. 

I watched too, great result and the Dortmund fans are amazing. Imagine being part of the Yellow Wall next week! For heaven's sake don't blow it now.

And thanks are due to Leipzig for beating Bayern yesterday.

[Blagdon red]

Yep, it's been an exciting season. I hope BVB do it. Bayern constantly winning gets boring.

Meanwhile, my German club, Union Berlin, will qualify for the Champions League if they win at home on the final day next weekend (a draw or even a defeat may also do). Quite an achievement given that they were in the third tier when I started following them in 2008 and, being a 100% members' club, have no sugar-daddy benefactor.

[Kid in the Riot]

29 minutes ago, Blagdon red said:

Yep, it's been an exciting season. I hope BVB do it. Bayern constantly winning gets boring.

Meanwhile, my German club, Union Berlin, will qualify for the Champions League if they win at home on the final day next weekend (a draw or even a defeat may also do). Quite an achievement given that they were in the third tier when I started following them in 2008 and, being a 100% members' club, have no sugar-daddy benefactor.

Yes, incredible. They were top of the league Sept/Oct too from memory?

Kit Holden's book on Union, "Scheisse! We're going up!" is supposed to be a good read.

[Blagdon red]

3 minutes ago, Kid in the Riot said:

Yes, incredible. They were top of the league Sept/Oct too from memory?

Kit Holden's book on Union, "Scheisse! We're going up!" is supposed to be a good read.

Yep, they were top for a while, indeed.

Have heard mixed reviews of Kit's book. Some say it's just a reworking of all the well-known stories you hear alluded to in every UK TV commentary on Union games (the fans who bled for the club, the fans who built their own stadium, etc., etc.).

I liked Christoph Biermann's 'access all areas' account of the 2018-19 promotion season ('Wir werden ewig leben'). Unfortunately for most UK footy fans it's available in German only (although I did offer to translate it for him!).

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

1 hour ago, Blagdon red said:

Yep, it's been an exciting season. I hope BVB do it. Bayern constantly winning gets boring.

Meanwhile, my German club, Union Berlin, will qualify for the Champions League if they win at home on the final day next weekend (a draw or even a defeat may also do). Quite an achievement given that they were in the third tier when I started following them in 2008 and, being a 100% members' club, have no sugar-daddy benefactor.

As a team from what might be called the sticks of Berlin I have to admit Union's rise has been impressive. Their rise also seems to have coincided with Hertha's demise. 

I don't really have a German team as such but I've followed BVBs results since I spent some time in Dortmund back in 1980.

Edited May 21, 2023 by RoystonFoote'snephew
Added content

[Mr Popodopolous]

Some or all of RB Leipzig, Union Berlin and Freiburg were still all on the fringes of the title race until a few week's back. Leipzig have put a real run together, can only assume they had a slump or it'd be a 3 horse race.

Borussia Dortmund now in the driving seat. A home win vs midtable Mainz...surely. Surely.

Not sure Bayern sacking Nagelsmann was smart, domestically or Europe wise.

Edited May 21, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Davefevs]

10 minutes ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

As a team from what might be called the sticks of Berlin I have to admit Union's rise has been impressive. Their rise also seems to have coincided with Hertha's demise. 

I don't really have a German team as such but I've followed BVBs results since I spent some time in Dortmund back in 1980.

BMG for me, partly because Liverpool v BMG was the first game I ever watched (remember watching anyway), but then on a school trip I bought a BMG sticker, so that confirmed it.

[archie andrews]

shalke in the shit too...need to win at leipzig next week to stay up.....................

[Wealwayseatcheese]

Hertha BSC are a basket case at present, 8 managers in last 4 years and almost 400million euros investment have bought nothing but a slide into Bundesliga 2 , which has been on the cards for the last 3 years. 
i have been there a couple of times in last 3 years and it’s a fantastic club and City but I fear that it may be a couple of years until they bounce back again.

[Blagdon red]

3 hours ago, Wealwayseatcheese said:

Hertha BSC are a basket case at present, 8 managers in last 4 years and almost 400million euros investment have bought nothing but a slide into Bundesliga 2 , which has been on the cards for the last 3 years. 
i have been there a couple of times in last 3 years and it’s a fantastic club and City but I fear that it may be a couple of years until they bounce back again.

Their finances are indeed in a mess. So much so that they may not be granted a licence for next season for the second division. The German licensing system is very strict on clubs being able to show their ability to fund their operations for the coming season. Hertha could well end in the third tier.

[Mr Popodopolous]

43 minutes ago, Blagdon red said:

Their finances are indeed in a mess. So much so that they may not be granted a licence for next season for the second division. The German licensing system is very strict on clubs being able to show their ability to fund their operations for the coming season. Hertha could well end in the third tier.

How do their FFP rules compare out of interest? Domestically I mean.

As you say Licensing and Solvency without doubt a big factor and tbh I look at a side like Bayern who are a) Debt free and b) Have posted profits for 10-15 years, maybe longer and wonder why they don't spend a bit more. I'm sure that they could spend more on wages, fees etc once in a while. They must be a million miles within whatever loss limits they are.

