The VERY big 2. Bundesliga team preview (part 2)
Welcome to the big one part 2... the full in-depth preview of the 2. Bundesliga for the 2021/22 season. Within this article you will find out the key information about each club, their pre-season preparations, the key summer signings and departures, their first six matches a key player from each team and finally a small paragraph as the writer gives their opinion on the team.
Karlsruher SC
Key information
Manager: Christian Eichner
Stadium: Wildparkstadion
Founded: 6 June 1894, 127 years ago
Nicknames: KSC, Eurofighter (since 93/94 season)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 28th
Training camp: From July 3rd to July 12th in Neukirchen am Großvenediger, Austria.
Friendlies: June 30: Bahlinger SC 0:0 KSC, July 3: KSC 5:1 Viktoria Köln, July 11: Türkgücü-Ataspor 0:0 KSC, July 11: KSC 1:3 Zenit, July 17: KSC 1:0 1.FC Saarbrücken
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Philip Heise (Norwich City), Fabio Kaufmann (Eintracht Braunschweig), Leon Jensen (FSV Zwickau), Niklas Hegger (VfB Stuttgart II), Lucas Cueto (Viktoria Köln), Fabian Schleusener (1.FC Nürnberg), Lazar Mirkovic, Bastian Allgeier, Sven Kronemayer, Luca Bolay (all promoted from KSC U19)
Departures: Alexander Groiß (Saarbrücken), David Pisot (Unterhaching), Marvin Pourie (Würzburger Kickers, previously loaned to 1.FC Kaiserslautern), Dirk Carlson (Erzgebirge Aue), Bastian Allgeier (SSV Ulm 1846, loan), David Trivunic (FC Nöttingen), Sven Kronemayer (FCA Walldorf, loan), Luca Bolay (1.FC Nürnberg II), Babacar Gueye (end of contract), Janis Hanek (end of contract), Xavier Amaechi (Hamburger SV, end of loan), Kevin Wimmer (Stoke City, end of loan), Benjamin Goller (Werder Bremen, end of loan)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs Hansa Rostock (A), Saturday 24th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs SV Darmstadt 98 (H), Friday 30th July, 18:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs SV Sandhausen (A), Saturday 14th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs SV Werder Bremen (H), Saturday 21st August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs 1.FC Nürnberg (A), Friday 27th August, 18:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs Holstein Kiel (H), Saturday 11th September, 13:30 local
Key player
The party-pooper of the Kiel promotion party, Philipp Hofmann has to be the key man for Karlsruher. Top scorer for KSC last season in the league, Eichner will be looking towards his 27-year-old hitman to fire in the goals this season if Karlsruher are going after some success this season. Hofmann has 53 goals in his 2. Bundesliga career and Karlsruher will be after more from the hitman.
The writer's opinion
Karlsruher are in ther 3rd season in the 2nd tier following their promotion in 2018/19, and the KSC fans will hope to see similar results of the 6th place they achieved last season, but I see a slight drop from last season. Again this is only the 3rd season back in the 2nd tier and following a 15th place finish up with a 6th place finish is impressive. I feel that Karlsruher and Christian Eichner will see a slight drop in performance and a mid-table finish seems right for me.
Writer's prediction: 9th
SG Dynamo Dresden
Key information
Manager: Alexander Schmidt
Stadium: Rudolf Harbig Stadion
Founded: 12 April 1953
Nicknames: SGD, Dynamo
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 19th
Training camp: July 1st to 9th in Heilbad Heiligenstadt, Thuringia
Friendlies: June 26: Bertha BSC II 3:1, June 30: FK Jablonec 3:1, July 3: Eintracht Braunschweig 1:0, July 17 vs Union Berlin
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Jong-min Seo (Eintracht Frankfurt U19), Anton Mitryushkin (Fortuna Düsseldorf), Morris Schröter (FSV Zwickau), Luca Herrmann (SC Freiburg II), Michael Akoto (1.FSV Mainz 05 II), Brandon Borrello (SC Freiburg), Antonis Aidonis (VfB Stuttgart, loan), Michael Sollbauer (Barnsley), Vasil Kusej and Simon Gollnack (Usti nad Labem, loans end) Phil Harres and Jonas Kühn (promoted from SGD U19)
Departures: Julius Kade (Union Berlin), Leroy Kwadwo (MSV Duisburg), Niklas Kreuzer (Hallescher FC), Maximilian Großer (Hamburger SV II), Vasil Kusej (1.SK Prostejov), Marco Hartmann and Stefan Kiefer (end of contract), Jonathan Meier (1.FSV Mainz 05, loan ends), Marvin Stefaniak (VfL Wolfsburg, loan ends)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs Ingolstadt 04 (H), Saturday 24th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs Hamburger SV (A), Sunday 1st August, 13:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs Hannover 96 (H), Saturday 14th August, 20:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs Hansa Rostock (A), Saturday 21st August, 20:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs SC Paderborn 07 (H), Sunday 29th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs 1.FC Heidenheim (A), Sunday 12th September, 13:30 local
Key player
There are a couple of players to choose from, their top scorer in the 3. Liga Christoph Daferner and 2nd-top scorer Philipp Hosiner are definite contenders for the key player role. But I am going to go for Daferner as the key player here. As the lead man for the Dresden side, Alexander Schmidt will be looking to him to score the goals and help to try and keep Dresden up. The way Schmidt likes Dresden to play, Daferner would need some help either from the wingers putting crosses in for the 6'2" center forward, or a striker partner in a 2 striker formation.
