Incredible atmospheres and fan culture

Until 1. FC Köln and Hamburg were promoted at the end of last season, the 2. Bundesliga for several years boasted more former German champions than the top flight. Storied clubs steeped in tradition and backed by huge followings – not just across Germany but around the world – find themselves languishing below their standards of decades gone by. All this makes for some incredible atmospheres that must be seen to be believed. And when you factor in the cost of a matchday ticket and beer, not to mention the free transport to the game, then no country rivals Germany.

It’s impossible to predict

For much of last season, 10 clubs were firmly in the promotion race until the final weeks, with the eventual top nine clubs separated by just 10 points. Elversberg upset the apple cart by finishing third and making it to the relegation playoff, just one point behind HSV. The league is simply impossible to predict, anyone can beat anyone and remains fiercely tight throughout. With a host of sides missing out on Bundesliga promotion last season, and the additions of relegated VfL Bochum and Holstein Kiel, along with 3. Liga newcomers Dynamo Dresden and none other than DFB Pokal finalists Arminia Bielefeld, the upcoming campaign promises to be even more unpredictable than the last.

A league of sleeping giants and big names

FC Köln and HSV may have earned promotion back into the top flight – the latter after a seven-year absence – but there are still a number of sleeping giants in the 2. Bundesliga. 1. FC Nürnberg, a nine-time German champion, have found themselves languishing in the second division since 2019. 1. FC Kaiserslautern – who won the Bundesliga in 1998 – found themselves in the 3. Liga in 2022 but since returned and narrowly missed out on the promotion playoff. Schalke 04 and Hertha Berlin are two clubs steeped in history with exceptional fanbases, but find themselves stuck in the second division while Hannover will also be eager to return to the Bundesliga under Christian Titz. And when it comes to big names, there are few bigger than Miroslav Klose in German football, who coaches FC Nürnberg in what is his first professional coaching job.

GGFN | Harry Good 

Urbig – who has had his struggles in his recent unexpected turn in Bayern’s net – started the last three U21 fixtures. The loss nevertheless barely counts as relevant given that SC Freiburg keeper Noah Atubolu can easily reprise his role as di Salvo’s #1. Atubolu recently set a new record for his hometown club and has been in scintillating form for the Breisgauer.

Both Gebhardt and Scherant have not yet been capped at Germany’s highest youth level, though they have been called up before. Three other players in di Salvo’s current squad (Nürnberg’s Caspar Jander, Borussia Mönchengladbach’s Lukas Ulrich, and SpVgg Greuther Fürth’s Joshua Quarshie) may also make their first U21 appearances in this week’s friendlies. 

GGFN | Peter Weis

It is understood that the Championship outfit are looking to strengthen the left-hand side of their backline and view Hein as an ideal candidate.

The 23-year-old is set to see his contract at the Jahnstadion Regensburg expire in the summer, but as to whether Preston would look to strike a deal to bring Hein in this winter is not yet clear.

Regardless, Paul Heckingbottom’s side could secure Hein’s signature on a free transfer and obtain his services ahead of next season, in a similar manner to that of Phil Neumann’s move from Hannover 96 to Birmingham City.

However, Preston will face competition for the German left-back.

As stated within the report,  Belgian outfit Sint-Truidense are also monitoring Hein’s situation at Regensburg.

Having registered two assists in 14 league games, it appears Hein’s future will not be with the 2. Bundesliga strugglers.

GGFN | Will Shopland

Here is the GGFN’s mid-season 2. Bundesliga review and grades. 

1.FC Köln

Current position: 1st 

Current top goalscorer: Tim Lemperle (8)

Grade: B

Even a few weeks ago, it wasn’t clear who would be sitting top at Christmas but after four consecutive wins, Köln lead what is already an incredibly contested 2. Bundesliga. It’s a fantastic achievement for the club considering they have been under a transfer ban and under new leadership this season in Gerhard Struber. Köln had a rough start to life in the second tier and didn’t really find any momentum until late October. Since then, they’re unbeaten in nine and also find themselves in the quarter-finals of the DFB Pokal. Expect Köln to be active in the January transfer window (finally) and add to their already solid squad. There have been rumours surrounding the future of top goalscorer Tim Lemperle, but if they can keep him until at least the summer, Köln may just find themselves back in the Bundesliga. Overall, reasons to be cheerful for Köln! 

Karlsruher SC

Current position: 2nd

Current top goalscorer: Budu Zivzivadze (12)

Grade: B+

Consistency has always been an issue for KSC, a poor Hinrunde would be rescued by a great Rückrunde but it would always leave them mid-table. This season is different, Karlsruhe were unbeaten until late October and despite a one win in six-game run, the nature of the 2.Bundesliga this season meant they lose touch with the top three. Two wins to end the year meant KSC find themselves in the promotion places heading into the Ruckrunde. The pressure surrounding the bigger clubs around them in the table may play into their favour when it comes to the later stages of the season. It also helps that Karslruhe’’s captain Marvin Wanitzek is one of the best players in the league so far with eight assists and six goals, while Georgia striker Budu Zivzivadze is the league’s top goalscorer. Unlikes other teams (see below), Karlsruhe have stuck by head coach Christian Eichner, while he has stuck by the club, despite his rising stock and the pair are now reaping the rewards. KSC’s main issue heading into the second half of the season will be sureing up their defence as they have the joint worst goal difference in the top 10. 