I expect Borussia Dortmund could spend more if they chose to.

Edited May 22, 2023 by Mr Popodopolous

[Coxy27]

Don't follow German football closely enough - but given Mainz don't really have anything to play for - and, everyone hates Bayern...?

Surely a chance they are not overly 'motivated' when the game comes?

[Blagdon red]

1 hour ago, Mr Popodopolous said:

How do their FFP rules compare out of interest? Domestically I mean.

As you say Licensing and Solvency without doubt a big factor and tbh I look at a side like Bayern who are a) Debt free and b) Have posted profits for 10-15 years, maybe longer and wonder why they don't spend a bit more. I'm sure that they could spend more on wages, fees etc once in a while. They must be a million miles within whatever loss limits they are.

I expect Borussia Dortmund could spend more if they chose to.

 I don't know the details. But the basic assumption is that clubs will live within their means. Hence the key question at relicensing time each spring being 'Does the club have the liquidity to operate throughout the whole of the next season without getting into financial difficulty?' If through the required submission of their accounts and forecasts they are unable to demonstrate that, they don't get their licence renewed, which means forced relegation to a lower division. That threat keeps the clubs in line 99% of the time.

By comparison, our fines and fairly modest points deductions are no more than a slap on the wrist.

[22A]

17 hours ago, archie andrews said:

shalke in the shit too...need to win at leipzig next week to stay up.....................

Ever seen that film "Das Boot" about the WW2 U boat. The skipper listens to the radio then announces to the crew "Schalke have lost again".

[Ska Junkie]

19 hours ago, archie andrews said:

shalke in the shit too...need to win at leipzig next week to stay up.....................

I hope they get stuffed. Bitter rivals of Dortmund unlike Bochum who are much closer.

As one who nailed his colours to the BvB mast, along with a few other City fans, many moons ago, I would love to be near the WFS next Saturday.

A few of ours had already organised a trip for the last game of the season but, sadly, I have a funeral on Friday so can't join them.

Stroebels (massive open bar outside the ground) will be absolutely bouncing on Saturday.

Auf gets BVB!

Edited May 22, 2023 by Ska Junkie

[Blagdon red]

54 minutes ago, Ska Junkie said:

I hope they get stuffed. Bitter rivals of Dortmund unlike Bochum who are much closer.

As one who nailed his colours to the BvB mast, along with a few other City fans, many moons ago, I would love to be near the WFS next Saturday.

A few of ours had already organised a trip for the last game of the season but, sadly, I have a funeral on Friday so can't join them.

Stroebels (massive open bar outside the ground) will be absolutely bouncing on Saturday.

Auf gets BVB!

Good to see the proper name used!

[Wealwayseatcheese]

5 hours ago, 22A said:

Ever seen that film "Das Boot" about the WW2 U boat. The skipper listens to the radio then announces to the crew "Schalke have lost again".

Watched all 3 series of that on Sky Atlantic also seen Hertha play Schalke on a Friday night. Schalke brought 6k . 10 euro return train tickets . 300 mile journey . What’s not to like

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

Looking at the Westfalenstadion today the crowd may have belted out You'll never walk alone but Coldplay's Yellow would be more appropriate. Is there a club anywhere I wonder where a greater proportion of fans wear the replica shirt? 

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

Munich one up. Mainz one up. 

[bcfc01]

Currently;

Dortmund 0-1 Mainz (Dortmund missed penalty)

Koln 0-1 Bayern

Edited May 27, 2023 by bcfc01

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

2 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

Currently;

Dortmund 0-1 Mainz

Koln 0-1 Bayern

BVB miss penalty 

[bcfc01]

Just now, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

BVB miss penalty 

We're doubling up - you keep updating, I'll bow out 

[RoystonFoote'snephew]

2 minutes ago, bcfc01 said:

We're doubling up - you keep updating, I'll bow out 

2-0 Mainz. BVB denied a clear second penalty. 

[Mr Hankey]

Shouldn’t be too much of a suprise that Dortmund are bottling it, they are pretty shit especially without Bellingham starting, even Chelsea managed to knock them out of the Champions League.

[chinapig]

4 minutes ago, Mr Hankey said:

Shouldn’t be too much of a suprise that Dortmund are bottling it, they are pretty shit especially without Bellingham starting, even Chelsea managed to knock them out of the Champions League.

I watched their game against Augsburg and BVB's defence looked suspect even though they won comfortably. They leave opponents far too much room.

[chinapig]

14 minutes ago, RoystonFoote'snephew said:

BVB miss penalty 

It looked like Haller took the penalty away from Can. How many times do we see a player do that and then miss?

[Mr Hankey]

1 minute ago, chinapig said:

I watched their game against Augsburg and BVB's defence looked suspect even though they won comfortably. They leave opponents far too much room.

That doesn’t surprise me, they are getting counter attacked everytime and with a partnership at the back of Hummels & Sule it has to be one of the slowest going in the “elite” levels! Have only watched thier keeper a couple of times but he looks a bit of a shocker, especially as he has been linked with some big teams. First goal was awful defending from Haller but there is no way he should of conceded it.