Fortuna Düsseldorf is trying to make a fresh start in terms of promotion to the Bundesliga with new coach Markus beginning. Right from the start, the pressure is enormous.
Now it’s time for Markus to start Fortuna Dusseldorf direct. After the departure of Daniel Thioune, whose record as Fortuna coach had plummeted in recent weeks, an absolute second division expert can now take over.
The 51-year-old was promoted to the second division with Holstein Kiel in 2017, and the following year he narrowly failed with Holstein in relegation to the Bundesliga against VfL Wolfsburg. Further positions in the second division followed: at 1. FC Köln, at SV Darmstadt 98, at Werder Bremen and at 1. FC Kaiserslautern.
Low point at Werder Bremen
Certainly the lowest point at the beginning: his resignation from Werder Bremen in November 2021, when the public prosecutor’s office began investigations against him because of a fake corona vaccination certificate.
The Bremen district court had sentenced Beginning to a fine totaling 36,000 euros, the German sports court football-Federal government banned him from coaching for one year. This sentence was later suspended.
The hope: A win against Braunschweig
So now Düsseldorf. And the Herculean task: from 13th place you have to move up to promotion areas. Beginning believes: “The team has potential. Fortuna Düsseldorf has potential. We have to make sure that we get that on the pitch in the end.”
It would be important that this happens in the first game on Friday (October 17th, 2025) against Eintracht Braunschweig. When asked, the 51-year-old outlined exactly how this should work: “We want to play active football, attack earlier, have a lot of ball possession, see a lot of goal space, create a lot of chances. We just want to keep the probability of winning the games high. That means you create a lot of chances to score and don’t allow too many.”
Players see complicity in themselves
That sounds good. But the fact that the team still carries a bag of bad memories with them is made clear by the statement of captain Florian Kastenmaier, who took Thioune’s exit personally.
Florian Kastenmaier, Fortuna Düsseldorf keeper.
“We have built up a lot and experienced a lot together,” Kastenmeier recalled in the “Express” and said: “The fact that it ends like this is of course very bitter, annoying and disappointing. For me too, because we have some responsibility, it’s not always just the coach alone. We have to close the chapter now, no matter how difficult it is, and look forward.”
Ignite new home strength
Fortuna’s most striking problem in recent weeks: the lack of home strength. So far this season they have only picked up a single point from four home games and have hardly impressed at all. Opponent Braunschweig could be the right sparring partner. The Lower Saxony team have all lost their last four second division games – against Paderborn, Münster, Elversberg and Darmstadt.
For the desired home threesome, Beginning can also rely on a professional that Fortuna did not have available to date: striker Luca Raimund is now finally fit and ready for his first appearance.
Hope for Raimund
The 20-year-old came from VfB Stuttgart in the summer, but has had to take a step back due to injury problems. “With his one-give-one skills, he will be able to help us well in the medium term,” says Beginning. Maybe already on Friday against Braunschweig.
Our sources:
- sports information service sid
- Homepage Fortuna Düsseldorf
- Tool Coachinside
- Daily newspaper “Express”