Hamburger SV

Current position: 3rd

Current top goalscorer: Davie Selke (10)

Grade: C+ 

Again for HSV, it’s been about the lack of consistency. It’s been their history for the past seven years and whether history will repeat itself, we will most likely be left waiting until the final day of the campaign. HSV have only lost three times this season but it’s the 7 draws that has been their downfall so far. HSV went four games without a win during late October and early November which led to Steffen Baumgart getting the sack. Merlin Polzin now leads the side on an interim basis and it’s been a mixed bag with draws against Ulm and Darmstadt and wins against Fürth and Karlsruher. HSV’s first game back in the new year is against league-leaders Köln. You feel the outcome of this game will really determine whether HSV are looking for the trophy or just any form of promotion. Of course there’ll be many twists and turns to come but it’s a massive opportunity they can’t afford to miss. In a league where consistency is half the battle, HSV have some work to do. They’re in striking distance but will they make the final hurdle in a few months time? 

Elversberg 

Current position: 4th

Current top goalscorer: Fisnik Asllani (10)

Grade: A

Elversberg are in their second season in the 2.Bundesliga and are within touching distance of the promotion places. A win on their final matchday of the year would have meant they ended the Hinrunde top of the table. The secret to Elversberg’s rise is their defence, they have the third least amount of goals conceded in the league and have also kept six clean sheets. They have built this side with consistency in the dugout with Horst Steffen in his seventh year in charge, leading the club from the Regionalliga to their current positioning, as well as smart recruiting with Fisnik Asllani, Muhmammed Damar (both Hoffenheim) and Elias Baum (Eintracht Frankfurt) all joining on loan and playing important roles. Elversberg have experience in winning league titles as they won the 3.Liga in 2022/23 so they know how to keep their cool, but the question is, in the chaos of the 2.Bundesliga, can they keep their cool and do the unthinkable and get promoted to the Bundesliga? The dream of Regionalliga to Bundesliga in four seasons is definitely on. 

Magdeburg

Current position: 5th 

Current top goalscorer: Martijn Kaars (7)

Grade: C+ 

A point within second place, it’s been a fantastic hinrunde for Magdeburg. Similar to others around them, FCM have struggled for consistency and dropped points against clubs at the other end of the table. Having said that, they’ve only lost three times this season and finished 2024 with a fabulous 5-2 win against table-rivals Fortuna Düsseldorf. The big alarm for Magdeburg is they have the worst home record in the league. From 8 home matches, they won none, drew six, and lost two. In contrast, they have the best away record winning seven, drew one, and lost one. It’s a statistic which is almost hard to get your head around. If just a couple of those home draws were converted into wins, Magdeburg would be flying high in first. Overall, Magdeburg have put themselves in a brilliant position for promotion; they just need to drastically improve their hom form. 

SC Paderborn

Current position: 6th

Current top goalscorer: Filip Bilbja (5)

Grade: B

Paderborn finished last season in 7th and have quite clearly kicked on from then. 6th place and  one of four teams just a point from 2nd, Paderborn are well in the mix for automatic promotion this season. The squad may not have many recognisable names when looking at other 2. Bundesliga clubs, however, they’ve recruited well and are playing good football. Paderborn have been solid at home and even more impressive away from home having only lost once on their travels. They haven’t had the best of records against those around them and that’ll be key as the season comes to a close. So far, an impressive campaign for Paderborn who are mixing it with the so-called big boys of the 2. Bundesliga. 

Hannover 96

Current position: 7th

Current top goalscorer: Nicolo Tresoldi (4)

Grade: C

Hannover are within two points of the promotion places, so all they would need is a good start to the year and they would be in the top three. Despite this, this was not good enough for Die Roten and they sacked Stefan Leitl replacing him with former head coach and player Andre Bretenreiter. Breitenreiter has experience winning promotion as he led Paderborn to their first-ever season in the Bundesliga as well as helping Hannover back into the Bundesliga in 2017. Hannover will have to hope this gamble pays off, as if it doesn’t it will be another long summer with star striker Nicolo Tresolid likely to depart.

Fortuna Düsseldorf

Current position: 8th 

Current top goalscorer: Isak Bergmann Johannesson (6)

Grade: C

Fortuna Düsseldorf are capable of sneaking into third position at the end of the season but like many around them it’s consistency that is harming their chances. Düsseldorf are a team that are capable of winning 5-0 and two weeks later losing 5-2, just as they did before the end of 2024. Düsseldorf went on a dreadful run at the tail-end of October and didn’t win another game until early December. Up until then, they were looking like one of the top candidates for automatic promotion. Going into the rückrunde, the squad will have to channel the form they showed earlier in the season. So far, it’s been a rollercoaster of a season and it’s showing no signs of slowing down for Düsseldorf. Buckle up! 