The writer's opinion
With Dresden's stature in the East German football scene, the Dynamo fans are expecting a very brave fight against relegation. Out of the 3 teams that have come up from the 3. Liga, Dresden look the most likely to stay up or at the very least finish in the relegation playoff spot. SGD fans have every right to be optimistic considering the fact that since their return to playing in the 2. Bundesliga back in 2011/12, Dynamo have played only 3 seasons outside the second tier, and after the 2 times where they came up from the 3. Liga, Dynamo survived the drop in their first season back on both occasions including an amazing 5th place finish in the 2016/17 season after winning the 3. Liga in 2015/16. Omens look good for Dynamo Dresden to beat the drop again this time around and I believe that Dynamo does have what it takes to stay up. A good coach with a good philosophy and a strong squad, Dynamo can most certainly surprise a lot of people and get a couple of shock results.
Writer's prediction: 10th
Hansa Rostock
Key information
Manager: Jens Härtel
Stadium: Ostseestadion
Founded: 28 December 1965
Nicknames: Hansa, Hanseaten, Kogge (The Cogs), Hansa-Kogge, Ostseestädter (People of the Baltic Sea)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 17th
Training camp: July 5th to 10th in Kremmen, Brandenburg
Friendlies: June 23rd: MSV Pampow 0-10 Hansa, June 26th: Amker Wismar 0-3 Hansa, June 30th: Hansa 9-1 Berliner AK, July 3rd: Hansa 3-1 FSV Luckenwalde, July 7th: Hansa 4-3 Viktoria Berlin, July 10th: VfL Wolfsburg 0-3 Hansa, July 17th: Hansa 1-2 Eintracht Braunschweig
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Ridge Munsy (Würzburger Kickers), Kevin Schumacher (TSV Havelse), Hanno Behrens (1.FC Nürnberg), Calogero Rizzuto (Erzgebirge Aue), Thomas Meißner (Puskas AFC), Svante Ingelsson (Udinese), Streli Mamba (Kairat Almaty, loan), Paul Wiese (Bonner SC, loan ends), Theo Martens (promoted from Hansa U19)
Departures: Erik Engelhardt (Energie Cottbus), Paul Wiese (Virginia Cavaliers), Nils Butzen (FSV Zwickau), Max Reinthaler (FSV Zwickau), Philip Türpitz (Türkgücü München), Aaron Herzog (Hallescher FC), Luca Horn (FSV Zwickau, loan), Oliver Daedlow (TSV Havelse, loan), Lion Lauberbach (Holstein Kiel, loan ends), Korbinian Vollmann (end of contract)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs Karlsruher SC (H), Saturday 24th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs Hannover 96 (A), Saturday 31st August, 13:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs 1.FC Heidenheim (A), Sunday 15th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs SG Dynamo Dresden (H), Saturday 21st August, 20:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs SV Werder Bremen (A), Sunday 29th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs SV Darmstadt 1898 (H), Sunday 12th September, 13:30 local
Key player
The man between the sticks has to be the key player for me. He is also the man with the captain's armband, Markus Kolke. I could've gone for another striker as I did with Dynamo Dresden, with Dutch striker John Verhoek bagging 12 goals and picking up 6 assists. But the man leading from the front as captain of Hansa has to be the key man in their effort to stay up. Kolke kept 12 clean sheets in Hansa's promotion season and as mentioned before, he is the captain and is expected to lead from the front. Kolke has played 286 games in the 3. Liga but has not played a single minute in the 2. Bundesliga so it will be breaking new ground for him and the majority of the Hansa squad, so his leadership becomes even more for the Ostseestädter.
