Posts

Showing posts matching the search for Bundesliga

Bundesliga: How far can Union Berlin go?

Image
An article about Union Berlin that will explore their rather remarkable rise. They became the first Bundesliga club from the former East Berlin and the fifth from East Germany, after Dynamo Dresden, Hansa Rostock, VfB Leipzig and Energie Cottbus.  FC Union Berlin Fans @fcunion pic.twitter.com/ijauv0TK0W — Tribün Kültürü (@tribun_kulturu_) October 31, 2022 The team is the sixth to win promotion from the 2. Bundesliga by beating the 16th-placed Bundesliga team in the playoff – since it began in the 1981–82 season, the others being Bayer Uerdingen, 1. FC Saarbrücken, Stuttgarter Kickers, 1. FC Nürnberg and Fortuna Düsseldorf. Ahead of Union Berlin's debut season in the Bundesliga, the club signed Neven Subotić,Anthony Ujah and Christian Gentner, and re-signed Marvin Friedrich, who had scored a decisive goal against Stuttgart in the playoffs in the previous season to secure promotion for the club. Their first-ever Bundesliga goal was scored by Sebastian Andersson in a 1–1 draw ag

Bundesliga: Leverkusen extend lead at the top

Image
Bayer Leverkusen 3 - 0 Bayern Munich Bayer Leverkusen dealt a significant blow in the Bundesliga title race with a resounding triumph over Bayern Munich, propelling them five points clear at the top. Xabi Alonso' s squad seized control in the opening half as Josip Stanisic expertly slotted home at the back post. The crowd erupted again shortly after halftime when Alex Grimaldo found the net from a challenging angle. Jeremie Frimpong sealed the victory in injury time as goalkeeper Manuel Neuer ventured up for a corner kick. Click here for more Bundesliga news and stories More Bayern Munich news from European Super Football Dreams spark among home fans At the BayArena, the home fans created an incredible atmosphere, and this had a positive impact on the players and coaching staff. The scenes at tbe end of the match proved the strong connection between fans and players. Could this incredible atmosphere spur Leverkusen to a Bundesliga title? Many of the neutrals in this title race

Bundesliga: It was a great night for Harry Kane

Image
 Bayern Munich 3 - 1 FC Augsburg It was a memorable first home Bundesliga match for Harry Kane, The England captain scored twice for Bayern in their Bundesliga opener at home. This victory helped the rivals maintain their winning streak at the start of the league season. Watch the highlights from the match in the video below.  Kane had the honour of being the first English player to register goals in his first two Bundesliga games. The big move was made when he expertly dealt with a penalty midway through just before the half-time break. The former Tottenham forward used the back of his foot to seal the win for the team with a fine finish, setting up a 3-1 win after the break as Thomas Tuchel-led Bayern Munich went on to win on the snow. After a bright start, Bayern Munich found their rhythm and cashed in when Leroy Sane's shot hit the post and deflected past goalkeeper Felix Uduokhai into the net. Niklas Dorsch was later penalized by referee Sascha Stegemann for handball. The

How the 2023/2024 Bundesliga title was won

Image
 The 2023/2024 season will probably go down as one of the most iconic in the Bundesliga's history. The season began on 18 August 2023 and concluded on 18 May 2024.  On 14 April 2024, Bayer Leverkusen were crowned champions for the first time with five matches to spare following a 5–0 win over Werder Bremen.  Theyy would go onto become the first Bundesliga team in history to finish a season unbeaten, ending the campaign with a record of 28 wins and six draws. They would also go onto win the German Cup and reach the Europa League final. It was in that Europa League final match where they lost their only game of the season. Let's explore some key stories match reports from the season.  In August, it was announced that Bayern Munich had signed Harry Kane. The transfer was completed for an initial sum of around 100 million euros (£86.4 million), and there was believed to be additional provisions for performance-related bonuses.  At the time of the announcement, we spoke to a num

World Cup preview: Could Jude Bellingham shine for England?

