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Union Berlin: To Hell and Back
Union Berlin has been a storied club since time immemorial. German football has never lacked for heartburning tales. This season, Bayer Leverkusen’s fairytale campaign dominated the headlines. Of course, there is Bayern’s misery & Dortmund’s breakthrough. Germany’s merry go-round was completed by the miracle workers in Kaiserslautern & Saarbrücken. However, Union is no stranger…
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Robert Andrich: From Germany’s Third Tier to Invincibility at Leverkusen
Invincible: a term reserved for only the greatest of teams. Arsenal 2003/2004, Juventus 2011-2012 spring to mind as the most notable of teams who have gone a whole league season unbeaten. Now Xabi Alonso’s Bayer Leverkusen are one game away from joining this illustrious group. They have shattered records, broken Bayern Munich’s 11-year hegemony…
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Granit Xhaka: Bayer Leverkusen’s Swiss Metronome in Midfield
Granit Xhaka has been battling against the tide of perception his whole career. Whilst he eventually jabbed, jibed, and gesticulated his way into the hearts of Arsenal fans, this wasn’t how he envisioned it. A graceful midfielder, with a range of passes and emotions. He was distilled into the lazy hardman image to fit a…
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A Betzenberg Story: Kaiserslautern’s Imprint on the Beautiful Game
The annals of football history are strewn with tales of yesteryear. Be it former stars, clubs that once held a continent at their fingertips, and nations who otherwise seemed destined for greatness, looking back as a way of also looking forward is commonplace among professional sport. Football is no different. But so often, the influence…
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Maximilian Beier: Hoffenheim’s Next Top Talent
Germany have been crying out for a world-class center forward ever since Miroslav Klose’s retirement, but they may just have the answer to their predicament in Maximilian Beier. At 21 years of age, Beier is making a name for himself in the Bundesliga this season, having racked up 13 goals and 4 assists in 31…
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Loïs Openda’s Ridiculous Attacking Numbers Are Taking RB Leipzig to the Champions League
It has been nothing short of a meteoric rise for Belgian forward Loïs Openda. At 24 years of age, Openda has enjoyed a stellar debut campaign in the Bundesliga and the UEFA Champions League, and with 24 goals thus far, only Serhou Guirassy (25), Kylian Mbappé (26) and Harry Kane (35) are ahead of him…
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Florian Wirtz: Bayer Leverkusen’s Invincible Prince
At halftime between Bayer Leverkusen’s home match against Werder Bremen, the score is 1-0. Leverkusen are going to win their first Bundesliga title whilst unbeaten. Xabi Alonso has put himself into German folklore with this success. To put the dagger into Bremen’s and Bayern Munich’s heart, the Spaniard puts on Florian Wirtz at halftime. The…
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Patrik Schick: The Czech Bagsman Becoming Bayer Leverkusen’s Unlikely Hero
Patrik Schick’s last five goals for Leverkusen have come as such: 90+2 equaliser. 90+3’ winner. 90+7’ winner. 53’ winner. 90+1’ winner. And this is in a season that has seen the Prague-born talisman struggling with game time and consistent form; only 5 goals in 14 games in the Bundesliga, and 22 appearances in all competitions…
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The Biggest Fallen Giants in German Football
There is nothing like German football, from the dedicated fans vehemently protesting any attempt to corporatize their teams or league to their stadiums laden with beer and bratwurst that are home to fans of all ages, as football is often seen as an affordable family outing. One of the most interesting particularities of the…
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Tactical Analysis: Christian Streich’s Freiburg
There’s still two months left in the 2023/24 season, but we’ve already seen various teams announce changes at the managerial position. Both of the reigning champions in Spain and Germany are on the lookout for new managers, with Xavi and Thomas Tuchel stepping down from their posts at Barcelona and Bayern Munich at the end…