The writer's opinion
Hansa's fans have been crying out for success ever since their relegation from the 2. Bundesliga and following 9 years of waiting, Hansa finally get their chance back in Germany's 2nd tier. How will they fare? I'm predicting a struggling season for the Hansa-Kogge. They have added players to the squad with 2. Bundesliga experience, namely Behrens and Munsy, but will it be enough to stave off relegation? In the end, I think they'll just about avoid relegation and avoid the relegation playoff match. The goals from Verhoek and the attacking output from Baxter Bahn will be vital, but I believe the effort from Kolke and his defence, no matter the formation, will be even more vital to ensure Hansa's survival in the 2. Bundesliga.
Writer's prediction: 15th
FC Ingolstadt 04
Key information
Manager: Roberto Pätzold
Stadium: Audi Sportpark
Founded: 5 February 2004
Nicknames: Die Schanzer (the entrenched ones)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 22nd
Training camp: July 2nd to 8th in Buxheim, Bavaria
Friendlies: June 30: VfB Eichstätt 0-4 Ingolstadt, July 17: Ingolstadt 1-1 Fürth
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Yassin Ben Balla (Eintracht Braunschweig), Jan-Hendrik Marx (Waldhoff Mannheim), Maximilian Wolfram (FSV Zwickau, loan ends), Arian Llugiqi (promoted from Ingolstadt U19)
Departures: Gordon Büch (RFCU Luxembourg), Björn Paulsen (Hammarby IF), Robin Krauße (Eintracht Braunschweig), Caiuby (end of contract)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs SG Dynamo Dresden (A), Saturday 24th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs 1.FC Heidenheim (H), Saturday 31st July, 13:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs SV Darmstadt 1898 (A), Sunday 15th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs 1.FC Nürnberg (H), Sunday 22nd August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs SV Sandhausen (A), Friday 27th August, 18:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs SV Werder Bremen (H), Saturday 11th September, 13:30 local
Key player
For the Ingolstadt key player, it was a difficult decision between 2 very good players. The captain, leader, and top scorer for Ingolstadt in the 3. Liga last season Stefan Kutschke was candidate number 1, and the 2nd candidate was central midfielder Marc Stendera. On one hand, you have the man that has led the team from the front, not only with goals but with the captain's armband on as well. On the other side, you have a midfielder who is an ever-present in the Ingolstadt side, who also laid on 7 assists in the 3. Liga. It is a tough decision but in the end, it has to be Kutschke. He has played 99 games in the 2. Bundesliga, scoring 26 times, and his goals will be vital for Die Schanzer if they are going to stay up. His leadership qualities also set him apart from most other strikers, as the club captain, his efforts will be noticed the most and he should be setting the example for the Ingolstadt players to follow.
The writer's opinion
This will be a difficult season for Die Schanzer. Their final result of the 20/21 season was a 3-1 defeat to VfL Osnabrück in the relegation playoff match and they were fortunate in going up following that poor display away in Osnabrück. Selecting Pätzold is not an awful decision considering he has been with the club for a long time, yes he has been the caretaker manager on a couple of occasions but he doesn't have that top-level experience of managing a senior team on a full-time basis. Ingolstadt have kept the same squad for this season with only 2 additions, but I still don't think that squad cohesion will be enough for Ingolstadt to stave off relegation back down to the 3. Liga. Stefan Kutschke will need to provide some heroics if Ingolstadt are to stay up this season, but I don't think it is going to happen. Die Schanzer will struggle to stay up and I feel it will be a swift relegation back to the 3rd tier.