Image
Could Jude Bellingham shine for England at the World Cup? Let's explore He represented England at under-15, under-16, under-17 and under-21 levels. He made his first appearance for the senior team in November 2020. He represented the senior team at UEFA Euro 2020 but it's the upcoming World Cup where he could shine. A quick summary of his career so far Bellingham began a two-year scholarship with Birmingham City in July 2019. The following month, he started the EFL Cup first-round trip to Portsmouth and became Birmingham City's youngest-ever first-team player.  He made his first Football League appearance 19 days later, as a second-half substitute in a 3–0 defeat away to Swansea City and his home debut on 31 August against Stoke City. Replacing the injured Jefferson Montero after half an hour, Bellingham scored the winner – albeit via a generous deflection – as Birmingham came back from 1–0 down to beat Stoke 2–1, and thus became their youngest-ever goalscorer, aged 16 ye

Bundesliga: Union Berlin go top

Image
 FC Köln 0 - 1 FC Union Berlin Union Berlin went top of the Bundesliga by edging past Cologne. An early own goal by Timo Hubers separated the sides, before Union's Jordan Siebatcheu had a 10th-minute penalty saved by Marvin Schwabe. The home side were then reduced to 10 men nine minutes from time when Luca Kilian was shown a second yellow card. Happy to be back with the team in the best way possible 🔥 win and clean sheet! Thank you all for the support! You’re amazing! @fcunion pic.twitter.com/uPfoTq1elt — Diogo Leite (@Diogoleite53) September 11, 2022 Union secured top spot after Freiberg were held to a goalless draw by Borussia Monchengladbach. But it is Urs Fischer's side who lead the table after six games, ahead of teams such as champions Bayern Munich, who are third and Borussia Dortmund in fifth place. Watch the highlights of the match in the video below. Footage from  Bundesliga - YouTube More reaction Their website said: "There was a time last season when U

Germany: Tuchel to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season

Image
There has been some interesting news from Germany It has been announced that Manager Thomas Tuchel will be bidding farewell to Bayern Munich at the conclusion of this season. The 50-year-old stepped in for Julian Nagelsmann at the helm of the German champions in March 2023, signing on until June 2025.  The former Chelsea boss will now be departing a year earlier than anticipated, as part of what is described as a strategic shift in Bayern's sporting direction. Under his guidance, Bayern clinched last season's Bundesliga title after he assumed control in the spring. Nevertheless, they currently find themselves trailing leaders Bayer Leverkusen by eight points following consecutive league defeats. One of these setbacks was a resounding 3-0 loss to Leverkusen , compounded by a 1-0 defeat to Lazio in the first leg of their Champions League last-16 encounter. Check out the highlights from that recent defeat to Leverkusen.  Bayer Remain Undefeated! | Bayer Leverkusen - FC Bayern

Transfer News: Donny on the move

Image
The Transfer Window is open and one player is already on the move Manchester United's midfielder, Donny van de Beek, has successfully sealed a loan switch to Eintracht Frankfurt.  The 26-year-old will join the Bundesliga team for the remainder of the season, with an option to make the move permanent. Having made only six starts in the Premier League since his £35 million transfer from Ajax in September 2020, Van de Beek, a Netherlands international , is seeking a fresh start. Manager Erik ten Hag recently commented that a move was necessary for the player to rejuvenate his career. Van de Beek, who joined United, has featured in 62 matches across all competitions, scoring twice. After a loan stint at Everton in 2022, he returned to United but faced setbacks, including a serious knee injury that ruled him out for the latter part of the previous season. 2022 Deadline Day: Everton sign Donny van de Beek on loan   More Bundesliga news and stories Frankfurt are currently sixth in th

Euro 2024 preview: Can Germany make home advantage count?

Image
Germany is preparing to host and take part in Euro 2024 How far can they go? They are aiming to win their first major title in a decade as they host Euro 2024. Their Group A opener against Scotland marks the beginning of what the country hopes will be a month-long celebration for the country Despite Germany's impressive history of four World Cups and three European Championships, their reputation has been somewhat marred by a string of failures since their 2014 World Cup victory in Brazil. The team is relying on a mix of exceptionally talented young players, such as Jamal Musiala and newly-crowned Bundesliga champion Florian Wirtz, alongside seasoned veterans like 2014 World Cup winners Manuel Neuer, Thomas Müller, and Toni Kroos. Challenges in the run-up Between March and September 2023, Germany lost four out of five games against mediocre opponents and failed to secure any wins. Hansi Flick, who also saw his team crash out of the group stages at the 2022 World Cup in Qatar,

Germany: Bayer Leverkusen are Bundesliga champions

Image
Bayer Leverkusen 5 - 0 Werder Bremen Undefeated Bayer Leverkusen clinched their inaugural Bundesliga championship on Sunday with a resounding 5-0 triumph over Werder Bremen, ending Bayern Munich's 11-year dominance of the league. Under the leadership of Xabi Alonso, Leverkusen, who have amassed an unprecedented 29-match unbeaten streak this season, secured their first title since 1993. They currently hold a commanding 16-point lead over Bayern with just five matches left in the season. Leverkusen left nothing to chance, securing the title in their first opportunity, with Florian Wirtz netting a hat-trick in a victory that extended their unbeaten streak across all competitions to an impressive 43 games this season. They earned a penalty in the 24th minute, which Victor Boniface, returning from a three-month injury hiatus, converted, marking his first league goal since December and his 11th of the campaign. More news from across Germany Despite numerous opportunities to increase

