Borussia Dortmund U23s promoted and ready – A closer look at the 3. Liga challenge that lies ahead
A closer look at the title contenders
TSV 1860 München
TSV 1860 München, or Die Sechziger, played in the Bundesliga between 1963 and 1981 and again between 1995 and 2004. Since then, they have bounced between the second and fourth-tiers of German football.
In 2017/18 for the first time in the club’s history, 1860 München were forced to compete in the fourth division due to financial difficulties obtaining a licence for the 2. Bundesliga. Difficulties which in spite of a major stake in the club being bought by Jordanian investor Hasan Ismaik. It has proven to be a mixed blessing with the club lurching from one financial crisis to the next despite selling their 50% stake in the Allianz Arena to Bayern Munich for €11m.
The drop however proved to be something of a blessing when it also resulted in ending the club’s ground share at the unloved Allianz Arena and a return to the historic home ground, the Grünwalder Stadion. The move rekindled the love with much of its fan-base and re-established their true identity as Munich’s ‘local club’ in contrast to the much bigger, and more successful, Bayern.
A founding member of the Bundesliga, 1860 were crowned German champions in 1966 and won the DFB Pokal in 1942 and 1964. They also reached the final of the 1964/65 UEFA Cup Winners Cup where they lost to West Ham United. Well-known former players include Davos Suker, Thomas Häßler, Jens Jeremies, Sven and Lars Bender and also Julian Nagelsmann.
1. FC Kaiserslautern
The once-proud club were relegated to Germany’s third division for the first time in the club’s history in 2017/18. A four-time German champion, Kaiserslautern was one of the founding members of the Bundesliga and had never been relegated before the 1995/96 season.
They quickly recovered from that disaster by not only winning promotion back to the Bundesliga straight away, but they also won the league title in their first year back in 1997/98. Since then, however, the club, located in one of the weakest areas in Germany in terms of infrastructure and industry, has struggled and slowly declined before finally dropping down into the 3. Liga where they have been for the last three seasons.
The home of the ‘Roten Teufel‘ or Red Devils is the impressive ‘Betzenberg’ stadium now known as the Fritz-Walter-Stadion, after the captain of the 1954 German World Cup-winning team. It is a 49,850 capacity stadium that was one of the FIFA World Cup grounds at Germany 2006.
Kaiserslautern, who have won four German titles and the DFB Pokal twice, are a club whose famous former players include the likes of Michael Ballack, Hans-Peter Briegel, Steffen Freund, Miroslav Klose and Roman Weidenfeller.
Eintracht Braunschweig
Eintracht Braunschweig, who are known affectionately by their fans as ‘Die Löwen’ or the Lions, were a founding member of the Bundesliga in 1963. They play at the Eintracht Stadion which has a capacity of 23,325. The Lower-Saxony based club played in the Bundesliga between 1963 and 1974 and 1974-1980 and 1981-85, followed by one season in 2013-14 and won the championship in 1966/67.
Braunschweig also reached the quarterfinals of the European Cup (now Champions League) in 1967/68 when they were knocked out by Juventus. Famous former players include Heiner Pahl, Uli Maslo, Herbert Burdenski and Dieter Zembski.
1. FC Saarbrücken
Based in the federal state of Saarland, which has historically been part of France and Germany, 1. FC Saarbrücken are one of the oldest football clubs in German history, having been founded in 1903. Even for a country accustomed to the 50+1 model of member ownership, Saarbrücken are unusual being wholly owned by the city authorities who also own the club’s Ludwigsparkstadion.
More from Borussia Dortmund News
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund: How to watch, live stream info and more
- Opinion: Borussia Dortmund’s win over Freiburg far more narrow than scoreline suggests
- Expected Borussia Dortmund lineup vs Paris Saint-Germain
- Bundesliga Roundup: Serhou Guirassy, Xavi Simons, Mats Hummels star on matchday four
- Paris Saint-Germain vs Borussia Dortmund: Team News, Preview
In spite of the stability that state-ownership has provided the club, they have suffered from ups and downs since their first season in the Bundesliga which they joined as a founding member in 1963. Saarbrücken have bounced between the third and the fourth tier in recent years.
Saarbrücken did achieve two runners up spots in the top tier of German football in 1943 and 1952. They also made history by reaching the semi-final of the DFB Pokal in 2020, becoming the first fourth tier team to achieve that feat. Famous former players include Branko Zebec, Felix Magath and Antony Yeboah.
Waldhof Mannheim
Founded in 1907, Waldhof Mannheim were a stalwart of the Bundesliga during the 1980s. Famous under then-coach Klaus Schlappner or ‘Schlappi’, Waldhof Mannheim gained notoriety for being a highly defensive team that was exceptionally hard to break down.
The club has, due to financial instability, since relegation bounced between the second and fifth tier. They faced forced relegation to the Oberliga after failing to secure a licence for the fourth tier on financial grounds in 2010. Waldhof’s home is the 24,000 Carl Benz Stadion. Former greats associated with the club include German internationals Maurizio Gaudino and Jürgen Kohler.