Writer's prediction: 18th
SV Darmstadt 98
Key information
Manager: Torsten Lieberknecht
Stadium: Stadion am Böllenfalltor
Founded: 22 May 1898, 123 years ago
Nicknames: Die Lilien (The Lillies)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 28th
Training camp: July 3rd to July 14th in Herxheim-Hayna
Friendlies: July 9: D98 2:1 SV Waldhof Mannheim, July 14: VfB Stuttgart 1:1 D98
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Emir Karic (SCR Altach), Morten Behrens (1. FC Magdeburg), Jannik Müller (DAC Dunajska Streda), Phillip Tietz (SV Wehen Wiesbaden), Frank Ronstadt (Würzburger Kickers), Braydon Manu (Hallescher FC, end of loan), Leon Müller (Rot-Weiß Koblenz, end of loan), Steve Kroll (SpVgg Unterhaching), Benjamin Goller (Werder Bremen, loan), Lasse Sobiech (1. FC Köln), Luca Pfeiffer (FC Midtjylland, loan), Nemanja Celic (WSG Tirol)
Departures: Immanuel Höhn (SV Sandhausen), Florian Stritzel (end of contract), Felix Platte (SC Paderborn), Patrick Herrmann (end of contract), Silas Zehnder (Viktoria Aschaffenburg), Victor Palsson (FC Schalke 04), Carl Klaus (1. FC Nürnberg), Lars Lukas Mai (FC Bayern München, end of loan), Serdar Dursun (Fenerbahce), Nicolai Rapp (FC Union Berlin, end of loan), Samuele Campo (FC Basel, end of loan), Christian Clemens (end of contract), Alexander Vogler (SV Lippstadt), Henry Crosthwaite (Rot-Weiß Koblenz, loan)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs SSV Jahn Regensburg (H), Saturday 24th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs Karlsruher SC (A), Friday 30th July, 18:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs Ingolstadt 04 (H), Sunday 15th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs Hamburger SV (A), Sunday 22nd August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs Hannover 96 (H), Saturday 28th August, 18:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs Hansa Rostock (A), Sunday 12th September, 13:30 local
Key player
The 2. Bundesliga top scorer has moved on to pastures new with Fenerbahce, and that is bad news for Darmstadt as they have had to try and replace their 27-goal striker Serdar Dursun. After Dursun, the next top scorer was midfielder Tobias Kempe with 9 goals, so this is a BIG hole that the Lillies have needed to fill. They have brought in striker Luca Pfeiffer on loan from FC Midtjylland but I am saying the key player will be Tobias Kempe. 9 goals and 8 assists last season, provided plenty for Dursun to go after and tuck away, and I see Kempe doing the same for Luca Pfeiffer this season.
The writer's opinion
Serdar Dursun's move to Fenerbahce is a BIG loss for the Lillies and his goals, as I sai previously, will be very hard to replicate by anyone. So for this season, I see a drop from the 7th place finish last year. 5th and 7th place finishes will be followed up by a lower league finish this season because I see a struggle finding the back of the net without Dursun. I hope to be proved wrong by Darmstadt this season but I just don't see it happening without the 27-goal man.
Writer's prediction: 13th
SV Sandhausen
Key information
Manager: Stefan Kulovits/Gerhard Kleppinger
Stadium: BWT Stadium on Hartwald
Founded: 1916, 105 years ago
Nicknames: SVS
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 17th
Training camp: July 5th to July 14th in Längenfeld
Friendlies: June 26: SVS 2:1 Würzburger Kickers, June 30: SVS 0:4 1.FC Kaiserslautern, July 7: SVS 1:0 FC Botosani, July 10: SVS 1:3 WSG Tirol, July 17: Eintracht Frankfurt 1:0 SVS, July 21: TuS Mechtersheim 0:4 SVS
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Arne Sicker (MSV Duisburg), Immanuel Höhn (SV Darmstadt 98), Cebio Soukou (Arminia Bielefeld), Patrick Drewes (VfL Bochum), Oumar Diakhite (Eintracht Braunschweig), Gianluca Gaudino (BSC Young Boys), Christian Kinsombi (KFC Uerdingen), Carlo Sickinger (1.FC Kaiserslautern), Bashkim Ajdini (VfL Osnabrück), Chima Okoroji (SC Freiburg), Pascal Testroet (Erzgebirge Aue), Anas Ouahim (1.FC Kaiserslautern, end of loan)
Departures: Besar Halimi (Riga), Ivan Paurevic (Riga), Gerrit Nauber (Go Ahead Eagles), Sören Dieckmann (SC Fortuna Köln), Emmanuel Taffertshofer (Wehen Wiesbaden), Kevin Behrens (Union Berlin), Robin Scheu (Saarbrücken), Diego Contento, Alexander Rossipal, Philipp Heerwagen, Philipp Klingmann, Nikos Zografakis (all end of contract), Nikolas Nartey (VfB Stuttgart, end of loan), Stefanos Kapino (Werder Bremen, end of loan), Patrick Schmidt (1.FC Heidenheim, end of loan)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs Fortuna Düsseldorf (H), Sunday 25th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs SSV Jahn Regensburg (A), Saturday 31st July, 13:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs Karlsruher SC (H), Saturday 14th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs Erzgebirge Aue (A), Sunday 22nd August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs Ingolstadt 04 (H), Friday 27th August, 18:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs Hamburger SV (A), Saturday 11th September, 13:30 local
Key player
With Kevin Behrens moving onto Bundesliga side Union Berlin, that's 13 league goals last season taken out of the team. The only other player who managed more than 2 goals last season was the other striker Daniel Keita-Ruel. Other than him, no one else scored more than 2 goals last season and that is very worrisome for a team that just avoided relegation last season thanks to VfL Osnabrück's destruction in the final matchday. For the key player, I'll go for Nils Röseler. He is a center-back who was the 3rd top scorer on 2 goals for SVS last season, but more bizarrely he provided 5 assists, the most in the squad during that 2. Bundesliga season.