Bundesliga: SpVgg Greuther Fürth 1 - 3 Bayern Munich

Image
Bayern Munich extended their lead at the top of the Bundesliga table with a straightforward win at Greuther Furth. Thomas Muller opened the scoring before Joshua Kimmich doubled their advantage. Bayern were reduced to 10 men after the break when Benjamin Pavard was sent off, but they added a third through a Sebastian Griesbeck own goal. Furth did score a consolation late on but Bayern move three points clear of Wolfsburg. Bayern are in great form at the moment and have scored 29 goals in their last six games in all competitions. Very few people would bet against them retaining their Bundesliga crown. More football news can be found here Reaction This is what the Bayern manager had to say after the victory. He is obviously happy that his side have built on their impressive start to the season and will be looking forward to them returning to Champions League action during the week. 🎙 Hear what head coach @J__Nagelsmann has to say after #SGFFCB ⚽ 📺 https://t.co/0wEN6vxhee #FCBayer

Transfer News: Jude Bellingham signs for Real Madrid

Image
It has been announced that Real Madrid have completed the signing of Jude Bellingham from Borussia Dortmund on a six-year deal. The Spanish giants will pay 103m euros for the 19-year-old, in addition to various potential add-ons. If those add-ons are achieved, the deal could reach 133.9m euros.  Bellingham was one of England's top performers at last year's World Cup and was named the Bundesliga's player of the season as Dortmund missed out on a first league title in 11 years on the final day. Bellingham playing for England at the World Cup.  FIFA World Cup 2022 - Group B, Matchday 3 - Wales 0:3 Engl… | Flickr This initial fee means he becomes the second-most expensive English footballer after Jack Grealish when Manchester City paid Aston Villa £100m in 2021. Bellingham told the German club’s official website: “Thank you, everyone, associated with BVB and the fans for everything over the last three years. It was an honour to wear your jersey so many times whether it was

Icons: Michael Ballack

Image
It's time to have another look at an icon from the history of football. This time it's Michael Ballack. A former German midfielder who played at the highest level of the game.  A summary Ballack is among the top goal scorers in the history of the German national team. During his career, he won the German Footballer of the Year award three times. The midfielder was known for his passing range, powerful shot, physical strength and commanding presence in midfield. The one negative from his career was that he never won the Champions League. He did pick up two runner-up medals in 2002 with Leverkusen and 2008 with Chelsea.  The start of his career Ballack's career started to take off when he was transferred to 1. FC Kaiserslautern in 1997. He won the Bundesliga in his first season at the club, his first major honour. He became a first team regular in 1998–99 season and also earned his first senior national cap for the German national side. He moved to Bayer Leverkusen for €4

Germany: Bayern Munich name Vincent Kompany as new head coach

Image
 There has been a huge announcement in Germany Bayern Munich have named Vincent Kompany as their new head coach on a three-year contract.  The 38-year-old Belgian takes over from Thomas Tuchel, moving from Burnley to the Bundesliga team after both clubs agreed on a compensation fee thought to be around £10.2 million. Kompany led Burnley to victory in the Championship during the 2022-23 season, but the team suffered  relegation from the Premier League this season, finishing 19th. After retiring as a player in 2020, Kompany joined Burnley from Anderlecht in 2022 and signed a five-year contract extension just last year. Despite this, he declined to comment on his future following Burnley's home loss to Nottingham Forest on the final day of the season. Kompany in high demand despite a poor season Despite a tough season that saw Burnley return to the Championship with only five league wins, the club was planning a swift return to the Premier League under Kompany's leadership. Be

Pre Season: Bayern win on Kane return

Image
Tottenham Hotspur 2 - 3 Bayern Munich Bayern Munich striker Harry Kane received a warm welcome back at his former club Tottenham Hotspur, where fans gave him a standing ovation as Bayern edged out Spurs 3-2 in a pre-season friendly. Returning to his old stomping ground for the first time since leaving for Bayern in a £86.4 million deal last summer, Kane came on as a late substitute. The England captain was met with applause both when he entered the pitch and later, when he took a solo lap of honour after the match. Alongside Eric Dier, who joined Bayern from Tottenham in January, the pair were honoured by Spurs before kick-off, receiving gifts in recognition of their contributions to the club. Premier League: Summer 2024 news and stories (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Before the game, Tottenham also introduced their new signings (Dominic Solanke, Archie Gray, and Lucas Bergvall) to the home crowd. Once the match began, Dejan Kulusevski gave Spurs the lead, but Bayern responded wi

News: Is Jurgen Klopp retiring?

