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Second Bayern goal was crucial, says Heynckes after win over Wolfsburg
The veteran boss was pleased with the Bavarians' performance, an opinion which was echoed by Swiss midfielder Xherdan Shaqiri, but felt the scoreline was harsh to the visitors
Kroos praises 'role model' Sammer
The midfielder is keen to compliment the former sweeper's contribution since his summer arrival, while captain Philipp Lahm believes the Bavarians can dominate this season
Van der Vaart: Dortmund win commanded Hamburg respect
The Dutchman is glad to be back at the Imtech Arena, and speaks of the boost in morale at the club ignited by their recent 3-2 success over the Bundesliga champions
Afellay has made the right decision to join Schalke, says Robben
The Netherlands international feels that his compatriot's decision to move to the Bundesliga this summer will prove to be a good call
Olic: Mandzukic can become a key player for Bayern
The experienced attacker feels his countryman has the potential to become a important figure at the Bavarians, regardless of the stiff competition for places
'That was the best Frankfurt performance I've ever seen' - Klopp disappointed after Dortmund draw
After a thrilling tie with the Bundesliga high-fliers on Tuesday, the champions' boss only had good words for their opponents, while his captain rued more dropped points
Sep 25, 2012 11:15:00 PM
By Simon Harrison
Jurgen Klopp is keeping positive about Borussia Dortmund's chances of success for the season, despite seeing his side squander the lead twice in a "spectacular" 3-3 draw withEintracht Frankfurt.
Despite facing a two-goal deficit at half time, the new boys restored parity in the second half before Mario Gotze put the Bundesliga holders back in front.
However, Anderson Bamba pulled the visitors level once more late on to ensure that his side got their fair share of the spoils.
"It was a deserved draw in a spectacular game, althought it was much more spectacular than we wanted," the BVB coach admitted after the game.
"This was the best performance I've ever seen from a Frankfurt team, who have already got the better of a lot of great teams. When you lead 2-0, there is the iron law that one cannot be thrown away. Yet it happened to us."
Dortmund captain Sebastian Kehl, however, was not so forgiving in his view of the match, as he could not hide his frustrations at another poor defensive performance.
"We have conceded unnecessary goals. The match? We had to win it. It is very annoying," he fumed to reporters.
"It's very, very annoying that we have again thrown points away, like we did in Hamburg."
Didier Ya Konan has scored twice as Hannover thumped Nuremberg 4-1 to take third spot in the Bundesliga.
Szabolcs Huszti was the other star for Hannover as the Hungarian winger set up two goals and scored a third in the northern club's big win.
Hannover's first goal came in the 21st minute with Jan Schlaudraff getting clear down the right-hand side, crossing to Huszti, who found space at the back post and then teed up Lars Stindl to crack the ball into the top corner of the net.
Huszti created the second goal for himself; stealing the ball off Nuremberg defender Per Nilsson in the 29th minute and then sprinting clear to score from a tight angle.
A similar defensive error led to Hannover's third goal seven minutes after half-time with Ya Konan pressuring Nilsson and then eventually getting the better of the Swede and Nuremberg goalkeeper Raphael Schafer to score.
Ya Konan's second goal came through a counterattack in the 64th minute with the Ivory Coast striker set up by a left-wing cross from Huszti.
Timothy Chandler scored a goal for Nuremberg in the 73rd minute but the visitors never had a genuine chance for a comeback.
Hannover moved to third in the Bundesliga with Wednesday's win, three points behind second-placed Eintracht Frankfurt.
Borussia Moenchengladbach have continued their poor start to the season with a 2-2 draw against Hamburg.
Gladbach, who finished fourth last season, needed a stoppage-time equaliser from Alvaro Dominguez to secure the draw.
Rafael van der Vaart scored Hamburg's opening goal in the 23rd minute to put them 1-0 in front away from home, with Gladbach's Martin Stranzl providing an equaliser with six minutes before half-time.
But Hamburg were ahead at the break thanks to a goal from Artoms Rudnevs in the final minute of the first half.
Gladbach lost Stranzl to a straight red card in the 53rd minute but got a share of the points when Juan Arango set up Dominguez in the 91st minute.