Kaiserslautern

Current position: 9th

Current top goalscorer: Ragnar Ache (9)  

Grade: C

You win some, you lose some; that’s been Kaiserlautern’s season so far. FCK are a team that can play out a boring goalless draw against Regensburg before playing out a thrilling 4-3 victory against Düsseldorf. Just on the outskirts of the chasing pack, it remains to be seen whether Kaiserslautern have the legs to keep up with the rest of them. They start 2025 with a run of three games they should be expected to win (on paper at least).  If they can get seven points for their opening nine, FCK’s season may just spark into life. Another team to keep your eye on, particularly in the early months of 2025. 

Darmstadt 

Current position: 10th

Current top goalscorer: Isac Lindberg (9)

Grade: C

Things could have been a lot worse for Darmstadt in their return to the 2.Bundesliga. In September the club were languishing around the relegation zone and looked like they were going to copy Arminia Bielefeld with a back-to-back relegation. However, they would sack Torsten Lieberknecht and replace him with Florian Kohfeldt. Since taking over ‘FloKo’ has only lost twice (a 2-1 loss to bottom Jahn Regensburg on the final matchday before the winter break and his second game in charge against Magdeburg), away from those losses Darmstadt have thrown the cat amongst the pigeons for teams chasing promotion with big wins against Köln and Kaiserslautern while also taking points off of Karlsruhe and Hamburg in draws. The highlight of Darmstadt’s season so far has been their 5-3 win against Schalke in Kohfeldt’s first game in charge when they were 3-0 down at half-time. Darmstadt are only four points off of promotion, so it is not out of the question but they will definitely be out to cause trouble once again for promotion chasers.  

1.FC Nürnberg

Current position: 11th

Current top goalscorer: Stefanos Tzimas (8)

Grade: C-

Average is the best way to describe Nürnberg at the moment. However, it is not all doom and gloom for Die Club as they only find themselves six points off of a promotion spot all while having the youngest squad in the league. Led by legendary German striker Miroslav Klose the likes of Finn Jeltsch, Berkay Yilmaz, Casper Jander, Jens Castrop and Stefanos Tzimas have all played important roles for Nürnberg this season. The young manager and young team combo will likely not work in the first season (as seen with Dino Toppmöller at Eintracht Frankfurt) but Nürnberg can continue to use this season to grow together as a team. The only downside is that they will lose their best player in the summer once again with Tzimas set to leave the team after they activate his €18m buy option and sell him for profit. With the money, Nürnberg can build a squad good enough for promotion.

Hertha Berlin

Current position: 12th

Current top goalscorer: Florian Niederlechner (5)

Grade: C- 

Roughly mid-table on 22 points and a goal difference of 0, it’s been a frustrating watch at times for Hertha fans so far this season. The club were hoping to push on this season and be in with the mix for promotion but it hasn’t quite materialised as of yet. Form has been a big issue with Hertha winning a few before going winless for a couple of matches. Having lost their last three matches before the end of the year, Hertha’s task of pushing for promotion is looking more distant. However, the squad are capable of doing just that and in a league which is so close, all it takes is a run of four fixtures and Hertha could be right up there again. Hertha could be one to watch for a late push in the second half of the season. Overall, it hasn’t been great so far but Hertha’s season is far from over. 

Schalke 04

Current position: 13th

Current top goalscorer: Moussa Sylla (11)

Grade: D

Drama is never far away from the Veltins Arena nowadays, but most of is is happening off the pitch. On it, Schalke looks closer to 3.Liga level than Bundesliga level and constantly rely on Moussa Sylla (11) and Kenan Karaman (10) for their goals. Manager Kees van Wonderen claims he is not Harry Potter when it comes to helping the club, but die Konigsblau need more than a magician to help them have any chance of returning to the Bundesliga. Their financial issues off the pitch put restrictions on who they can sign and hire, and the fact that there are rumours of selling Sylla in the winter to help ease these issues shows the state Schalke are currently in. They will need a miracle to even try and challenge for promotion this season and it wouldn’t be unlikely if they end the season with a different manager as they prepare for another year in the second division. 

Greuther Fürth

Current position: 14th

Current top goalscorer: Noel Futkeu (7)  

Grade: C-

Having finished 8th last season, this isn’t exactly where Greuther Fürth want to be going into the rückrunde. Currently on 20 points, Fürth will be nervously looking behind them rather than up unless they can pull consecutive wins together. The team went on a dreadful run in November before winning against Hertha and Hannover which has made their league position slightly better. Their home and away record is nearly identical and it’s clear that Fürth are capable of putting in a performance against some top teams. They don’t have the ability to push for promotion but should be good enough to avoid a relegation scrap. 

Preußen Münster

Current position: 15th

Current top goalscorer: Joshua Mees (4)

Grade: C+ 

Having won back-to-back promotions, Münster have catapulted themselves into one hell of a division against some of Germany’s most historic and traditional clubs. 15th heading into the new year is a fantastic achievement for the club. The aim for the season is to survive and that’s exactly what they’re doing so far. They’re three points ahead of automatic relegation and four points from 14th. Münster’s aim in the new year will be to close the gap on those above them whilst keeping their noses in front of the chasing pack behind them. Münster are a low scoring side (18) but at the same time don’t concede many (23). They’ve had some memorable victories against Hertha Berlin and Düsseldorf but will need to get more against the teams around them. Münster’s season hangs in the balance but they’re doing all they can to survive. 

