The summer break is finally over! Today, 1. FC Kaiserslautern and Hannover 96 open the new season of the 2nd Bundesliga. Hamburger SV is the top favorite for promotion. In addition to HSV, four other clubs are among the favorites.
At 1. FC Kaiserslautern, the euphoria about the return after four years in third division is great. Hannover 96 belongs to the group of candidates for promotion. Both clubs face each other tonight at the start of the new second division season. A look at five contenders for the leap into the Bundesliga – and what speaks for and against them.
That speaks for a promotion: HSV is THE favorite for promotion. The squad has largely stayed together and has even been strengthened in some positions. In addition, for the first time in four years in the second division, the coach has not been changed. And the team has recently implemented the Tim Walter football better and better.
That speaks against promotion: Three fourth places and finally third place with the failure in the relegation to Hertha BSC are a burden. It also remains to be seen whether the constant unrest in the club, such as the recent release of sports director Michael Mutzel, will have a negative impact on the team’s performance.
That speaks for a rise: No other second division team has upgraded as much as Hannover. The new coach Stefan Leitl already led Greuther Fürth into the Bundesliga in 2020. Of the eleven new players, five also came from the first division. In addition: 96 has a World Cup stadium, a large environment and financially strong shareholders.
That speaks against promotion: Leitl himself speaks of a “complete new beginning with many new players, a new team of coaches and the implementation of a new game idea. That will take time.” The environment in Hanover is also an opportunity and a risk at the same time. Professional football boss Martin Kind and the management of the parent club 96 e.V. work more against each other than with each other.
That speaks for a rise: The East Westphalians can rise. The jump into the football upper house has already been successful eight times. This means that Arminia leads the corresponding ranking list together with Nuremberg. The Bundesliga relegated could benefit above all from the tall attacking duo Janni Serra and Fabian Klos.
1. FC Kaiserslautern – Hanover 96
07/15/2022 | 8:30 p.m
That speaks against promotion: A lot will depend on how Arminia compensates for the departures of top performers such as Stefan Ortega (Manchester City), Patrick Wimmer (VfL Wolfsburg) and Amos Pieper (SV Werder Bremen). Another handicap could be the inexperience of the new Italian coach Uli Forte in German football.
That speaks for promotion: For a team with promotion ambitions, 1. FC Nürnberg scored too few goals with 49 goals last season. Now the offensive has been stepped up again. The Franconians are very familiar with promotion: Nuremberg has already been promoted eight times – the last time it was promoted was in 2019. So it’s about time again.
That speaks against promotion: Kilian Fischer (VfL Wolfsburg) left a right-back with a lot of potential. Bitter, because the defense wobbled last season – only seven teams conceded more goals. The well-known obligations apply mainly to the offensive – the defensive could be the sticking point.
That speaks for a rise: Greuther Fürth is automatically one of the favorites for the top places as they have been relegated to the Bundesliga. Many players in the squad gained match practice in the Bundesliga and showed improved performances towards the end of the season. That could be an advantage in the second division.
That speaks against a rise: The cloverleaf has lost many regulars with departures such as Jamie Leweling, Paul Seguin and Maximilian Bauer. Coach Stefan Leitl also left Fürth. Fürth was able to win a newcomer with a prominent name: Lucien Littbarski is only known through his world champion father Pierre. The other new additions can also be assigned to the “Young Researchers” category.
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