Meanwhile, Hoffenheim claimed a 3-0 victory away to Stuttgart, Werder Bremen defeated Freiburg 2-1 and Bayer Leverkusen beat Augsburg 3-1.
Lahm: Bayern want to lead Bundesliga until end of the season
The Germany international has urged his team-mates to remain focused on the task at hand as he has set his sights on regaining the championship from Dortmund
Hoeness: You can't expect Javi Martinez to play like Messi or Cristiano Ronaldo
The Bayern supremo has admitted they were forced to pay over the odds for the Spaniard, but feels that is no reason to expect the midfielder to play like a world-class striker
Salihamidzic salutes Bayern after Wolfsburg win
The Bosnian midfielder, who represented both German clubs, was full of praise for the Bavarians after they maintained their unbeaten start to the season on Tuesday
Klopp: Dortmund have work to do in defence
The successful coach has expressed his dismay with his side's defensive record, and has admitted they have plenty of room for improvement
The 23-year-old explains last season's taunting of the Dutch maestro after the Bayern Munich winger's decisive spot kick was saved in their Bundesliga showdown
Sep 27, 2012 10:50:00 AM
By Paul Gorst
Neven Subotic has claimed his mocking of Arjen Robben’s decisive penalty miss in Borussia Dortmund’s clash with Bayern Munich last campaign was down to a rush of blood rather than any malice towards the Holland international.
Subotic immediately confronted Robben to taunt him after his 84[SUP]th[/SUP] minute penalty was saved in April.
Dortmund held on the game to win 1-0 and eventually become Bundesliga champions and nearly six months on, the Serbian defender attributes his action to an adrenaline rush over any dislike of Robben personally.
"On the one hand, people say 'Ey, Neven, you're so stupid, why are you doing this?' On the other hand, I know that it was an instinct,” said Subotic.
"It was not something I thought about [at the time]. Your pulse races at 200 on the pitch, it's best not try and explain everything [you do]."
Dortmund entertain Borussia Monchengladbach on Saturday whilst Bayern travel to Werder Bremen the same day with the two teams meeting again on December 1 at Allianz Arena.
Bundesliga preview: Bayern juggernaut heads to Bremen
27 September 2012
Bayern Munich will be looking to keep their perfect start to the Bundesliga going on Saturday when they journey to Werder Bremen.
Losing out to Borussia Dortmund for the past two seasons, Jupp Heynckes' Bayern side have made a blistering start to the 2012/13 campaign, winning all five of their league matches so far, most recently with a 3-0 mauling of Wolfsburg on Tuesday.
Spanish star Javi Martinez made his first start for Bayern in the Wolfsburg match, but striker Mario Gomez is yet to feature this term because of an ankle injury.
Dortmund, meanwhile, have begun the season in more sedate fashion - winning two, drawing two and losing one game so far ahead of their home clash with Borussia Moenchengladbach on Saturday.
Young playmaker Mario Goetze, 20, has started in just two of their league games so far but got on the scoresheet in their 3-3 draw with Eintracht Frankfurt after being introduced as a substitute at half-time.
Moenchengladbach finished fourth last term, and will be keen for points after taking only six from their first five games.
Schalke, who are in fourth place, begin the round of matches on Friday when they travel to promoted Fortuna Dusseldorf.
As well as heavyweights Bayern and Dortmund, other Saturday games see Bayer Leverkusen host Greuther Fuerth, third-placed Hannover 96 visit Hamburg, Nuremberg welcome Stuttgart, who are still looking for their first win of the new season, while bottom side Augsburg visit Hoffenheim.
Early season surprise packet Eintracht Frankfurt, who were runners-up in the 2.Bundesliga last season, will try and keep their unbeaten record intact when they welcome Freiburg to the Commerzbank Arena.
Frankfurt are in second place on the league table, and fought back from a 2-0 deficit at half-time to take a point against Dortmund on Wednesday, while Freiburg will look to hit back from their 2-1 loss to Werder Bremen.
The final match of the round sees Wolfsburg tackle Mainz at the Volkswagen Arena.
Schalke missed the chance to move into second place in the Bundesliga on Friday when they were held to a 2-2 draw at Fortuna Dusseldorf.
