World Soccer - UK (2020-10)

G E R M A N Y B U N D E S L

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problem for opponents, though, is that
the Bayern attacking threat stretches far,
far wider. Last season, no fewer than
14 of their players were on the
scoresheet in the Bundesliga.
Over the last two decades, just five
Bundesliga coaches – Matthias Sammer
andJurgen Klopp at Dortmund, Thomas
Schaaf (Werder Bremen), Armin Veh
(Stuttgart) and Felix Magath (Wolfsburg)

• have succeeded in knocking Bayern
  off their perch. Overtaking Bayern is
  akin to scaling Everest, but if any of the
  current batch of top-flight bosses has it
  in him to be an ace mountaineer, it has
  to be young RB Leipzig trainerJulian
  Nagelsmann.
  As proven by RB’s excellent results
  in the 2019-20 Champions League,
  Nagelsmann, 33, quite clearly knows
  what he’s doing. His side have all the
  organisational bases covered, they are
  consummate shape-shifters, press with
  intelligence and intensity and break
  forward with panache and generosity.
  Although his squad is relatively raw, with
  an average age below 24, they perform
  with a great deal of maturity. That is to
  Nagelsmann’s immense credit.
  The all-important question for
  Leipzig is how successfully they fill the
  gap left by the sale to Chelsea of star
  striker Timo Werner, their number one
  supplier of attacking verve and potency,
  who netted 28 Bundesliga goals last
  term. They have turned to sister club
  RB Salzburg to sign South Korean
  forward Hwang Hee-chan, and
  believe that he can fill Werner’s
  boots adequately.
  In other good news for RB, much-
  coveted French centre-back Dayot
  Upamecano, rumoured to be on the
  radar of Bayern Munich and Arsenal,
  has signed a new deal, thus ending
  months of speculation.
  Dortmund, German league
  runners-up in each of the last two
  seasons, would have to spectacularly
  self-destruct not to finish in the top
  three. They have an impressive squad,
  including several young guns with vast

potential, carry significant attacking

threat – netting a club-record 84

domestic league goals last season

• and feature the best young striker
  in Europe in Erling Haaland.
  Sadly for the Ruhr giants, they are
  light in certain areas. Their defence
  can be porous and they have a habit of
  losing focus, often found wanting in key
  moments. For all his admirable qualities
  as a tactician and teacher, coach Lucien
  Favre, about to begin his third season at
  the Westfalenstadion, now is running a
  credibility deficit, with fans and media
  types launching brickbats a plenty.
  Critics claim he is not the winner
  that Borussia need.
  The coronavirus pandemic has hit
  the Dortmund wallet especially hard.
  The club posted a€45 million loss
  for the 2019-20 business year and
  chief executive Hans-Joachim Watzke
  accepts he will have to cut costs across
  the board: “The loss of revenue we’re

currently experiencing in all sectors

is dramatic. We have to save as much

as possible. For me it’s an especially

difficult chapter.”

If Dortmund, one of Germany’s

best-run and well-resourced outfits, are

having to watch the pennies, the alarm

bells should be ringing for everybody.

Nick Bidwell

GERMANY BUNDESLIGA Season Preview2020-21

If Dortmund, one of Germany’s

best-run and well-resourced outfits,

are having to watch the pennies,

the alarm bells should be ringing

for everybody

Hot property...

Nagelsmann is one

of Europe’s most

wanted coaches

Staying put...

Upamecano has

penned a new deal

at RB Leipzig

ARMINIA BIELEFELD

The runaway second division

champions are back in the top

flight for the first time since

2009. Expertly led by coach Uwe
      Neuhaus, they achieved promotion
      thanks largely to the goals of
      strikers Fabian Klos (21) and
      Andreas Voglsammer (12). Their
      season could hinge on how the
      pair adapt to their first seasons
      in the Bundesliga at the ages
      of 32 and 28 respectively.

VFB STUTTGART

Certain teams just belong at the

top table, and there are few bigger

organisations in German football

than Stuttgart, thrice winners of

the Bundesliga and once featuring

ahostofNationalmannschaftstars

such as Hansi Muller, Guido

Buchwald,Jurgen Klinsmann,

Philipp Lahm and Sami Khedira.

Their coach, Pellegrino Matarazzo,

used to work underJulian

Nagelsmann at Hoffenheim, and

the Americans’ attacking style

has drawn comparisons with

his former colleague.

Caption

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