It is a kind of summers that makes soccer romantics’ eyes gentle up: 1. FC Köln and Hamburger SV are again within the Bundesliga. Two huge conventional golf equipment, two passionately loopy fan bases, and two million-cities the place soccer is lived and breathed on the identical time.
Each golf equipment begin as promoted groups, each are undisputedly a acquire for the league, and each have an atmosphere that – we’ll put it neutrally – is able to enthusiasm.
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If issues go properly sports-wise, this enthusiasm turns right into a nearly limitless wave of euphoria that may overwhelm many an opponent. If issues do not go as properly sports-wise, this enthusiasm makes it nearly unattainable for the golf equipment to work in peace.
However regardless of all of the talked about parallels: The temper may hardly be extra totally different per week earlier than the season begins. Whereas in Cologne you nearly get the sensation that the FC has secretly activated Champions League mode in preparation, alarm bells are already ringing in Hamburg. At the very least at first look.
Cologne: Confidence like a title contender
As a result of the preparation of the Domstädter reads like a textbook marketing campaign for optimism. Assertion wins in opposition to Leicester Metropolis (3:1) and Atalanta (4:0) make the pink and white soccer hearts on the Rhine beat sooner
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The squad is Bundesliga-experienced and has been additional strengthened by promising newcomers. The promoted crew invested a whopping 20 million euros this summer time. That is an announcement!
Not least, the Müngersdorfer not too long ago introduced their most costly signing since 2019 with Rav van den Berg: The middle-back comes from FC Middlesbrough for a proud eight million euros.
The handwriting of the brand new coach Lukas Kwasniok is already clearly recognizable, and the fundamental construction round goalkeeper Marvin Schwäbe, protection chief Timo Hübers, and sweeper Eric Martel has been in place for a number of years.
Briefly: Cologne appears prepared for the Bundesliga!
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Main development website Hamburg
After which there’s the HSV. The Northerners have been caught within the 2nd league for seven lengthy and painful years. The logical consequence: Excluding newcomers Yussuf Poulsen, Jordan Torunarigha, and Nicolai Remberg, it’s a must to seek for Bundesliga expertise within the Hanseatic squad with a magnifying glass.
At the very least as deadly is that the stated squad nonetheless has blatant gaps simply two weeks earlier than the tip of the switch interval. A middle-back and a playmaker are nonetheless to return. At the very least.
As well as, the crew wants time to study the brand new taking part in system put in by Merlin Polzin. Within the prime division, the Hamburgers need to outline themselves far more by way of their work in opposition to the ball than they’ve been within the final seven years. To date, so good.
📸 Alex Bierens de Haan – 2025 Getty Photos
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The way in which the previous Bundesliga dinosaur misplaced all 5 take a look at video games to this point offers a motive for concern. The newly shaped protection continues to be wobbly, and offensively, the crew is at present missing nearly any concepts. The Polzin crew additionally did not look good within the first cup spherical. In opposition to fifth-tier Pirmasens, the HSV solely received after additional time (2:1).
Nonetheless, folks stay calm on the Waterkant. The unrest is allegedly solely being stirred up from outdoors the membership. The beginning-up difficulties after the profitable promotion, alternatively, have been consciously deliberate.
Completely different paths right here
And but: The actual fact that there’s a sure discrepancy between the goings-on at FC Köln and HSV may be seen alone by wanting on the switch spending. The Rhinelanders have invested 15 million euros extra to this point.
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However how is that doable when you think about that each golf equipment have been solely two factors aside on the finish of the final season?
Nicely: A have a look at the TV cash desk of the Bundesliga golf equipment solutions this query to a big extent. Whereas the HSV begins in 18th place with 31.4 million euros, the FC is in thirteenth place and receives 42.9 million euros.
This distinction may be comparatively simply defined by the sporting efficiency of the latest previous. The Hanseatic metropolis was caught within the 2nd league for seven years, whereas the West Germans have been solely in it for 2 years.
As well as, the folks of Cologne have been in a position to promote some gamers for appreciable sums, corresponding to Jonas Urbig, Damion Downs, and Max Finkgräfe, and thus create essential scope for their very own actions.
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One other issue that shouldn’t be underestimated: The switch ban, which prohibited the FC officers from signing new gamers between December 2023 and January 2025.
What enormously restricted the membership’s short-term efficiency functionality not less than ensured that the Billy Goats have been in a position to save a good pile of cash throughout this era. Moreover, few of their very own gamers have been offered, which implies that not insignificant components of the Bundesliga squad from 2023/2024 are nonetheless on board.
Anticipation vs. skepticism
All of this ensures that the temper in Cologne is at present the best way folks prefer it on the Rhine: optimistic, loud, and maybe a bit of bit megalomaniacal.
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Within the north of the republic, alternatively, there may be far more skepticism. After all, everybody is aware of how rapidly a profitable begin to the season can convey again optimism. However at present, the main focus is far more on the query of how rapidly the newly shaped squad can get used to the top quality within the Bundesliga.
Identical stage, totally different script
In the long run, it is clear: Each golf equipment begin in the identical season, with the identical variety of factors, the identical opponents, the identical probabilities.
And that is what makes it so thrilling: As a result of soccer would not be soccer if every part could not end up utterly otherwise on the primary matchday. Possibly the HSV will knock out the Kölner Erzrivalen from Mönchengladbach, possibly the FC will get a slap within the face from the opposite carnival membership from Mainz. The present temper may flip round 180 levels very quickly.
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As a result of that is what each golf equipment have in frequent: Constructive and damaging feelings are simply as rapidly gone as they got here.
This text was translated into English by Synthetic Intelligence.
📸 Selim Sudheimer – 2025 Getty Photos