The visitors were in the ascendancy early at the Esprit Arena in Dusseldorf, with goals from Klaas-Jan Huntelaar - his third league goal of the season - and Cameroonian international defender Joel Matip putting Schalke 2-0 up inside of 20 minutes.
But a second-half brace from Dani Schahin was enough to secure a share of the spoils for the home side, who have made a positive start to life in the Bundesliga after their promotion from the second tier.
Schahin netted in the 48th minute after latching onto a Andrey Voronin cross and firing a shot past Lars Unnerstall in the Schalke goal.
Huntelaar and Ibrahim Afellay spurned several good chances to make sure of the three points for Huub Stevens' side, and Schahin made them pay in the 77th minute with a powerful header to level the scores.
The result leaves Fortuna in fifth place on the league table, with 10 points from their six games, while Schalke are in third on 11 points - four points behind leaders Bayern Munich, who have a game in hand.
The former Germany youth international was involved in a serious road accident on Friday, and is described by his club as having sustained 'life-threatening injuries'
2012-09-28 2:45:00 PM
By John-Paul Tooth
Hoffenheim midfielder Boris Vukcevic is in an induced coma after his car crashed into a truck on Friday.
The 22-year-old, who has made 55 Bundesliga appearances for die Hoffe since joining from Stuttgart's youth team in 2008, underwent an operation after the collision and is now purported to be in a 'critical condition'.
Vukcevic had to be airlifted from the site of the accident, which took place on the road between Hoffenheim and Heidelberg. The driver of the truck reportedly escaped with only minor injuries.
"The firefighters had to cut the driver out of the wrecked vehicle. He was then taken away in a helicopter," said an eyewitness.
Meanwhile, Hoffenhim released a statement following the crash to confirm the 'life-threatening injuries' sustained by the midfielder.
"This news has shaken us," Hoffenheim general manager Andreas Muller told reporters. "The team, the coach and everybody here is shocked. "Our thoughts are with Boris and his family."
The German side is due to host Augsburg in the Bundesliga on Saturday.
Bayern Munich made it six wins from six after two goals in the last 10 minutes sealed a 2-0 win over Werder Bremen.The Bavarians were met by a spirited performance from the home side but wasted several opportunities and will feel they should have put the game to bed much earlier than they did.
The game looked to be heading for a draw before Luiz Gustavo drove home from 20 yards with just nine minutes left. Substitute Mario Mandzukic made the points safe with a simple tap-in three minutes later.
Bayern looked dangerous from the start with former Bremen striker Claudio Pizarro heading inches wide just six minutes into the game after a good cross from Franck Ribery. The Peruvian missed another header on the stroke of halftime before Ribery hit the post after a great run just after the restart.
Ribery continued to torment the Bremen defence as the game edged to a close but it was Gustavo who got the breakthrough with just minutes remaining before Mandzukic wrapped up the points.
The win sees Bayern move five points clear at the top of the Bundesliga table.
An inspired performance from Marco Reus was the key for Borussia Dortmund as they recorded a convincing 5-0 win over Borussia Moenchengladbach.
The forward was tormentor-in-chief against his former club, scoring twice either side of Neven Subotic's header.
The rout was completed by Ilkay Gundogan and Jakub Blaszczykowski to ensure the Bundesliga holders eased to a comfortable win.
Fourth-placed Hannover missed the chance to move second after falling 1-0 at Hamburg.
Artjoms Rudnevs proved to be the match winner after scoring in the 20th minute with the win ending Hamburg's two-game losing streak.
Sidney Sam scored a double for Bayer Leverkusen in their 2-0 win over Bundesliga new-boys Greuther Furth.
Both goals came after halftime and see Leverkusen move up to sixth spot on the table after six games.
Stuttgart were too good for Nurnberg as they won 2-0 at Stadion Nurnberg. A first minute goal from Vedad Ibisevic was followed by a 75th minute strike by Martin Harnik to seal the win.
Elsewhere, Augsburg are still looking for their first win of the season after drawing 0-0 to Hoffenheim.
