Berlin
Four goals conceded at home against Bayern, six at Manchester City – RB Leipzig’s game at 1. FC Köln this Saturday (3:30 p.m.) after the unsuccessful start to the season is already a lot going on.
With a win against VfL Bochum, champions Bayern Munich can for the time being overtake Bundesliga leaders VfL Wolfsburg, who have their former coach as a guest. There is an unexpected duel in pursuit in Mainz.
LEIPZIG: The league’s best defense in the preseason has become riddled with holes. Ten goals conceded in the last two competitive games represent chaos rather than character. In addition, only one victory from three Bundesliga games – the new RB head coach Jesse Marsch has to deliver in Cologne. This is the only way he can turn things around after the worst start to the season in the club’s history. “The pressure is getting bigger now, of course,” said Emil Forsberg. But even the Swede is not the hoped-for leader after the departure of captain Marcel Sabitzer.
HOMELAND: Leon Goretzka’s contract extension comes at a special match. VfL Bochum will be visiting the Allianz Arena on Saturday. The national player played for VfL from 2001 to 2013 before moving to FC Schalke 04. Goretzka has been running for Munich since 2018, with whom he would like to celebrate many successes in the long term. His new contract is dated until 2026. “The team, the club and the environment are not only highly professional, but also familiar. This mixture is one of the guarantors of success for this club. I am very happy that I was able to extend my contract early until 2026,” said the Bochum native.
GOODBYE: He led VfL Wolfsburg into the Champions League. And developed professionals like Wout Weghorst or Maximilian Arnold into top players in the Bundesliga. You can’t work much more successfully as a coach than Oliver Glasner in Wolfsburg. Nevertheless, the Austrian moved to Eintracht Frankfurt in the summer – and only plays in the Europa League with his new club. Because Glasner and Wolfsburg’s sports director Jörg Schmadtke didn’t get along at all in the end. Even ex-captain Josuha Guilavogui said openly: “I’m glad he’s gone!” There will be a reunion on Sunday in the Volkswagen Arena. Schmadtke said to the “sports buzzer”: “I’ll say hello to him and wish him all the best.” Because what they owe to coach Glasner, they know exactly at VfL.
HIGH FLIGHT: There was seldom a top Bundesliga match between Mainz 05 and SC Freiburg. Now the clubs meet fourth and fifth in the table. SC coach Christian Streich didn’t even want to know the table, just “that Mainz has nine points and we have eight”. For his colleague Bo Svensson, the position among the 18 top division clubs has “no relevance” after four matchdays. In Mainz, however, there is not only hope that they will not have to fight relegation this season, but that they will be able to play again at European level. In any case, Streich is convinced “that Mainz will play for the European Cup”.
HITZLSPERGER: CEO and sports director Thomas Hitzlsperger will not extend his contract with VfB Stuttgart, which will expire in autumn 2022. The ex-professional played a major role in the positive image change that the club has recently experienced. With his attack on President Claus Vogt in December, he scored an own goal. For his violent criticism of the club’s head, he was sharply criticized by the fans themselves. Officially, Hitzlsperger and Vogt have long since pulled themselves together, but they will probably no longer be friends. How is VfB, which is still in the process of stabilizing after two relegations in three years, is now positioning itself? Sports director Sven Mislintat will also play an important and perhaps a new role.
© dpa-infocom, dpa: 210916-99-246906 / 2
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