22 Aug 2024 - Der Tagesspiegel Von Nico Schmook Am 23. August beginnt die neue Saison in der Fußball-Bundesliga. Erstmals seit über einem Jahrzehnt bestreitet der FC Bayern diesmal nicht das Eröffnungsspiel, diese Ehre gebührt Meister Bayer Leverkusen. Wir blicken in drei Teilen auf die 18 Erstligaklubs und arbeiten uns dabei von unten nach oben. In Teil 2 geht es um die Teams, die im letzten Jahr im Mittelfeld der Liga landeten.Meistert Trainer Frank Schmidt mit seinem Team auch die Dreifachbelastung? VfL Wolfsburg Das Ziel: Die Rückkehr in das europäische Geschäft. Auch wenn die Wolfsburger dieses Ziel zuletzt regelmäßig verfehlt haben, wurde es wieder ausgegeben. Der Kader ist zwar genau dafür gebaut, doch die Niedersachsen sind und bleiben eine Wundertüte. Der Kader: Ist einer, der um Europa mitspielen muss. Ralph Hasenhüttl kann auf ein eingespieltes Gerüst bauen, für einen wirklichen Umbruch ist in diesem Sommer auch überraschend wenig in Sachen Transfers passiert. Alles in allem...

Photo by Matthias Hangst/Getty Images https://www.bavarianfootballworks.com/2024/8/15/24218745/bayern-munich-bundesliga-preview-hoffenheim Hoffenheim has failed to win at the Allianz Arena in the club’s past five attempts. By LoneStar249 Aug 15, 2024, 12:00am CEST After three average seasons, Hoffenheim played more offensively was rewarded with a spot in the Europa League but they also gave up 66 goals, the club’s highest amount since 2014. Hoffenheim must find more balance this season if they want to challenge for a coveted Champions League spot next season. Bayern Munich handed Hoffenheim its worst loss of the season, 3-0 in January, behind a brace from Jamal Musiala. On the final match day, Andrej Kramarić scored a second half hat trick to erase an early 2-0 deficit and given Hoffenheim a 4-2 win. Hoffenheim will have to find a new leading scorer because they just sold Maximilian Beier to Dortmund for a bunch of cash. Manager: Pellegrino Matarazzo, 3rd year Total market value:...

Mainz did what Schalke 04 were hoping for Mainz were level with Schalke 04 on 7 points at the end of the Hinrunde , 8 points from the play-off place and 10 adrift of safety.  Now, Mainz are still 17th, but they’re level on points with 16th-placed Hertha and just one point from safety .  The last time Mainz were 16th was MD-9 , and the last time they were out of the relegation zone was MD-8 (15th) – a win could see them move out of the relegation places for the first time since November 2020. Twice as many points in half the time FSV Mainz 05 have earned 14 points in the second half of the season – twice as many as in the first half of the season.  Four of their 5 wins in 2020/21 have come since MD-17. Mainz look good for survival With 14 points, Mainz sit sixth in the standings for the second half of the season, ahead of the likes of Dortmund (13), Hoffenheim (11) and Leverkusen (8).  More importantly, they’ve made up ground in the fight for survival: Köln have e...

Equal match-up A win for 11th-placed Hoffenheim (30 points) would see them draw level with opponents Stuttgart, who are currently in ninth place (33 points).  Stuttgart’s goal difference of +8 is markedly better than Hoffenheim’s (-2), meaning that TSG would only leapfrog their opponents with a win by six goals or more. Stuttgart’s form sees them back in the top half VfB Stuttgart are unbeaten in 4 Bundesliga games, a run featuring 2 wins (1-0 vs. Köln, 5-1 vs. Schalke) and 2 draws (1-1 vs. Hertha, 1-1 vs. Frankfurt).  Stuttgart overtook Gladbach to go ninth in the table on the last matchday and are back in the top half of the table for the first time since matchday 13. Best run under Hoeneß TSG 1899 Hoffenheim are also unbeaten in their last 4  Bundesliga games – their best unbeaten run of the season and the first time they’ve gone this long without defeat under Sebastian Hoeneß .  They’ve won 2 at home and drawn 2 away from home in this time. Stuttgart feeling a...

Wolfsburg's centre-back John Brooks may not have Hoffenheim's top scorer Andrej Kramaric to contend with on Sunday. - © DFL  US national team centre-back John Brooks is part of the second-tightest defence in the Bundesliga, and he may not have Hoffenheim's top scorer Andrej Kramaric to contend with when Wolfsburg host the Sinsheimers on Sunday (kick-off: 3.30pm CET/2.30pm GMT/10.30am ET). Latest Brooks is the only Wolfsburg defender to have started all six games for Oliver Glasner's side this season, but regardless of whom the hulking left-footer has had for company, the Wolves have only let in four goals - a tally second only to Borussia Dortmund's (2) at this early stage of the season.  Unfortunately for Sunday's hosts, they have only scored one more goal at the other end, which is a league third-worst record .  Wolfsburg only mustered four shots on target in last Sunday's 1-1 draw at Hertha Berlin, a result which left them, perhaps unsurprisingly, in ...

https://www.sportsmole.co.uk/football/wolfsburg/preview/preview-wolfsburg-vs-hoffenheim-prediction-team-news-lineups_421341.html by  Brett Curtis   Wolfsburg host Hoffenheim on Sunday as the 2020-21 Bundesliga continues, with the two sides separated by a single point and place in the table. The hosts are one of only two sides left unbeaten in the German top flight, having drawn five of their opening six matches , while Hoffenheim are without a win since beating Bayern Munich prior to the international break. Match preview It has been a curious start to the season for Oliver Glasner 's side. Not many sides in recent history can have remained unbeaten after six games yet occupy a place in the bottom half of the table, but that is where Wolfsburg find themselves having only won once all season. That win came against Arminia Bielefeld a couple of weeks ago, but was promptly followed up with another draw at Bruno Labbadia's Hertha Berlin last weekend. Glasner replaced his opp...