SSV Ulm

Current position: 16th 

Current top goalscorer: Semir Telalović (5)

Grade: C-

Ulm are exactly where you’d expect them to be having just come up from the 3. Liga. They knew they’d be fighting for survival and the fact that they’re not bottom and two points from safety, they’ll be somewhat content with that so far. Ulm have become masters of the draw recently having shared the spoils in four of their last five league matches. It’s a good sign if they can see out games against the likes of Hertha and HSV but they’ll still need to turn some games from one point to all three if they want to survive. That’s the big task in the rückrunde for Ulm. 

Eintracht Braunschweig

Current position: 17th

Current top goalscorer: Rayan Philippe (9) 

Grade: D

It’s another season of battling for survival at Braunschweig having just avoided the drop in their last campaign. Going into the new year, the side have lost their last three and failed to score in their previous four; during this time they’ve also conceded nine goals. Simply put, Braunschweig can’t score goals and can’t keep them out. They have a poor record against the teams around them but occasionally pull the rabbit out the hat and somehow beat Hamburg, Hannover, and Greuther Fürth at home. Top goalscorer Rayan Phillippe is responsible for 56% of all Braunschweig’s goals this campaign. You fear that should he get injured, the club would find themselves in the third division next term. 

Jahn Regensburg

Current position: 18th 

Current top goalscorer: Kai Pröger (2) 

Grade: D- 

It’s been a miserable hinrunde for Regensburg who are now odds on to go straight back down into the third tier. Their season already looked dead and buried when they lost 8-3 away at Nürnberg back in late October. This prompted the manager to be sacked and for Andreas Patz to come in. Remarkably, Regensburg went on to win their next two in all competitions and finished 2024 with a win at home to Darmstadt. They’ve been through some tough moments this season but avoiding relegation is still possible. They’re three points from Ulm in 16th and play them in late January. Is the great escape on for Regensburg?

GGFN | Jamie Allen & Jack Meenan 

Bright Arrey-Mbi (20) – Hannover 96

After impressing while on loan at Hannover last season, Bright Arrey-Mbi has permanently signed with Die Roten on a free transfer from Bayern Munich. The 20-year-old centre-half featured sparingly throughout what was a turbulent campaign for Stefan Leitl’s side. However, despite only featuring just 15 times in the 2. Bundesliga last term, Arrey-Mbi proved why he is so thought after. Completing just under 2 tackles a game, no other Hannover defender was as successful when having to make a challenge as the youngster. Going into the new season, Hannover are expected to kick on from their disappointing Rückrunde return, where they would even flirt with a potential relegation battle. Further experience in a Hannover side that are more understating of their identity next season will benefit the former Bayern Munich and Chelsea youth player, as he will look to establish himself as one of Germany’s best young centre-backs.

Wahid Faghir (19) – Elversberg

While newly-promoted Elversberg are not expected to blow the 2. Bundesliga away as they enter their first season in Germany’s second tier, Wahid Faghir certainly is someone to look out for. The Danish striker is currently on loan from Bundesliga side Stuttgart, where he has been unable to break into the first team despite registering his first goal for the club almost two years ago against Union Berlin. After spending last year on loan at FC Nordsjælland – where the 19-year-old contributed a goal every 91 minutes – Faghir is ready to return back to Germany. A loan in Germany’s second tier could be the ideal next step as he looks to prove why he is regarded as Denmark’s future number nine. Considered an old-fashioned striker, Faghir also has the technical ability to stand out from the crowd. Combining this with his incredible intelligence in and around the box, Elversberg could have found the perfect answer to their relegation fears.

Paul Nebel (20) – Karlsruher SC

Going into the second year of Paul Nebel’s two-year loan at Karlsruher from Mainz, the 20-year-old has already shown glimpses of what he can provide KSC for the upcoming campaign. Four league goals last term is nothing to write home about – albeit a decent return for such a young midfielder – however, it is Nebel’s creation that is so important to Christian Eichner’s side. Six league assists was only topped by Marvin Wanitzek in the Karlsruher side last campaign, as Nebel began to find his feet in Germany’s second tier. Nebel will be looking to improve on his average of 1 key pass per game, but 0.7 dibbles per 90 also represents the best return in the Karlsruher squad. The tricky and agile youngster should be a bright spark in KSC’s season and with the departure of Mikkel Kaufmann to Union Berlin, Nebel will certainly be the player called upon by Christian Eichner.

András Németh (20) – Hamburger SV 

After signing for Hamburg during the January transfer window, András Németh had begun to impress throughout his often fleeting appearances from the bench. Two goals in his opening three games for Der Dino caught the eyes of those watching the young Hungarian striker – a feet even more impressive as the strikes came from a total of just 29 in-game minutes. However, Németh sustained a fractured ankle towards the end of the season meaning that he would miss the final six games of Hamburg’s campaign. More unfortunately for HSV is that Németh will also miss the opening few fixtures of the new campaign. Nevertheless, the 20-year-old will soon return, and he could be a devastating addition to the Hamburg frontline. A similar build to Wahid Faghir, Németh is a traditional number nine, whose technical attributes allow him to shine out wide as well. In a season where the competition has increased for HSV, they will have to perform week in and week out. This means that it could be a breakthrough campaign for Németh.

