Today’s Splashes do not really come from the Bundesliga as Germany played in China while Werder Bremen defeated Bayer Leverkusen in order to win the national cup, the DFB-Pokal.
Those who are students or did not had to work or whatever had the grateful opportunity to watch the China-Germany game at 0230pm (CET) on Friday. What they saw was a really horrible game as Lukas Podolski had to equalize early to bring the 1-1 draw home. Mario Gomez wasn’t able to score for Germany yet again, maintaining his two faces, the successful Bundesliga scoring performance as well as the international failing one. ‘Two Nations, One Passion’ was the motto of the China-trip, trying to make the Bundesliga and German football more popular in Asia. This did not only come a few years late after all other big European leagues have at least one foot in Asia’s market, but the only team who showed a bit of passion in this game, was the Chinese team. While they fought bravely against the apparently jet-legged German squad, Deutschland hardly did any advertizing with their performance. The next upcoming opportunity will be on Tuesday as they’ll take on the United Arab Emirates in hot hot Dubai.
Congratulations to Werder Bremen! The only goal of the match from Mezut Özil meant another DFB-Pokal win for Bremen as they’ll thereby have the desired chance to play in the new established UEFA-Euro-League after losing the UEFA-Cup final a couple of weeks ago. While the Bremen fans bid farewell to star midfielder Diego who leaves for Junventus FC and for retiring Captain Frank Baumann, the Bayer fans had to suffer a lost final once again. Bayer Vice-kusen’s Coach Bruno Labbadia is facing rough days now as he criticized his management before the game and is linked to several other Bundesliga clubs such as Hamburger SV where he should become the successor of Martin Jol.
Well, the Business-Punchinellos in the Bundesliga management decided before that season that it would be a great idea to bring back the 1991 abrogated relegation play-off games, meaning that the 16th of the Bundesliga plays the 3rd of the 2nd Bundesliga in back-to-back matches. We now get treated with soccer-istical dainties such as Cottbus against Nuremberg. Anyway, the first match was played today, Cottbus lost 0-3 at home. Ouch! Nuremberg is getting ready to celebrate their promotion into the Bundesliga after the second leg on Sunday.
Meanwhile did Oliver Kahn interfere in the transfer politics of his old club Bayern Munich. And I’ve got to say, I share his opinion this time. He commented on Bayern’s request for Manuel Neuer, the goalkeeper of Schalke 04, saying that ‘he is a talented goalie, no more, no less’. And he doesn’t see a huge difference between him and Michael Rensing as they both have times where they play for the gallery as well as they’re fault-prone every now and then.
The next one could’ve been written by Mrs. Morissette. As Hamburg is losing their coach and are on the manhunt once again, you hear the name of Leverkusen’s coach Bruno Labbadia suddenly more often. He on the other hand is pretty much livin’ on the edge (yeah, this was Aerosmith, I know) at the Bayer club at the moment, as a loss in the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday would mean his sack. And who would Leverkusen lose to? Werder Bremen. Yes, their rival Werder Bremen who knocked the Redpants out of two semi-finals and defeated them three times in 19 days. So apparently, Werder could now help Hamburg to get the coach they want to have. Ah, Alanis…
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.
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!
Oh, what an eventful day! The merry-go-round is about to turn. First of all, the first big transfer for Bayern Munich this summer. Stuttgart’s Mario Gomez will join the Bavarians for the new season in exchange for 30million Euro, which makes it the most expensive transfer in Bundesliga history. The 23-year-old striker is about to sign a contract for apparently four years. It will be interesting to see how Luca Toni (tanti auguri, Luca!) will react to the transfer as he costs the club the most and is with 32years the oldest of the four Bayern strikers. Stuttgart on the contrary, will lose a brilliant striker who is able to score 20+ goals each season indeed, but they’ll also get a nice and fresh 30millions on their account, money which they can now use on the transfer for Barcelona’s Aleksandr Hleb. The transfer will probably put an end on the Bavarian bidding for Wolfsburg’s star striker Edin Dzeko but not to the search for a new goalkeeper. Schalke’s Manuel Neuer officially aroused interest there.
A couple of hours earlier Bremen’s star Diego was transferred to Juventus Torino for a nothingness of 24.5million Euro. The amount will be paid in three installments, plus an extra 2.5million Euro if Juve reaches certain goals. It will be interesting to see what Werder Bremen is doing with all that money and which talent they are going to conjure once again. Mönchengladbach’s talented midfielder Marko Marin is the latest gossip. But the question remains. Why did Diego move to Juventus. Certainly, the Old Lady is one of the most successful and popular club in the world. With rotten and unsafe stadiums, violence on every weekend, low attendances the Italian Serie A is not what it’s used to be anymore.
The third big news today was the leaving of Hamburg’s coach Martin Jol. Ajax Amsterdam chose him to become Marco van Basten’s successor, both clubs are negotiating a transfer fee. He led the redpants to two semi-finals and into the new established Euro League. A departure would mean a huge abuse of confidence as Hamburg was very happy to present him as their new coach after an exhausting search for a new coach last summer. Hence the manhunt will have to start over again.