Hitzfeld backs Bayern Munich for Champions League glory
'The General' has tipped the club to surge to domestic and European success this season, after witnessing the scintillating form exhibited by Jupp Heynckes' men so far this term
Jupp Heynckes: Strong words were said at half-time
The Bavarians continued their superb start to the season, beating Werder Bremen 2-0 in a hard-fought match to maintain their lead at the top the league table
There is more to Hamburg than Van der Vaart, admits Huszti
Ahead of the German northern derby, the Hungarian revealed his side will have to be alive to more than only the Dutchman's ability in a resurgent Rothosen team
Schweinsteiger: Dortmund push Bayern to new heights
The Germany international has highlighted their rivals role in the Bavarians' recent run of good form, and has made it clear winning the Bundesliga is their main priority
Bayern Munich not taking any risks with Gomez
The prolific attacker has been sidelined since August, and a comeback still seems to be relatively far away at the moment
Van der Vaart haunted by Hamburg penalty miss The midfielder says his error from 12 yards cost his side a victory of major importance in their last league outing, but revealed he will continue to take spot-kicks
Sep 28, 2012 5:45:00 PM
By Tom Maston
Rafael van der Vaart has admitted that his penalty miss against Borussia Monchengladbachcost Hamburg all three points in Wednesday's match.
The Dutch midfielder hit the post from 12 yards with his side 2-1 up in the second-half, and they paid the price as Alvaro Dominguex scored a 92nd minute equaliser to rescue a point for the home side.
Van der Vaart had given his side the lead with a spectacular goal but he explained that he was extremely disappointed with his miss later in the match.
"It is really, really disappointing. We would have won if I had scored. I resent it very much," he told Bild.
"If we had not conceded in the last minute, I would not have thought for a second about mylittle mishap."
The former Tottenham playmaker explained that he will continue to take penalties despite the events of Wednesday night, but says he may now change his training routine regarding spot-kicks.
"Yes, I'm still going to take penalties. I have always practised penalties but maybe I will have to practice even more now," he added.
Bayern Munich not taking any risks with Gomez The prolific attacker has been sidelined since August, and a comeback still seems to be relatively far away at the moment
Sep 28, 2012 9:30:00 AM
By Stefan Coerts
Bayern Munich coach Jupp Heynckes will have to make do without the services of Mario Gomez for a few more weeks as the Bavarians are not taking any risks with the Germany international forward.
Gomez sustained an ankle injury early in August and Bayern were initially hopeful that the prolific striker would be fully match fit again within six weeks.
However, the 27-year-old only just resumed individual training action, and club doctor Hans-Wilhelm Muller-Wohlfahrt has stressed that Bayern won't rush the attacker's comeback.
"We have to be careful. We are taking things one step at a time in his recovery process. We want him to be able to make a risk-free comeback without having to worry about anything," Muller-Wohlfahrt was quoted as saying by Bild.
Gomez is expected to resume regular training action in two weeks' time, and could return to match action by early November.
Two goals in five minutes from Alexander Meier extended Eintracht Frankfurt's unbeaten start to the season.
But Frankfurt did not have things all their own way at the Commerzbank Arena on Sunday as they had to come from behind to beat SC Freiburg 2-1.
Following a goalless half, Max Kruse put the visitors in front in the 50th minute and despite Frankfurt having a goal ruled out for offside, Meier netted twice to earn the home side the points.
Karim Guede's red card in stoppage time rubbed salt into Freiburg's wounds and capped a frustrating afternoon for the visitors.
Meanwhile, first-half goals by Costa Rica defender Junior Diaz and Hungarian striker Adam Szalai have given Mainz a 2-0 win at Wolfsburg.
The goals, both created by midfielder Andreas Ivanschitz, enabled the struggling Mainz to collect their second league win of the season and move them to a comfortable mid-table position.
'We must be top at the end' - Xherdan Shaqiri urges Bayern Munich to keep their focus
The Switzerland starlet played a crucial role as the Bavarians continued their winning run against Werder Bremen, but has warned his side not to lose their concentration
Messages of support pour in for Hoffenheim's Vukcevic
The 22-year-old was involved in a horrific road accident on Friday, and members of the footballing community have been quick to wish the player a speedy recovery
Matthias Sammer blasts Bayern Munich's performance after narrow win over Werder Bremen
The club's sporting director was disappointed with the display against Bremen on Saturday, despite emerging victorious from the encounter at the Weserstadion
Sep 30, 2012 8:40:00 PM
By James Vause
Bayern Munich's sporting director Matthias Sammer has slammed his team's performance after they scraped past Werder Bremen on Saturday.