The writer's opinion
They had a tough season last season, and they'll have another tough one this season. They were able to stay up last season but they won't stay up this season. I feel this is one season too far for Sandhausen, they have had a couple of struggling seasons, but this is their 10th season in the 2. Bundesliga and I think they will go down to the 3rd tier. Losing your top scorer is bad but losing 13 out of the 40 goals you scored, aka a very large part of the goals you score, just seems like a recipe for disaster. 17th place for SVS and relegation back to the 3rd tier for them.
Writer's prediction: 17th
1.FC Nürnberg
Key information
Manager: Robert Klauß
Stadium: Max-Morlock-Stadion
Founded: 4 May 1900, 121 years ago
Nicknames: Der Club (The Club), Die Legende (The Legend), Der Ruhmreiche (The Glorious), Der Altmeister (The Old Master)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 28th
Training camp: July 3rd to July 14th in South Tyrol
Friendlies: June 26: FCN 5:1 FSV Zwickau, July 3: FC Wacker Innsbruck 1:3 FCN, July 10: FCN 0:0 FC Krasnodar, July 17: FCN 3:2 1860 Munich
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Mats Möller Daehli (KRC Genk), Kilian Fischer (Türkgücü München), Taylan Duman (Borussia Dortmund II), Christopher Schindler (Huddersfield), Florian Hübner (Union Berlin), Carl Klaus (SV Darmstadt 98), Lino Tempelmann (SC Freiburg, loan), Erik Shuranov and Mario Suver (both promoted from FCN II)
Departures: Iuri Medeiros (Braga), Dominik Steczyk (Piast Glwice), Andreas Lukse (First Vienna), Hanno Behrens (Hansa Rostock), Georg Margreitter (Grasshoppers), Kevin Goden (1860 Munich), Lukas Mühl (Austria Vienna), Fabian Schleusener (Karlsruher SC), Oliver Sorg (end of contract), Christian Früchtl (Bayern Munich, end of loan)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs Erzgebirge Aue (H), Sunday 25th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs SC Paderborn 07 (A), Friday 30th July, 18:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs Fortuna Düsseldorf (H), Saturday 14th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs Ingolstadt 04 (A), Sunday 22nd August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs Karlsruher SC (H), Friday 27th August, 18:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs SSV Jahn Regensburg (A), Sunday 12th September, 13:30 local
Key player
Goals were hard to come by for Nürnberg last season and losing Hanno Behrens to newly-promoted Hansa Rostock is a big loss. I am going for his midfield partner Johannes Geis as the key player. He picked up 9 assists in the previous season as well as 3 goals and as the midfield metronome that he is, Nürnberg will be relying on him to be the creative man as well as the midfield stopper.
The writer's opinion
This Nürnberg side was not very active in front of goal last season and they ended last season in 11th place. And this season I see them achieving another similar position in the league. Mid-table again for Der Club, another one of the hugely storied clubs in the 2nd tier, what a season this will be!
