Archive for the 'Germany' Category

Gladbach make treble transfer swoop

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

Struggling Borussia Mönchengladbach have acquired the services of Paul Stalteri and Tomas Galasek - and a new goalkeeper to boot.
The Foals have signed up Logan Bailly from Belgian First Division side KRC Genk. The U-21 international, who was between the sticks for Belgium during their recent run to the semi-finals at the Beijing Olympic tournament, [...]

Dreams and reality

Tuesday, December 23rd, 2008

Borussia Mönchengladbach fans had great expectations coming into the 2008-09 season.
Their team had, after all, dominated the 2. Bundesliga, finishing on 66 points as Jos Luhukay led them back to the top flight as champions.
Luhukay packs his bags
That pre-season euphoria soon had to give way to a more sobering reality, however. The [...]

Tough ties for Bremen and Stuttgart

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

There are no easy opponents for the four Bundesliga representatives in the UEFA Cup Round of 32, with two of the quartet pitted against particularly tough opposition on paper.
Werder Bremen take on one of the tournament favourites, AC Milan, with the added disadvantage of having to play the first leg at home.
The [...]

“The Bundesliga is alive and kicking”

Monday, December 22nd, 2008

bundesliga.de met up with 1. FC Köln coach Christoph Daum to talk about the first half of the season, surprise team 1899 Hoffenheim and defending champions FC Bayern.
bundesliga.de: Christoph Daum, how would you describe the first half-season?
Christoph Daum: Goals, emotion, controversy, joy and pain. In fact, all those things that make football so fascinating. We've [...]

Four minutes of joy after 447 days of torment

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

At quarter to two in the morning, team captain Arne Friedrich reached for the scissors. In front of him sat teammate Lucio, his long hair tied back in a ponytail. Moments later, the midfielder had parted company with the better part of his mane.
The bundle of hair which Friedrich then triumphantly raised to the skies [...]

Croatian strikers fire HSV through

Sunday, December 21st, 2008

A brilliant performance from Ivica Olic helped Hamburger SV to a 3-1 victory over Aston Villa, to seal top spot in Group F of the UEFA Cup for the Hanseatics.
Mladen Petric set HSV on their way with his 18th-minute opener, before a double from fellow Croatian Olic (30., 56.) put the result beyond doubt, Nathan [...]

Looking to end the year on a high note

Saturday, December 20th, 2008

The situation of new coach Markus Babbel wil be put to one side on Thursday when VfB Stuttgart take on Belgian champions Standard Liege in their all-deciding UEFA Cup encounter.
“Liege have all the qualities of an elite team. They're of the same calibre as our last opponents. The match of the year for the fans [...]

Bayern heading for Portugal

Saturday, December 20th, 2008

German champions FC Bayern München have been drawn against Sporting Lisbon in the Champions League round of the last 16.
The draw took place at the headquarters of European football's governing body, UEFA, in Nyon, Switzerland.
First leg away
Bayern hit the road for the first leg of the encounter, which takes place in the [...]

Bayern star suspended

Friday, December 19th, 2008

FC Bayern München's Massimo Oddo has been suspended for three games by the DFB disciplinary panel.
Club and player have already accepted the verdict.
Sent off in Stuttgart
Oddo had been sent off during Bayern's Bundesliga game at VfB Stuttgart.
He will miss 2009's first three Bundesliga games, but will be eligible for Bayern's next [...]

No easy task in Piraeus

Friday, December 19th, 2008

Internal differences over transfer policy appear to have been resolved and Hertha BSC are free to focus all their energies on the upcoming Battle of Piraeus on Thursday evening.
The Berlin side require a victory at Olympiakos to progress to the knockout phase of the UEFA Cup and in so doing cap an excellent first [...]