Late goals from Luiz Gustavo and Mario Mandzukic spared Bayern's blushes and ensured they remained top of the Bundesliga, but Sammer warned his troops that they will have no parade to Munich's city hall if they do not up their game in their upcoming fixtures.
"We have to take care that we don't embrace and enjoy it too much! We can step out on a balcony somewhere in Munich, but that doesn't mean we're going to get the trophy," he toldSportsbild.
"We weren't really awake and aggressive. What we did before our first goal was too little, that's for sure. There was a lack of movement, that has to be said.“
Sammer's comments were echoed by the Bavarians' coach Jupp Heynckes, who admitted he was disappointed in what he saw as a lack of effort from his players.
"It's not always possible to dominate the opponent but we showed too little spirit, the players strained my patience," he said.
Watzke fiercely opposed to idea of Arab ownership at Dortmund The director refuses to entertain the possibility of an overseas owner ever taking over his club, citing the recent troubles at Malaga as the main reason behind his stance
Oct 2, 2012 12:00:00 AM
By Livio Caferoglu
Hans-Joachim Watzke has insisted that Borussia Dortmund will not sacrifice their financial model in favour of an overseas benefactor akin to Manchester City, adding that he would not even welcome him to Signal Iduna Park.
Current rules in the Bundesliga stipulate that all of its members must be at least 51 per cent owned by club members, meaning a third-party investor would not be allowed to take overall control of a side.
However, the significant backing of Sheikh Mansour has allowed Wednesday's opponents to become a European force in recent years but despite their sudden growth, the Dortmund CEO has no interest in sanctioning such ownership.
"I would not even welcome him," Watzke told reporters. "Maybe at other clubs, but what if the sheikh, as shown by Malaga, lost interest? Then it becomes critical.
"The fact is that the Bundesliga has caught up considerably, thanks to their sound banking practices. This will eventually be expressed by [winning] results."
Watzke then came to the conclusion that European football is more difficult due to the higher standard of defences, thereby putting a greater onus on taking chances.
"There will not be many goals," he claimed. "At European level, you do not get as many opportunities as in a normal league game."
Meanwhile, BVB coach Jurgen Klopp assured that his side have devised a plan to stop their English opponents in the Champions League, despite the array of big names that they have in their ranks.
"Manchester City are really strong and are peppered with absolute superstars. However, we have a plan," he was quoted as saying by Bild.
Luuk de Jong: I do not regret joining Gladbach
The Dutch striker has admitted that things are not going as expected up till date, but he's determined to get back on track and become a success at Borussia Park
Lattek: Sammer & Heynckes can not work together
The 77-year-old fears that the recent clash between the duo is a structural problem rather than an isolated incident as their personalities are too similar
Weidenfeller: Dortmund don't need to fear anybody
The shot stopper was delighted with his side's performance at the Etihad, and feels the German champions can give any opponent a difficult game
Hummels in the dark over hip injury
The Germany international limped out of Borussia Dortmund's 1-1 Champions League draw with Manchester City and is unsure how much action he will miss
Draxler injury blow for Schalke
The promising youngster faces a lengthy spell on the sidelines after fracturing his arm, while Benedikt Howedes was not amused with the fans' negative attitude against Montpellier
Heynckes: Sammer was wrong to publicly criticise Bayern
The 67-year-old feels that the former Germany international had no right to slam the Bavarians' display at the weekend and should have dealt with the situation differently
Bayern Munich frontman Claudio Pizarro confident of Peru progress
The 34-year-old die Roten striker believes that his country can qualify for football's biggest competition for the first time since 1982
Michael Ballack hangs up his boots and reflects on a career that included spells at Chelsea and Bayern Munich
The former Germany captain looks back at his time spent playing at the top level and explains his decision to retire from the game
Gullit: Robben and Ribery are not stars of Messi's calibre
The retired footballer has claimed that his compatriot and the French international are not of the same quality as the Ballon d'Or holder and Cristiano Ronaldo
Manchester City should be thrown out of Champions League, says Dortmund chief
Hans-Joachim Watzke has slammed the presence of rich benefactors at the English club, demanding Europe's governing body must investigate any suspicious sponsorship deals
In or out of form, shock BATE loss proves Schweinsteiger is irreplaceable at Bayern
In the absence of the 28-year-old the Bavarian giants were bereft of creativity and their embarrassing defeat conveys just how important the influential midfielder is to them
Borussia Dortmund defender Hummels had 'no desire for football' after Euro 2012
The Germany international opened up about his depression in the summer, and spoke about the problems existing within die Schwarzgelben that have led to their loss of form
Official: Ballack retires from football
The former Bayern Munich and Chelsea man has decided to hang up his boots and end his illustrious career after almost two decades as a professional
Neuer believes Adler could play for Germany again
The Bayern Munich goalkeeper is of the opinion that his old rival for a place in the DFB Eleven could be in line for a return to die Mannschaft if he keeps up his form
Klopp: Our defence is like an orchestra - we need time to reach our peak The BVB's trainer has moved to sweep away the recent criticism aimed at his read guard, stating that his back four will improve as the season progresses
Oct 3, 2012 3:15:00 PM
By Tom Maston
Borussia Dortmund coach Jurgen Klopp has backed his defence to take it up a notch after their recent poor performances in the Bundesliga.
