The 2nd Bundesliga starts again. After an exciting pre -season, a lot also indicates excitement in the promotion struggle in the new season. The sports show dares a forecast.
In May, SV Elversberg failed only on the promotion to the Bundesliga. The relegation secondary against 1. FC Heidenheim was lost 1-2 – the crucial goal was deep in added time.
So it makes sense to count the club from Saarland, which had become third behind the 1st FC Köln and Hamburger SV, to count the top favorites for the climb for the new season.
However, there is a lot to say that it turns out differently. This is due to Horst Steffen. The Elversberger successful coach of the past few years has left the club and is now heading the fortunes of SV Werder Bremen.
The SC Paderborn and 1. FC Magdeburg, who had occupied places four and five, will also have a hard time. It is also due to the change on the coaching bench. Paderborns coach Lukas Kwasniok is now training 1. FC Köln, Magdeburgs Christian Titz has hired 96 at Hannover. Just like Steffen, both were significantly involved in the success of their teams.
VfL Bochum: Mission “Return to the Bundesliga”
The favorites are others. For example the VfL Bochum. The Bundesliga relegation has an experienced head coach on the sidelines in Dieter Hecking. The team has enough quality to play at the top. In addition, with Kevin Vogt von Union Berlin, a seasoned Bundesliga professional returns to VfL and is intended to lead the defensive. Talents like Francis Onyeka (Bayer Leverkusen), Kjell Wätjen (Borussia Dortmund) or Leandro Morgalla (RB Salzburg) could become new second division shooting stars.
Hertha BSC: second division star and top squad
Hertha BSC also wants to get involved at the top. Last season, coach Stefan Leitl led the team back into midfield. And on paper, the Berliners have one of the best squads in the league – above all top strikers Fabian Reese. The entrances Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen) and Paul Seguin (Greuther Fürth) will continue to bring the team forward.
Hannover 96: All eyes on Christian Titz
At Hannover 96, the coach is the royal transfer. Christian Titz comes from 1st FC Magdeburg. However, the Lower Saxony also struck properly with expenditure of currently 3.75 million euros. And they were self-confident enough to give goalkeeper Ron-Robert Zieler to the 1. FC Köln. Question marks still remain. There will be a lot to find on how quickly the team and Titz find each other and how quickly the top transfers Virgil Ghița (one million euros from Cracovia) and Waniss Taibi (one million euros from Rodez AF) acclimatize in the second division.
Fortuna Düsseldorf: Does it work on the fourth attempt?
The Constance on the coaching bank speaks for Fortuna Düsseldorf. Since Daniel Thioune took over in February 2022, F95 has always mixed up. Perhaps it is enough for the top this year, although the departure from Isak Johannesson to 1. FC Köln and the loan from Dawid Kownacki (Werder Bremen) hurt. Christian Rasmussen by Ajax Amsterdam is new in the storm.
1. FC Kaiserslautern: Lieberknecht can climb
Like the Fortuna, the 1. FC Kaiserslautern was there for a long time last season. Trainer Torsten Lieberknecht, who took over in the final sprint, also knows how climb is going. He already led Braunschweig and Darmstadt to the upper house.
Lautern lost his top striker to the 1st FC Köln in Ragnar Ache, but also strengthened well – for example with Mahir Emreli (1. FC Nürnberg) or Ivan Prtajin (Union Berlin) in Sturm and in midfield with Semih Sahin (SV Elversberg). So the “red devils” are better occupied than last.
Holstein Kiel: Only in the extended favorite group
Holstein Kiel, next to Bochum, second Bundesliga relegated team, leads the circle of clubs, which can be counted among the extended favorites. This also includes the Karlsruher SC and Darmstadt 98. The 1st FC Nürnberg, on the other hand, must first digest the departures of Jens Castrop (Borussia Mönchengladbach) and Stefanos Tzimas (Brighton & Hove) and the “surprise bag” Schalke 04 must first find itself.
But who knows in a league that has caused plenty of surprises in recent years.