The second half of the women’s Bundesliga officially begins this weekend. And while Bayern are allowed to get involved again, Potsdam will have to be patient.
Turbine Potsdam – Werder Bremen (Friday, cancelled)
Turbine Potsdam will not be without drama in 2023 either. First the longtime stadium spokesman said goodbye, then coach Sven Weigang asked for his contract to be terminated and finally, after the game against Bayern, the game against Bremen also had to be canceled because the pitch was unplayable.
Dirk Heinrichs, actually Turbine’s assistant coach, would have stood for Potsdam on the sidelines on Friday evening. His currently very fitting motto: “Make peace with the past or it will affect your present.”
Bayern Munich – Eintracht Frankfurt (Saturday, 1 p.m.)
For the delayed return to the season, a tough chunk awaits Bayern with Eintracht Frankfurt, as both teams are fighting a hot battle for the runner-up title and thus the direct one Champions League-Qualification.
The top game of the day should be a duel between the top scorers. Because with Lara Prasnikar, Slovenia’s soccer player of the year, and Laura Freigang on SGE and Lea Schüller and Linda Dallmann on Bayern’s side, players meet who have all already scored at least five goals this season.
SGS Essen – VfL Wolfsburg (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
The last time Essen won against Wolfsburg was in September 2010. At that time Turbine Potsdam was on the way to their fourth championship title, DFB legends like Conny Pohlers, Inka Grings and Birgit Prinz fought a neck-and-neck race the top scorer and VfL was still bobbing around in the no man’s land of the table.
As is well known, these times are long gone in the women’s Bundesliga. But who, then as now, was on the Essen sidelines was Markus Högner. The SGS coach can look back on successful weeks, after all his team is unbeaten in three games. And at least in theory, Högner knows how to beat the series champions.
SC Freiburg – SV Meppen (Sunday, 1 p.m.)
For the third time this season, Freiburg and Meppen will play against each other on Sunday afternoon. And the sports club always emerged as the winner, albeit narrowly, as in the DFB Cup. Freiburg’s coach Theresa Merk is looking forward to the challenge.
“I like to play against Meppen”, according to Mark. The surprise team of the season always plays bravely. “Which isn’t always the case when you’re promoted. That’s why they’re cool opponents.” Incidentally, the say in Meppen Carin Bakhuistogether with Merk one of only three head coaches in the women’s Bundesliga.
TSG Hoffenheim – 1. FC Köln (Sunday, 4 p.m.)
The third in the group is Nadine Rolser, who will hold the position of head coach at TSG Hoffenheim until Stephan Lerch takes over in March. She herself played in the women’s Bundesliga for three years and has been an assistant coach in Sinsheim since 2021.
TSG Hoffenheim’s football coach Nadine Rolser.
Their debut last weekend was already successful, now the crisis-ridden Cologne women are guests on Sunday. They haven’t won in six matchdays and are getting closer and closer to the relegation zone.
Bayer Leverkusen – MSV Duisburg (Sunday, 4 p.m.)
When national coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg announced the squad for the first training camp of the year on Tuesday (February 7th, 2023), many were amazed by one name – namely that of Ena Mahmutovic. The 19-year-old is between the posts at MSV Duisburg and with her saves has played a large part in the good first half of the season.
Goalkeeper Ena Mahmutovic from MSV Duisburg in action.
Mahmutovic has kept four clean sheets this season. And the DFB debutant could do that again on Sunday against Leverkusen, because the Rhinelanders go into the game with a weakened offensive. Kristin Kögel is still out, while Jill Bayings is at least questionable due to muscular problems.