Yes, yes, it is done. Wolfsburg is the new Bundesliga title holder, Wolfsburg claimed the Meisterschaft, hitting every traditionalist in the crotch which we are of course not. Hence we compliment Volkswagen, I’m sorry, Wolfsburg on the deserved championship. A post on Wolfsburg later on but first, let’s have a look at the games from thi season’s last week of Bundesliga (boo hoo!):
VfL Wolfsburg- Werder Bremen 5-1
The neutral fans hoped for a tense and thrilling season finale but the green goal machine denied us this wish by scoring two early goals. Grafite is with his 27 goals the goalgetter of the season. Remarkably, he played only in games which gives him a goal average below 75minutes. Way to go!!!
Eh, well, in the standings’ no man’s land, a lost UEFA-Cup final a few days ago why should they make an effort. The last opportunity to win something besides dignity is the DFB-Pokal final on Saturday against Bayer Leverkusen.
Bayern Munich – VfB Stuttgart 2-1
Bayern reached their minimal goal by defeating their main rival for the 2nd place and thus the immediate qualification for the Champions League in an appalling game 2-1. Anyway, suddenly everything what Jürgen Klinsmann did was wrong and Jupp Heynckes was the holy savior. Let’s keep it that way.
Some VfB players will tell later that seeing on the scoreboard how their competitor for the 3rd place, Berlin, went down early, the motivation flew out of the window. One advice: Don’t tell that to the management. It becomes harder for them now to plan and to calculate for the new season as the Champions League qualifier will not start before mid-August when the season already began and the transfer window soon closes. Fools.
Karlsruher SC – Hertha BSC Berlin 4-0
4 goals! In one game! But apart from a decent farewell and some sort of regained dignity this victory means nothing but relegation. Bye bye Karlsruhe.
Wow, that was one hell of a loss. Receiving four goals against Karlsruhe which is pretty much illegal, throwing the Champions League spot in the garbage can, hence losing millions of Euros and thus key players like Pantelic and Voronin, this defeat was preety much the worst case scenario. Pretty much gone in 90 minutes.
Arminia Bielefeld – Hannover 96 2-2
Talking about relegation, Bielefeld joins the yellow-footers from Karlsruhe after a ridiculous week and an unnecessary draw against the worst defense of the Bundesliga. Having their coach sacked only one game from finish, the club falls more and more apart. I hope they will pick up courage and promote again next year.
The season was over a couple of games ago and thus this game provided Hannover to screw Bielefeld and to end some unfinished business. After 39-year-old veteran Michael Tarnat wasn’t probably saw off during the last home game (he even didn’t get a bouquet of flowers), Sergio Pinto attended to that in a great way.
Energie Cottbus – Bayer Leverkusen 3-0
A tough fight for the only Bundesliga club from the former GDR but they showed character and sent the once again disappointing team from Leverkusen back to the Rhine. Whether or not they’ll stay in the Bundesliga will be decided in two games against the third of the 2nd Bundesliga, Nuremburg, later this week. Fingers are crossed.
The game meant nothing for the Bayer-eleven, it’ll all come down on Saturday when they’ll face Werder Bremen in the DFB-Pokal final. A victory will provide the only chance to play international after a brilliant season’s first half was ditched by a following horrible second half.
Borussia Mönchengladbach – Borussia Dortmund 1-1
After two important wins in the last two games, Mönchengladbach rescued themselves pretty much last week. After a few moments of worrying, it was clear that relegation shouldn’t be an issue anymore. Congratulations!
Dortmund failed to crest their glorious comeback with a spot in the new Euro League after an unnecessary draw. It was a successful season though. Dortmund recovered from serious financial problems and fights within the team. The new coach Jürgen Klopp brought success and integrity back to the black and yellow.
Eintracht Frankfurt – Hamburger SV 2-3
The season is over, the not really beloved coach Friedhelm Funkel agreed to resign after the pressure from the management and the fans, all in all a usual theatrical season for United (Eintracht) Frankfurt.
Boooy, with a late winner and stunning goal Piotr Trochowski saved the season for Hamburg by kicking Dortmund from the 5th place and securing the Redpants a spot in the new established Euro League. And of course, he was offside.
FC Schalke 04 – 1899 Hoffenheim 2-3
Schalke is in the waiting for the savior and champion-maker Felix Magath to come and rescue the Königsblauen as their new coach and manager. And that’s how they played.
Although the game meant nothing for both clubs in the standings, the victory was a delayed gratification for Hoffenheim’s coach Ralf Rangnick who was sacked as Schalke coach in an ugly kind of way a few years ago.
FC Cologne – VfL Bochum 1-1
A not really eventful season is finally over and thus the waiting for Lukas Podolski comes to an end. All said.
Bochum had nothing to worry about in the last game as they managed to stay in the Bundesliga already last week. Therefore they scored a pretty great own goal…