Writer's prediction: 12th
Erzgebirge Aue
Key information
Manager: Aleksey Shipilevsky
Stadium: Erzgebirgsstadion
Founded: 4 March 1946, 75 years ago
Nicknames: Veilchen (Violets)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: July 1st
Training camp: no information found
Friendlies: July 1: Aue 5:0 Eintracht Bramberg, July 6: VfL Wolfsburg 2:1 Aue, July 10: Aue 1:2 1.FC Magdeburg, July 16: Türkgücü München 0:2 Aue
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Ramzi Ferjani (FC Nitra), Antony Barylla (Saarbrücken), Soufiane Messeguem (VfL Wolfsburg II), Nicolas Kühn (Bayern Munich II, loan), Dirk Carlson (Karlsruher SC), Tim Kips (F91 Dudelange), Omar Sijaric (Türkgücü München)
Departures: Florian Krüger (Arminia Bielefeld), Louis Samson (Hallescher FC), Calogero Rizzuto (Hansa Rostock), Steve Breitkreuz (SSV Jahn Regensburg), Jean-Marie Plath (FSV Unio Fürstenwalde), Pascal Testroet (SV Sandhausen), Fabian Kalig and Kevin Harr (end of contract)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs 1.FC Nürnberg (A), Sunday 25th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs FC St. Pauli (H), Sunday 1st August, 13:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs Schalke 04 (A), Friday 13th August, 18:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs SV Sandhausen (H), Sunday 22nd August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs Holstein Kiel (A), Saturday 28th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs Fortuna Düsseldorf (H), Sunday 12th September, 13:30 local
Key player
Since both of the top scorers for Aue have moved on, namely Pascal Testroet and Florian Krüger, the violets will turn to their 3rd top scorer Dmitri Nazarov as the key player. Nazarov bagged 8 goals and provided 3 assists as Aue staved off relegation for another season. The Azerbaijani striker came to form towards the end of the season, grabbing a handful of goals and confining Osnabrück to the relegation playoff on the final day.
The writer's opinion
Aue are a solid side in the 2nd tier, never experienced the lofty heights of the Bundesliga yet and I don't think that year will come this year. It may come in the future, but for now I think it's another year in 2. Bundesliga mid-table for them. Goals may be hard to come following the departures of their top 2 scorers from last year, and no incomings in the striker position, but if Dmitri Nazarov fires in the goals like he did towards the end of the last season you can expect Aue to be in mid-table firmly. If he doesn't kick on, Aue might be in a relegation fight. That's why I see 14th as a respectable season for them.
Writer's prediction: 14th
SSV Jahn Regensburg
Key information
Manager: Mersad Selimbegovic
Stadium: Jahnstadion-Regensburg
Founded: 4 October 1907, 113 years old
Nicknames: Die Jahnelf (The Jahn eleven), Die Rothosen (the red shorts)
Pre-season
Pre-season start: June 20th
Training camp: June 27th to July 3rd in Bad Gögging
Friendlies: June 26: REG 4:0 Blau-Weiß Linz, July 3: REG 4:0 Bayreuth, July 9: Ried 0:2 REG, July 10: REG 2:2 Wacker Innsbruck, July 16: REG 1:0 Slovan Liberec, July 17: REG 1:0 Türkgücü München
Summer signings and departures
Additions: Thorsten Kirschbaum (VVV-Venlo), Leon Guwara (FC Utrecht), Aygün Yildirim (SC Verl), Konrad Faber (SC Freiburg II), Steve Breitkreuz (Erzgebirge Aue), Sarpreet Singh (Bayern Munich II, loan), Joël Zwarts (Excelsior), Carlo Boukhalfa (SC Freiburg II, loan), Björn Zempelin (promoted from REG II)
Departures: Sebastian Stolze (Hannover 96), Jan-Marc Schneider (PAS Giannina), Federico Palacios (Viktoria Köln), Albion Vrenezi (Türkgücü München), Florian Heister (Viktoria Köln), Alexander Weidinger (Unterhaching, loan), Tom Baack (SC Verl, loan), Oliver Hein (retired), Aaron Opoku (Hamburger SV, end of loan)
First six matches
Matchday 1 - vs SV Darmstadt 98 (A), Saturday 24th July, 13:30 local
Matchday 2 - vs SV Sandhausen (H), Saturday 31st July, 13:30 local
Matchday 3 - vs Holstein Kiel (A), Saturday 14th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 4 - vs Schalke 04 (H), Saturday 21st August, 13:30 local
Matchday 5 - vs FC St. Pauli (A), Sunday 29th August, 13:30 local
Matchday 6 - vs 1.FC Nürnberg (H), Sunday 12th September, 13:30 local
Key player
Goals are key to any team and Regensburg are gonna need someone to bag in the goals and I think the man for that job has to be Andreas Albers. 13 goals from the Danish forward last season helped Regensburg escape the drop zone and avoid relegation completely. If Die Jahnelf are going to try and repeat the same heroics from last year, they'll need to get Albers to net at least 15.
The writer's opinion
Jahn have been in mid-table for most of their 2. Bundesliga season, however, I think this season will be their biggest struggle yet. They will be in a relegation battle all season and it will result in a 16th place finish and a relegation playoff. It will be a tough season, and if Albers doesn't fire like I and Jahn Regensburg hope he does, it will be a very long and grueling season for Die Jahnelf.
Writer's prediction: 16th