Jonas Urbig (19) – Greuther Fürth

Jonas Urbig has had a rough start to life in professional football. After being sent out on loan to Jahn Regensburg for the second half of last season, Urbig played every minute that was available to him. However, he could not prevent Die Rothosen from relegation to Germany’s third tier. A collection of two clean sheets in 17 appearances for Jahn, while it doesn’t sound spectacular, is a testament to his ability. Only four sides conceded fewer goals than the relegated side and if it was not for the 19-year-old, they could have easily been in pole position. A great shot-stopper, but with still plenty to learn, Greuther Fürth could be the perfect side for Urbig to develop his game. A club that is recent years that has helped nurture talented young players such as David Raum and Jessic Ngankam, Urbig certainly could be the next player to have improved during his time with the Kleeblätter. 

GGFN | Will Shopland 

1 | 1. FC Kaiserslautern – SC Freiburg 

Four-time champions Kaiserslautern are finally back in the 2. Bundesliga after four-years languishing in the third tier. ‘FCK’ has always had some of the best fans in German football and they have already sold over 30,000 tickets for their first-round Pokal match against last year’s finalists Freiburg.

It’s not just ‘Lautern’ fans who are looking forward to the game. Many Freiburg supporters are expected to make the 135-mile trip from the Schwarzwald for the clash of the South-West clubs, in what is anticipated to be one of the highlights of the first round. 

Kaiserslautern has lost keeper Mateo Raab but gained Union Berlin’s Andreas Luthe in the position which is an impressive signing for the club. Further welcome reinforcement comes in at full-back with the return of the highly experienced defender who is fresh from the Europa League winning campaign with Eintracht Frankfurt, former Germany international Erik Durm.

However, Christian Streich has done well to keep the side together that qualified for the Europa League last season and with the notable exception of centre-back Nico Schlotterbeck and left-back Luca Itter the impressive side is largely unchanged.

Schlotterbeck has been replaced by a familiar face in German international Matthias Ginter and ‘Der SC’ have also beefed up the forward line spending €13m on promising winger Ritsu Dean from PSV Eindhoven and Daniel Kofi-Kyereh from St Pauli who shone with Ghana in the World Cup qualifying games.

Where the 2. Bundesliga side may have an advantage is that Kaiserslautern are already in the flow of competition. ‘Die Roten Teufel’ have looked good in their first two games of the 2. Bundesliga season, picking up three points from two tricky ties against top-rated opponents Hannover and away at Holstein Kiel.  

Despite the build-up and being behind in terms of preparation, Freiburg should have this tie under control.

2 | New coach Edin Terzić looks to find his formation as Borussia Dortmund travels to 1860 Munich 

Borussia Dortmund’s recent summer friendlies so far have left fans feeling underwhelmed.

The games against Villarreal and Valencia were the only serious tests for Terzić’s newly assembled star ensemble. The side does not look like they have found their balance, losing 2-0 against Villarreal and Valencia in the same week.

In particular, against Valencia, the side was only able to maintain pressure for the first half with the Spanish side winning 3-1. What puts the poor result against Valencia in particular into context was last season’s Bundesliga strugglers Stuttgart thrashing the Spanish team 5-2 only days later.  

Terzić has tested a vast number of players this summer from the U23, U19 and even U17 teams. One of the highlights is the new arrival from Ajax left-back Prince Aning (19). Aning has put in some outstanding performances not just for his commitment and energy but also for his ability to run the line and provide pitch perfect crosses into the box. Aning also opened the season with his beautifully timed goal at sixth-tier Lüner SV and converted a penalty in the 5-0 win away at third-tier SC Verl. 

Another player who has been putting in some good performances, and not a minute too early in the absence of Sebastien Haller is Youssoufa Moukoko. The Germany U21 international has been in the starting eleven in three of the friendly matches and scored twice this summer.  

On Friday, the ‘Schwarzgelben’ face their first endurance test of the season with an away visit to third-tier 1860 Munich. The atmosphere at the sold-out ‘Stadion an der Grünwalderstrasse’ will be emotional but the second round should be within BVB’s sight.

3 | Köln travel to in-form Jahn Regensburg 

At Regensburg on Saturday, Steffen Baumgart will face his first major challenge of the season with FC Köln, a first round away game at Regensburg. 

After a very impressive season in which Köln very much earned their place in the UEFA Conference League, the club’s extension of Baumgart’s contract ensures stability at the helm. The passion and work ethic the 50-year-old has brought to the club has made the side much more competitive and they are a tough side to break down even on a bad day.  

The ‘Effzeh’ go into the current campaign stronger. The club have done well to keep top scorer Anthony Modeste and the ever-reliable Jonas Hector and add a versatile centre-back who can also play in midfield in Luca Killian from Mainz 05.

