Club

VfL have already had their first competitive match of the 2022/23 season with the 1-0 win away to Jena in the DFB Cup. On Saturday 6 August (kick-off 15:30 CEST), the Wolves turn their attentions to the new Bundesliga campaign. Ahead of the opening match against newly promoted Werder Bremen, VfL goalkeeper Koen Casteels took time out of his busy schedule for a brief interview, where he talked about pre-season training, getting the new league season under way and his personal goals.

Following eight victories in the first eight competitive games of the new year, the Black & Yellows and their fans are riding high. You could sense that throughout the training session in Dortmund-Brackel on Tuesday afternoon. Having completed some warm-up exercises and a passing drill, the 11 starters from the weekend turned their focus to the fans and their autograph requests, while the rest of the squad took part in a match scenario with two goals. The good news: Mateu Morey worked with the ball and completed the passing drills along with his team-mates.

Preparations begin for Saturday’s meeting with SC Freiburg The Foals began training on Tuesday ahead of...

A few days have passed since SV Werder fought their way to a 2-0 win against VfB Stuttgart. Deep in injury time, head coach Ole Werner made another double change and brought on Lee Buchanan and Dikeni Salifou. For the latter, it was his Bundesliga debut, and was ended by the referee not even a minute later with the full-time whistle. “It was a really amazing feeling. I had butterflies. I was not really thinking that I would be subbed on,“ confessed the happy debutant after the game.

A couple of weeks rest, well-deserved relaxation after an intense season. Then it was back to preparation for the new season for head coach Thomas Reis. On Monday, he gathered his players on the training pitch for the first time. Afterwards, the coach gave information about personnel and preparation.

The last few weeks have been quite eventful for Weston McKennie. The 20- year-old extended his contract and finished runner up at the Gold Cup after captaining the US national team in the final. In an interview with schalke04.de, the midfielder looks back on a busy summer and talks about the future.

The Ecuadorian, who was under contract at Augsburg until 2024, has joined Major League Soccer side San Jose Earthquakes, whose head coach Luchi Gonzalez was also at the helm during Gruezo’s spell with FC Dallas. The transfer fee is undisclosed.

“I expect to face a very intense and tactically astute side,” Xavi said (as captured by @iMiaSanMia). “We consider Bayern to be one of the best sides in the world. We were very good in Munich, but we didn’t convert our chances. Tomorrow, we have to show that was an aberration.”

You scored our first goal en route to the Europa League title last season, and what an important one it was! How often do you think back to that campaign?
“It was such a great moment and one that I’ll remember for the rest of my career and the rest of my life. That 1-0 win in Antwerp was the start of an incredible journey. Frankfurt still occupies a big place in my heart.”

Bayer Leverkusen, who, behind RB Leipzig, have scored the second-most goals on the counter in the league this season (six), sat deep in the initial stages, looking for any opportunity to break. Given that Moussa Diaby, who had recently been out due to an adductor injury, was back in the starting line-up for the first time in a while, it made sense that they employed such tactics early on.