Dances with Wolves – VfL Wolfsburg

The 46th Bundesliga season has ended last Saturday, it’s time to look back at an exciting and high-scoring season. For the next few weeks, I will wrap up the season for each individual club, point out the highlights as well as the lows.

First in line, the new and first time Bundesliga champion, VfL Wolfsburg.

Wolfsburg simply impressed with statistics. Coming from the 9th position in the tables after the mid-season’s break in winter without a single away win, they elevated themselves onto the top position by winning ten games in a row. The strikers Grafite and Edin Dzeko scored both 54 of the 80 goals in total, helping the Wolves to become the first Bundesliga champion that comes from such a low mid-season position. Helpful here, was another detail. They were a real power at home, no other European team was as successful this season as Wolfsburg. They won 16 out of 17 home games, the only draw happened against… no, not Bayern, not Stuttgart, against Frankfurt (a 2-2 in week 3)!

The city of Wolfsburg was once founded by the Nazis in 1938 as a home for the staff of the newly built Volkswagen factory. Nowadays Volkswagen plays the central role of the organization as the football branch of the club is tied 100% to the Volkswagen Inc. A key fact that helped coach and manager Felix Magath to improve the squad with 60million Euro, an aid package that is going to be expected for the new season as well, despite any recessions and crises. Felix Magath will then be doing his job in Schalke while the former Stuttgart coach Armin Veh will take over his reign.

But even traditionalists have to admit that an incredible and outstanding season by the club from Lower Saxony led them to the deserved Bundesliga title.

Highlight of the season

Without any doubts the 5-1 against Bayern Munich. The fifth goal by Grafite, a slap in Bavarian faces.

Goof-up of the season

Apart from the fact that they’re still VfL Wolfsburg and come from the city Wolfsburg (yawn) a loss against Karlsruhe is barely legal. But, believe it or not, the green goal machine was defeated 2-1 by the relegated team in Bundesliga week 6. Booo!