In Regensburg, the club face a team who only secured 2. Bundesliga survival at the end of the season. Their second-tier campaign last season went everything than to plan, just scraping into safety by one point ahead of Dynamo Dresden. 

The ‘Jahnelf’ who also lost their main keeper Alex Meyer to Borussia Dortmund have brought in Dejan Stojanovic from Middlesbrough. A further reinforcement this time in attack comes in the form of Prince Owei-Owusu from Erzgebirge Aue.

Despite getting off to a very impressive start to the 2. Bundesliga season with an opening match 2-0 win over Darmstadt and most impressively a 3-0 win at promotion candidates Arminia Bielefeld, Regensburg is expected this season to be amongst the relegation candidates but Köln should be wary in spite of their 2-1 win against AC Milan last week.

Here is the full fixture list for round one of the Pokal:

Ben McFadyean

We all love kits and the second tier in Germany has some outstanding kits again this season so time for editor Daniel Pinder and Borussia Dortmund correspondent Ben McFadyean to take on the tricky task of rating the home kits of all the 18 teams in the league, all ratings out of 10.

Arminia Bielefeld

https://twitter.com/arminia/status/1537497008260452352

Dan: 5/10 – I mean, it’s OK? But last season’s was certainly better. 

Ben: 6/10 – Macron does some top kits and last season’s black, white and blue striped Arminia was a ‘keeper’ but this season, not feeling it. Come on Macron, get inspired by the spirit of the great fans of the ‘Alm’! 

Darmstadt 

Derselbe Teamgeist. Dieselbe Motivation. Dasselbe Feuer. Im neuen Gewand. #sv98
_______________________________
Heimtrikot 22/23: https://t.co/JWQZ24SCro pic.twitter.com/sYxypkiAvu

— SV Darmstadt 98 (@sv98) May 21, 2022

Dan: 3/10 – Admittedly not a fan of this. The badge is nice but other than that, it doesn’t do anything for me.

Ben: 4/10 – Craft is a new brand to me, not seen this before. The contrast in blues is kind of cool but overall not liking this in spite of the striped panel in the middle which is repeated on the away but not the goalkeeper shirt. Overall not my cuppa!   

Eintracht Braunschweig

https://twitter.com/EintrachtBSNews/status/1544648511681187840

Dan: 3/10 – Not a fan of kits with a design like this. Borussia Dortmund tried and it just didn’t look right. It’s too ‘in your face’ for my liking.

Ben: 5/10 – For the Eintracht Braunschweig Puma kit this season, too much like the BVB shirt of 20/21. Great to see the 1966 Meister back in the league though.

Fortuna Düsseldorf

https://twitter.com/f95/status/1542411360402898944

Dan: 7/10 – Now this is nice. The shade of red, the stripes. I can’t remember the last time Fortuna had a bad design.

Ben: 6/10 – I’m usually a big fan of Adidas kits and there is something of the Liverpool kits of the 1970’s in this season’s home kit but in spite of having the coolest coach in Daniel Thioune, the two time DFB Pokal winners home kit this season is not lighting my fire!

Greuther Fürth

https://twitter.com/kleeblattfuerth/status/1533410124517318661

Dan: 6/10 – An improvement on last season’s, but it still doesn’t pack a punch for me. At least it’s different from the other 2. Bundesliga clubs, though. 

Ben: 9/10 – A high rating by me for Puma’s home kit but then the Irish side of me says a shamrock and classic green and white stripes, what can you actually get wrong?

Hamburg

https://twitter.com/HSV_English/status/1547140859426136067

Dan: 7/10 – Maybe I’m just a sucker for Hamburg tops. I like the Black and blue on the home shirt. Big fan of this one and better than last season’s home kit.

Ben: 4/10 – In spite of being the title favourites, the home kit makes them look like relegation play off contenders. HSV have had some beauties over the decades like the red European Cup winners shirt of 1983, but what went wrong here?

Hannover 96

https://twitter.com/Hannover96/status/1539568708946984960

Dan: 8/10 – This has everything a home kit needs for me. It’s smart, the shade of red is nice and the crest goes with it. This is certainly up there and Hannover rarely get a home kit wrong.

Ben: 6/10 – Hannover 96 surely have the best crest in the second tier in Germany? I like the chequered detail, this Macron’s red jersey is a classic for sure. 

Hansa Rostock

https://twitter.com/HansaRostock/status/1545446750575534081

Dan: 5/10 – This would have been better if it was just blue but with white around the neck and sleeves.

Ben: 5/10 – Nike have done some class kits over the years including BVB’s Champions League winning kit, who could forget? The ‘Hanseaten’ may have a ‘heavy metal’ image but only Dua Lipa could really rock this one!    

Heidenheim

https://twitter.com/FCH1846/status/1545456604543426565

Dan: 9/10 – OK, I agree with Ben on this one. This is certainly up there for me. Both the red and blue are excellent shades. Reminds me a little of Bayern’s 2014/15 kit.

Ben: 10/10 – Full marks for Puma’s Heidenheim kit, not just because BVB II’s Lennard Maloney is playing with the club this season, this kit has all of ‘Barca’ and more, this one is on my to buy list!! 