Image
A successful managerial career is reportedly coming to an end Former Borussia Dortmund and Liverpool boss Jürgen Klopp has ruled out the possibility of becoming the England manager and hinted at potentially retiring from management altogether. Klopp during his time as Dortmund manager before he left in the summer of 2015.Photo from  Tim Reckmann | Flickr The German coach departed from Liverpool at the end of last season after nine successful years, during which he won all major trophies and ended the club’s 30-year wait for a Premier League title. Klopp has been linked to the England manager’s position following Gareth Southgate’s decision to step down after Euro 2024. However, the 57-year-old stated he has not received any offers and reiterated his intention to take a break from football. Further reports suggest that Klopp wishes to return to work after his break, though it may not be in a managerial role. The video below displays the announcement that followed Klopp's announc

Latest transfer rumours from across Europe

Image
As the Summer Transfer Window gets closer, let's explore some of the more interesting rumours. It's already looking like it's going to be a busy Summer.  Bayern Munich interested in Mason Mount Reports across the UK and Germany suggest that Bayern are considering taking advantage of Mason Mount’s contract stalemate at Chelsea by making a move for the England international this summer. Mount will have only one year remaining on his deal at Stamford Bridge at the end of the season. Thomas Tuchel, the newly appointed Bayern head coach and former Chelsea fan, is said to be a strong admirer of Mount.  Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com) Manchester United want Harry Kane Manchester United are preparing to make an £80m bid for Tottenham and England forward Harry Kane after Richard Arnold sanctioned a potential deal. Kane has had a remarkable few months and is Tottenham's all-time highest goalscorer, as well as being the highest scorer for the England natio

Bundesliga: Augsburg 2 - 1 Bayern Munich

Image
 Let's take a look at all the latest reaction from Germany as Bayern Munich suffered a shock 2-1 loss at Augsburg. All the latest comments One fan commented on the Guardian match report of the game: "Bayern had 15 attempts on goal and 80% possession. It's not the first time they’ve dropped points at Augsburg in recent seasons. Now let’s see BVB slip up and drop points tomorrow." Bayern are beatable, they’ve been leaking goals in almost every game, but it requires a considerable amount of luck and mental toughness to get anything from them." Another added on the highlights video of the game: "Bayern's defence should be pace-up more. Or it's not easy against rapid attacking teams. It's better to stick 4231 formation." Defeat in Augsburg. 🔴⚪ #FCAFCB 2-1 pic.twitter.com/2cxRvNaGI5 — FC Bayern English (@FCBayernEN) November 19, 2021 This fan added: "Nagelsmann is an amazing coach and there's no doubt about it but he needs to f

Premier League rumours: Is Gundogan on the move?

Image
 What's the future looking like for Ilkay Gundogan? Manchester City fear Ilkay Gundogan will snub their contract offer to leave on a free transfer, It is believed that the Premier League champions are keen to keep hold of the Germany international, who turned 32 last week. His current contract expires at the end of the season, and he will be free to agree to a pre-contract with a foreign club from 1 January. More Premier League news (eurosuperfootball.blogspot.com)     Gundogan scored a crucial goal in the final stages of the 2021/2022 season to help City clinch the Premier League title. Credit -  Man City - YouTube It is believed that Gundogan has suitors from the Premier League as well as on the Continent. There are fears at the Etihad Stadium that he is keen on a new challenge. He has remained a key member of Pep Guardiola’s team this season and has started 12 Premier League and Champions League matches among 16 appearances in all competitions. The German was the first signing

Bundesliga: Bayern Munich 4 - 0 VfL Wolfsburg

Image
Robert Lewandowski scored his 43rd Bayern Munich goal of 2021 to break Gerd Muller's record for the most league goals in a calendar year. The Poland striker volleyed home three minutes from the end of the match as Bayern thrashed Wolfsburg 4-0 at Allianz Arena. The win moves Bayern nine points clear of Borussia Dortmund at the top of the Bundesliga.  Midfielder Thomas Muller opened the scoring on seven minutes before setting up Dayot Upamecano with a header in the second half to double Bayern's lead. Leroy Sane added to the scoreline two minutes later with a curled shot into the top corner to put the game beyond 12th-placed Wolfsburg. On 87 minutes Lewandowski wrote his name in the history books yet again by firing in from close range past goalkeeper Koen Casteels. Post-match reaction  Thomas Müller said: "The most important thing for me was that we won the game, so that we go into the Christmas holiday with a good feeling. Now the focus is on family and friends."