Before the start of the new season in the 2nd Bundesliga, the sports show introduces some players to pay particular attention to.
The 2nd Bundesliga starts next Friday – and in addition to seven new coaches, there are also countless new players who will get to know the league. For many of them, it is not the first stop in Germany on their way, others have come to find back on track. But there are also players who should be particularly looking at who were in the club last season, but did not play as big as hoped for various reasons.
These are the “Players to Watch” in the new Second division season
Fabian Reese (Hertha BSC): What would have been possible for the Berliners in the past season if the offensive player could not have played only 18 games due to an ankle injury? The answer will be there in the new season – because Reese is fit, as well as the new captain and something like the biggest star in the league. The fact that the Hertha is considered a top promotion candidate is largely due to him. “We can achieve something that you cannot buy with money and first division games, but what remains forever. This is a Bundesliga promotion in the capital. I want to achieve that”said the 27-year-old in the “kicker”.
Kjell Wätjen (VfL Bochum): The defensive midfielder is considered one of the top talents at Borussia Dortmund, there was two Bundesliga missions there last season. Wätjen wants and should already play regularly, which BVB cannot guarantee him-the Ruhr area neighbor in Bochum is different, so the 19-year-old could take the lead in the center. “We know that he is a great talent. Now it is up to him to bring it to the square”his new coach Dieter Hecking demanded.
Loris Karius (Schalke 04): For years, the goalkeeper caused stories above all away from the square. At the beginning of the year, he was given the opportunity to do this on the field at the beginning of the year. This succeeded, Karius conquered the place in the goal and played strongly – but then the 32 -year -old contracted a calf injury and failed for the rest of the season. Now the ex-Liverpooler is back and the great hope for Schalke. The new trainer Miron Muslic, who immediately brought Karius into the team council, also thinks that.
Daisuke Yokota (Hannover 96): Last season, the Japanese gave a foretaste of the 1st FC Kaiserslautern what he can do – now he, as one of 16 newcomers so far, wants to ensure that Hanover has reached Bundesliga ascent. It is fateful that the fast-paced outdoor railway dribbler will play the first league game with his new club against his ex-club, for Lautern he had scored four goals in 25 second division games and prepared three goals.
Christian Rasmussen (Fortuna Düsseldorf): Fortuna has had nine new additions so far, of which seven players have European Cup experience – an extraordinary value for the 2nd league. One of them also includes Rasmussen, in which Düsseldorf benefited from the fact that Ajax Amsterdam had told him via WhatsApp group that he should look for a new club, which was made by the media. The Danes’ first impressions are extremely good, the hope is that together with striker Cedric Itten and midfielder Anoar EL-Azzouzi, he will form an promotion axis.
Justin von der Hitz (1. FC Nürnberg): The fact that the 1. FC Köln could not hold the U17 world champion of 2023 and lost to a second division team had caused some amazement – but the decision is the result of the strong promotion of the “club” of young players. “The work here is definitely around.said von der Hitz. One of the examples that encourage him is Casper Jander, who came to Nuremberg a year ago and is now being courted by several Bundesliga clubs.
Roko Simic (Karlsruher SC): There were quite a few who said last winter that the KSC had taken all the chances of promotion with the sale of Budu ZivziVadze to the 1. FC Heidenheim – now the club hopes to have found a successor with the Croatian. “Roko is a modern center forward with a strong physique, good technology and a pronounced goal instinct”Said sports manager Mario Eggimann about Simic, who had played with RB Salzburg in the Champions League with RB Salzburg penultimate.