Talking Fussball

Here in 2023, football leagues selling a stake to a strategic partner is nothing new...but it sure would be for Germany's top flight. The DFL (Deutsche Fußball Liga) has been looking for a private equity firm who might help them bankroll a few projects - everything from media rights sales to international marketing - but not everyone is on board. Could it all blow up in the Bundesliga's face? Nik and Terry let you know what's at stake and who's on what side of the issue.....

The Bundesliga title race is still tight after another stumble by the team who entered the match day in the lead. As you'll hear in this edition, Matt and Adam Khan are pretty sure a few refereeing clangers played a part in BVB's slip, but the question remains: does anybody want to win the league? Plenty on the rest of the match day too, including what finally halted Mainz's charge, which teams at the bottom seem to be in driver's seat to stick around next year and more.....

It's not every week that it's plausible to argue that a second-tier match might well have had the best atmosphere in Europe, but the Hamburger Stadtderby is an exceptional fixture. The most recent edition saw both teams fighting for promotion heading in...and just one looking up to it at game's end, as Hamburger Sport-Verein took down FC St. Pauli in a 4-3 that allowed them to open up a nine-point gap on the chasing pack...

Well what do you know? Against all expectations, on Match Day 29 it was Bayern - not Dortmund - who faltered in the title race, surrendering top spot to the Schwarzgelben. Under the top two the most compelling story, however, might be Leverkusen, who cruised into the Europa League semifinal at midweek and then bopped Leipzig to notch their eighth straight match unbeaten...

What's gotten into Borussia Mönchengladbach? After spending much of the last decade in a renaissance that occasionally rekindled dreams of the club's 1970s heyday, the foals last three seasons have left them flirting dangerously with a return to the lean years of the 90s and 00s. Nik invites Gladbach obsessive Manuel Breuer on for a detailed chat on what's gone wrong and how it might get better. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices...

With just seven games left on the 2. Bundesliga docket, the race for promotion is getting serious...which is often the time of year Hamburger Sport-Verein's hopes of getting back into the top flight starts to fade. Will this season be different? HSV got a big win last weekend, but events off the pitch are ensuring the club can't breath too easy. Listen in as Nik, Jasmine and Maik break down events in the Hansestadt, the comings and goings across the league, and much more...

Bayern strolled it against Dortmund on this past weekend. It was an outcome few apart from their own fans were excited about, but it was one that reminded us just how versatile this Bayern side can be when they want to be. Matt talks the big Klassiker win over with his old pal Abel Meszaros, who also shares a few thoughts about a rising Leverkusen side and about Stuttgart who, hapless as ever, made another coaching change. Dig in! Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices...

Ready for the 2. Bundesliga restart? Nik, Jasmine and Maik are, and they're here to bring you up to speed on what's been happening since they last convened. Rostock have a new coach...and have been living up to their reputation on social media, the Lower Saxony derby turned out to be one to remember, FC St. Pauli's race up the table continues apace, and much more... Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices --- Support this podcast: https://podcasters.spotify...

As of last fall, when the Bundesliga was entering the World Cup break, Eintracht Frankfurt were flying. The Eagles were in the top four and had successfully battled their way out of their UEFA Champions League group in their maiden season in the competition. These days their chances of mixing it up in the Königsklasse next season seem thin...

Looky there - it's Borussia Dortmund on top of the Bundesliga! Bayern's advance (and Dortmund's failure to) in the UEFA Champions League seemed like it might hold some eventual benefit for the Schwarzgelben, but boy did it come fast, setting up a mouth-watering Klassiker after the international break. Matt welcomes back Jake Payne of 50 Plus Döner for a chat about the shuffling of places in the race for Europe and the teams racing to beat the drop.....