Holstein Kiel

https://twitter.com/Holstein_Kiel/status/1545063978128199680

Dan: 7/10 – Holstein Kiel have rarely had a bad kit and although similar to Hamburg’s in style on the upper chest, this is very nice. Such a unique club that’s deserving of Bundesliga football.

Ben: 6/10 – I didn’t get the controversy earlier in the summer about the Holstein home kit, I would love to see ‘The Storks’ promoted and it would be the first team ever from the county of Schleswig-Holstein to achieve but the shirt leaves me mid-table inspired which is alas probably where the Kieler will finish this season.

Jahn Regensburg

https://twitter.com/SSVJAHN/status/1545361621433851904

Dan: 7/10 – It’s crisp, and that’s what I look for in a kit.

Ben: 7/10 – Saller again is a new brand to me. The kit is crisp, clean and it get’s the message across, cannot argue with that just hope the Regensburger can do the same on the pitch.

Kaiserslautern

https://twitter.com/Rote_Teufel/status/1547846360480616448

Dan: 5/10 – An improvement on last season but like Ben, I thought their burgundy kit was excellent.

Ben: 6/10 – Four-time champions Kaiserslautern are back in the second tier after 5 years of asking but the kit is no celebration wearable, anyone remember the burgundy 2003/4 kit?

Karlsruher SC

https://twitter.com/KarlsruherSC/status/1547571357436694542

Dan: 6/10 – I don’t like many Macron kits, but this is up there! Clean home kit.

Ben: 7/10 – I love the historical club crests in the design, nice work Macron!

Magdeburg

https://twitter.com/1_FCM/status/1547546987771428870

Dan: 5/10 – I’m not Uhlsport’s biggest fan, I think this would have worked better if they reworked the shoulders. Not a fan of the white there.

Ben: 5/10 – Always been an Uhlsport fan when they did goalkeeper strips but this kit and the FCM have some of the most loyal fans in the league but the white pin stripes? Pyjama party anyone?

Nürnberg

https://twitter.com/1_fc_nuernberg/status/1540956198534520832

Dan: 8/10 – I think it’s the shade of red that does this for me. And the black. Reminds me of an 80s kit. Big fan of this one.

Ben: 6/10 – Adidas are the kings of cool when it comes to German outfitters in my book but the 9 time Meisterschaften of the ‘Der Club’ seem to have left the Herzongenaurauch designers a bit lost for words again this season good effort, try harder next time.   

Paderborn

https://twitter.com/SCPaderborn07/status/1544341382218883072

Dan: 7/10 – A massive improvement from their last two home kits.

Ben: 7/10 – Another Saller shirt, classic design. Top half finish for Paderborner in that kit.

Sandhausen

https://twitter.com/SV_Sandhausen/status/1544691572180148228

Dan: 6/10 – This is smart. Nothing over the top, doesn’t hurt the eyes and is clean. How a kit should be.

Ben: 7/10 – Macron have done it again for the minnows of the league Sandhausen look the part but will it be enough to keep the Heidelberg club in the league?

St. Pauli

Der FC St. Pauli hat einen neuen Stürmer verpflichtet: Johannes "Jojo" #Eggestein wechselt vom belgischen Erstligisten @official_rafc nach Hamburg.

Alle Infos & Stimmen https://t.co/LsbVBdEmQs#fcsp pic.twitter.com/EZrWlNtgrf

— FC St. Pauli (@fcstpauli) June 21, 2022

Dan: 6/10 – Credit to St. Pauli for their approach to this home kit, but it just doesn’t do it for me.

Ben: 8/10 – ‘DIY’ is St Pauli’s own home grown effort, BVB did the same with Goool in the 2000s but St. Pauli are doing their own kit this season with a reported focus on sustainability. The club’s brown with the trim looking good, let’s see if the editor can get some of these to ‘test at home’?  

Dan’s favourite is Heidenheim with a score of 9/10, which is also echoed by Ben, who goes one better with the unbeatable score of 10/10. And they’re the overall winners with a score of 19/20.

Which is your favourite 2. Bundesliga kit this season?

Here is the match day one fixtures in full:

Excited about Bundesliga 2 season yet? You should be, German football is back and we are off to order some of the kits. We will take a look at the best away kits next week.

Adamyan, who has attracted interest from a host of Bundesliga clubs, is seen as a replacement for Reiss Nelson who will return to Arsenal following his loan spell.

The Armenia international is a big reason SSV Jahn are where they are in the table, his 15 goals and 11 assists in 32 second division games has propelled Achim Beierlorzer’s side up into eighth.

Regensburg is one of the odd ones of German football. Most clubs in the history of the sport in some way gained from the fall of the Third Reich. However, Jahn Regensburg did not. In the old Nazi-system, German football was divided into Gauligas and Jahn Regensburg managed to finish third in the Gauliga Bayern for three consecutive years. However, they haven’t been as successful since the fall of the Reich.

