Euro Bites: Bundesliga

Chris Leischwitz takes a look at the recent news surrounding the Bunesliga.

Super Cup raises hope for an exciting season

Bayern Munich lost the third consecutive Super Cup final. The matchup between the Bundesliga champions and cup winners VfL Wolfsburg turned out to be quite even. After the long-injured Arjen Robben scored his first goal since late February, the Danish striker Nicklas Bendtner stole the show in scoring the equaliser with two minutes remaining. Wolfsburg eventually won on penalties, with Munich’s Xabi Alonso missing the crucial spot kick. German football experts are divided over the question if the upcoming season will bring yet another boring championship win for Munich, or if they will face a stiffer test this time around.

A fan about to be fired at Dortmund?

Borussia Dortmund started their Europa League qualification stage with a lacklustre 1-0 win on the road at Austria’s Wolfsberger AC. The game was eagerly awaited by fans since it was the first competitive match under the new 41-year-old manager Thomas Tuchel, who superseded Jürgen Klopp (of whom still nobody has a faintest idea where he will end up next). While the dull game left room for further tactical shoptalk, Tuchel is under fan observation in another matter. Defender Kevin Großkreutz, a diehard Dortmund fan since his early years, suggested in public that the club wants to get rid of him. A Großkreutz farewell would even raise the already high expectations towards Tuchel, since fans would be less willing to forgive early faux pas.

Retiring Marcell Jansen criticised

Rudi Völler, Germany’s former striker and national hero and currently Leverkusen’s general manager, found unusually harsh words for a player who has just retired. “He never loved football then. It is a punch in the face of all those who have to quit due to injury”, Völler said about Marcell Jansen in a TV interview with ZDF. Jansen recently quit football at the age of 29, with 242 league matches and 45 matches for the national team. He had a swift response: “I love football, but I never loved the football business.” Jansen is expected to invest his money in several startup companies. It is unclear whether Völler and Jansen had any personal issues prior to these comments.

A friendship cooling off?

Pep Guardiola raised speculation whether he will extend his contract with Bayern Munich or not. “Good question”, he replied sarcastically last Friday when being asked. Guardiola just entered the third year of a three-year-contract. “I want the best for the club and for myself, and I don´t know what is best,” he said in a lengthy monologue. Guardiola insisted that there are currently no distracting offers from other clubs. It seems, however, that the harmonious co-operation between Guardiola and Bayern’s decision makers has cooled down. Chief executive Karl-Heinz Rummenigge stated: “It would be wonderful if he continued. If not, the world will keep spinning.”

A sad day for Munich

Stephan Beckenbauer, 46-year-old son of “Kaiser” Franz, passed away Saturday morning after fighting a brain tumor for years. The young Beckenbauer never came close to his father`s football career, but he was a rare positive role model for the two main Munich clubs who hate each others` guts. Stephan played for TSV 1860 as well as for Bayern Munich, where in addition he served as a youth coach for players like Bastian Schweinsteiger. When the two second teams of 1860 and Bayern Munich met on Sunday - usually a matchup that brings frequent riots to the city - both sides were united in a moving farewell: instead of a minute of silence before the game, the whole stadium applauded Stephan.

Female referee makes her debut

Mrs. Riem Hussein made her refereeing debut in professional football last Friday in a third league match between Mainz II and FC Magdeburg. “She did quite well,” was one of the first comments of managers. The 35-year-old, who drew four yellow cards in her debut, is the second woman in Germany`s Mount Olympus of testosterone. She is following Bibiana Steinhaus, who has already overseen over 100 professional games, and often serves as sideline assistant during Bundesliga matches. Apparently, Hussein’s male assistants did not exactly act as gentlemen after the game. With only one changing room, Hussein left the stadium 80 minutes after the final whistle. Looks like the men took the shower first.