Head coach Marco Rose and players Dani Olmo, David Raum, Janis Blaswich and Marcel Halstenberg share their thoughts after the 3-1 win over TSG Hoffenheim.

A familiar face returns: Ahead of Friday night’s clash with Hertha BSC (20:30 CEST) and the...

VfBfairplay actions at Saturday’s home match against 1. FC Köln raised €56,000 in aid of the earthquake disaster in Turkey and Syria.

It looked like a drawing of an ancient battlefield when seen from the top of that monumental stadium, cleaved out of the granite itself, sunken into the bedrock of the Earth. A Portuguese journalist remarked later that it was lucky the lift worked, because using it was like ascending up from some Viking purgatory, and when it broke, everything was plunged into chaos. “And it breaks,” he said with a smile and a shake of the head, “all the time.”

After over four and a half years at VfL Wolfsburg, Renato Steffen is embarking on a new chapter with FC Lugano after the Wolves reached an agreement with the Swiss first-division side. Steffen joined the Green-and-Whites from FC Basel in January 2018 and experienced something of a rollercoaster ride at the club, taking part in the relegation play-off before going on to help VfL reach both the Europa League and Champions League. The 30-year-old midfielder made 144 appearances for the Wolves, scoring 18 goals.

Diego Simeone’s side spurned the chance to win the match when Leverkusen goalkeeper Lukas Hradecky saved Yannick Carrasco’s spot kick before Saul Niguez’s follow up strike hit the crossbar.

The forward has been a bit-part player this season and he started on the bench against Tottenham on Wednesday night.

“Cologne are an unpleasant opponent. They play with great commitment and celebrate every challenge they win,” said U19 head coach Mike Tullberg of Viktoria Cologne, who occupy seventh spot in the table with nine points from six matches and already proved themselves to be a huge nuisance to Borussia in last season’s 0-0 draw. More hard work lies ahead of captain Nnamdi Collins & Co., who came from behind in style to draw 3-3 with Manchester City in the UEFA Youth League in midweek.

Nearly a full squad as preparations for Hertha begin The Foals began preparations for Sunday’s trip...