The German champions travel to England to take on Manchester City on Wednesday, and the trainer has called for improvement as BVB aim to defend their league title and make an impact in the Champions League.
"We have we lost our sync in defence during the 14-week summer pause," he explained toBild.
"However, we are like an orchestra. The Berlin Philharmonic do not start playing to the best of their abilities right from the start. It takes team practice. We can and must find our sync again."
Dortmund currently sit third in the Bundesliga table, seven points behind leaders Bayern Munich, and Klopp feels that his side have given their rivals a big advantage in the quest for silverware.
"We have done Bayern a big favour. They had two very good seasons but we were better both times. That has made them even more determined to make up for their heartbreaks."
"They have high quality. There is no team currently as keen to make up for their short comings as Bayern."
Sitting pretty: Rafael van der Vaart (r.) and Rene Adler (c.) have both contributed to Hamburg's recent resurgence Munich - The storm clouds have been dispelled over the northern German city of Hamburg since the man labelled the 'messiah' began to show that the description wasn't as big an exaggeration as one might have assumed.
He arrived with the greatest of expectations, but few could really have predicted the difference one single player could have made to Hamburg's fortunes. That man is Rafael van der Vaart, one half a mutual love affair between club and player that appears to have been rekindled to the staisfaction of both parties.
Van der Vaart arrived from Tottenham Hotspur on transfer deadline day in August, with Hamburg making a substantial finacial sacrifice to regain the services of the man who last led them into the Champions League. After three defeats in a row - four including an embarrassing DFB Cup exit at Third Division Karlsruhe - the gamble was an understandable one and it certainly appears to be paying off. The once-and-future playmaker has contributed one goal and four assists in his four games and has hauled HSV off the bottom of the league table in the process.
On Saturday, Van der Vaart was named in an all-time greatest HSV XI at a gala evening to commemorate the club's 125th anniversary. His place alongside the likes of Kevin Keegan and Uli Stein was not secured on four games alone, but certainly his arrival at the only club never to have been relegated from the top flight of German football refreshed the memory of exactly what fans can look forward to for the remainder of the season, and beyond.
Sharing the limelight
Yet Hamburg's resurgence is not all down to one man alone. Goalkeeper Rene Adler can take an equal share of share of the praise for some match-winning performances - not least in keeping Borussia Dortmund at bay as HSV ended the champions' long unbeaten run, followed by last weekend's remarkable clean sheet against Hannover 96. While he may not yet have done enough to play his way back into the Germany squad, there is no longer any doubt among the club's supporters that signing Adler - another gamble considering his injury background - is a worthy number one.
Adler earned a good few votes himself from the guests at Saturday's gala to join van der Vaart in the select XI. He may have to reproduce his current form for a few more years to truly warrant such an accolade, but the calls were a clear enough recognition of his newfound status. "Rene was sensational - he has won another game for us," said a delighted van der Vaart of his teammate after the win over Hannover.
What next?
Three games do not make a season and HSV will be fully aware of the hard work that still lies ahead this season, but there is an unmistakable sense of optimism around the place, barely a trace of which would have been found three weeks into the season.