They’re the absolute definition of a yo-yo team, constantly bouncing up and down the divisions, never really being able to rest properly. Up and down the German divisions until the beginning of the 1970s when they began to falter quite a bit, they quickly found themselves playing Landesliga football, which back in the time was the fourth division. At the end of the 1990s however, they began to rise again and managed to gain promotion to the 2. Bundesliga in 2003, albeit they failed horrendously and finished last that year.

Like many German minnows, they faced bankruptcy after trying to stay up in 2. Bundesliga. They managed to escape their difficult situation though and were therefore able to rebuild again. They dropped down to the third division and soon found themselves one tier further down again but would soon pick up some form. As the proper yo-yo team, they’ve proven to be a team you can simply never count out. Jahn managed to reach 2. Bundesliga in 2012/13, but once again failed horrendously and finished last.

It seems to be the eternal faith of Jahn Regensburg, to constantly bounce up and down. Is the devil crossed? Or have Jahn just made a deal with him? After getting relegated from 2. Bundesliga in 2013, they found themselves on the brink of collapse once again. Third division football and then Regionalliga in two consecutive relegations was on the cards for the small club from one of the more picturesque cities in Bavaria. But once again they bounced back. In 2015/16, they played Regionalliga Bayern. Now, they fight for a play-off spot in 2. Bundesliga. It’s a quite remarkable rise, but it’s not unusual for this club. As mentioned earlier, they are the definition of a yo-yo team in football.

The rise back to the near top can be attributed to Heiko Herrlich, the man who took them from the depths of Regionalliga to 2. Bundesliga. His work and legacy at the club has made it much easier for Achim Beierlorzer to perform as excellently as he has.

Beierlorzer did inherit a very decent outfit, but we must remember that there were many teams gunning for the play-off spot in 3. Liga last season and it all was decided on the last Matchday. Herrlich’s team managed to win, reaching the play-off in which they beat a free-falling 1860 Munich with a rather grand margin. Their win at Allianz Arena was a sign of things to come as the Bavarian minnows have continued to overperform in 2. Bundesliga, albeit under a new coach and with a few new players. Jahn did in no way outplay their opposition in 3. Liga and their success this season shows us that 3. Liga might be of some decent class. And that Beierlorzer is a very good tactician. The step from 3. Liga to 2. Bundesliga is notoriously difficult, but even more so when it’s gained through play-off.

2. Bundesliga is never easy to stay in for a newly promoted side, but a few sides have managed to get promoted in their first season. The last one to do it was SV Darmstadt 98, but they’re on their way down again. This season, all newly promoted teams are fighting for promotion, which is quite remarkable considering none of them had that as their announced goal beforehand.

Holstein Kiel, Jahn and Duisburg have all overperformed and look poised to stay up at the least. Jahn’s success has however not gone unnoticed and their tactical promise is more than obvious. Beierlorzer has created something truly magnificent from the excellent foundation he inherited from Leverkusen coach, Herrlich. Jahn Regensburg have played beautiful football at times. Their attacking football and array of technical players have together created a highly successful and energetic side that can beat any team they like in the second tier. Their attacking movement is down to Herrlich’s foundation as much as Beierlorzer’s actual match tactics, but it’s been fun to look at and entertaining to follow. Add their ability to score late goals to that and you have a perfect mix.

Coach Beierlorzer was interviewed by ‘Heute im Stadion’ and he said that the team has continuously showed great unity. He further explains that he’s no supporter of sitting back to defend and that he liked his team to attack both with and without the ball. This has become obvious. As stated, Jahn have been nice to look at and their aggressive and attacking movement has created problems for the best of defences in the brilliant second tier of German football. However, their rise is also down to continuity. As with Darmstadt, it seems like they’ve kept hold of many squad players from their years in the Regionalliga. This is a clever move from the Regensburg board as squad continuity can be a great way to keep a team together. And for a side like the Bavarian minnows from Regensburg, togetherness can make a real and proper difference.

Players like Marco Grüttner and Marvin Knoll are key performers of this minimal side. They seem to be playing with lots of width and try to exploit the flanks through good wingers and wing-backs. They combine this with having a rather primitive Sturmer up top in Grüttner whose sole purpose is to draw attention and score goals. The defensive midfielders tend to take turns in attack and one of them provide support when they decide to overload the opposition. Knoll’s great vision on his flank becomes key for Jahn as he acts as the wide playmaker, the Marc Schnatterer of Jahn Regensburg and creates opportunities as a cheap-line article. It’s a wise way to play attacking football and it’s very successful.

The main goal for this yo-yo side should be to stay up, preferably for a few years. If they do stay for a few years, then they can make the step to Bundesliga in a few year’s time. Zweite Bundesliga is a crazy league where absolutely anything can happen. However, the main goal for die Rothosen should be avoiding relegation. Some continuity for this notorious yo-yo club would certainly do good and might prove very important financially as well.

It is always great to witness smaller clubs emerge from the depths. Jahn Regensburg do have a rich history but haven’t had many successful stints. Perhaps this season marks the beginning of one, maybe this beautiful Jahn is the beginning of a new Regensburg identity. One thing is certain, however, Jahn Regensburg will stay up and we will be seeing much more of them in the future.

By Axel Falk.