"We want to win [in Furth] and carry on this streak," said coach Thorsten Fink only minutes after Hannover had been defeated. "I am very pleased with our development and we are certainly heading in the right direction. But we must keep our feet on the ground. Things often change very quickly at HSV and nobody should suddenly start dreaming of Europe."
That was the mistake they made shortly after Fink arrived from FC Basel last season. He initially revived the team's fortunes, only to end the year with the worst season on record. They will surely have learnt from the past. Besides, they did not have van der Vaart or Adler back then.
04.09.2012 20:24:34 STUBBS: "HOW FOOTBALL SHOULD BE"
After enjoying the hardcore Hertha support in full voice in Berlin...
It's not just foreign players who are flocking to the Bundesliga in ever greater numbers. The word has spread that Germany is home to top-quality, competitive, value-for-money football, in an atmosphere whích seeks its like anywhere in Europe. FC St. Pauli fan Scott Stubbs is far from alone in finding it worth his while to travel abroad - in his case from the north of England - whenever possible to savour the Bundesliga (2!) experience. Here's the story of his latest road trip.
The release of the Bundesliga fixtures at the end of June provided the first opportunity to get out my map of Germany and plan my first trip of the season over to watch St. Pauli. I fell in love with the club a few years ago during a football weekend in the Rhine-Ruhr region, and I've made countless journeys over to Germany since. Having studied the map and realised that Cottbus was relatively close to Berlin, I pencilled the away fixture in. Having never visited the capital before, it allowed me to take in football and do some sight-seeing at the same time.
The most poignant experience in my opinion when visiting any German football game is that fan culture still remains. As an English football fan, I have slowly seen the erosion of fan culture, to the extent where football is almost a soulless entity in most English grounds. It's quite the opposite in Germany.
An early Friday morning flight from Manchester to Berlin meant I also had time to take in the Hertha Berlin-Regensburg game at the Olympic Stadium on Friday evening. Beforehand, I wandered round Berlin doing some sightseeing and noticed that the St. Pauli team bus was parked outside Berlin Hauptbahnhof! Not wanting to pass up the opportunity, I went over and met a couple of the players and took some photos.
As I got off the train at the Olympic Stadium the active fan culture was immediately apparent. Fans have arrived well before kick-off, taking in the atmosphere. Groups of supporters were having a drink next to their cars whilst playing music. Two elderly women wearing Hertha scarfs sat on a bench outside the stadium sharing a bottle of wine. It made me laugh, just thinking that they would probably receive a banning order in England. Inside the ground, there were competitions and entertainment for families, making the football more of a day out rather than just 90 minutes. The hardcore supporters were already long in place, waving flags and creating an atmosphere before kick-off. You don't have to be a fan of either side to realise this is how football should be. An enjoyable experience for all, where fans are treated like adults. By chance, I also managed to meet Michél Mazingu-Dinzey at the Olympic Stadium. Michél is one of St. Pauli's greatest ever players, and was voted in the Jahrhundertelf (Team of the Century) by the fans during the centenary celebrations two years ago. Meeting him was an absolute highlight of the trip!
However, as much as I enjoy German football generally, there's nothing quite like following your own team, joining in the singing and having a biased view on the game. I arrived at Cottbus' Stadion der Freundschaft early to sample the atmosphere that was building even an hour before kick off. Soon the terracing was packed and the capo was soon leading the stands to a chorus of 'Forza St. Pauli'.
This atmosphere makes the whole trip worthwhile, and it's a good job too. St. Pauli started the game poorly, and Energie Cottbus deservedly scored the first goal. In all honesty, St. Pauli could have been a few down at half time. The second half started in the same manner, and Cottbus scored again just after the hour mark. But the away fans didn't leave or start to react negatively, the singing and chanting continued as if we were winning. St. Pauli could actually have scored twice in the latter stages, but Ebbers and Saglik squandered good chances. It was too little too late, and the result left St. Pauli still waiting for their first league win of the season.
Regardless of the result and the poor performance though, the game and the trip were thoroughly enjoyable. Supporting St. Pauli is more than just football. That said, I hope my trip to Cologne in a couple of weeks sees us pick up three points!
