Community Corner: Bundesliga Returns to Competitive Soccer

Tomorrow the world will be watching a small ball rolling across blades of grass, and for the first time in nearly two months it will mean something.

Competitive games are resuming in the Bundesliga league. The tier one German soccer league has not played in nearly two months because of the current novel covid-19 pandemic. The league, which is made up of 18 clubs, will look to finish its remaining schedule by the end of June. The competition is all about the league title, European spots and even relegation.

It is nice to see something resume in relatively the same way as it was before the pandemic. Sure, the stadium will have no fans. The walkout will be strange without the children accompanying the players. No pregame handshakes. Not to mention the fact players and coaches on the sidelines will be required to wear masks. It will be strange to see the substitution raised from 3 to five.

It’s not the atmosphere many are used to seeing on the screens, or the type that is what every soccer fan tries to describe in a rant with non-soccer fans. But it is something.

Fans will get to see Bayern and Dortmund slug it out to win the league. On the opposite side we have Werder Bermen, Paderborn and Fortuna Duesseldorm who are fighting to stay in the tier one division. Like I said earlier relegation will still be in effect for this season.

I don’t expect many people to know every team in the league. Growing up I knew Bayern and liked them. Now I’m more of a Dortmund guy, because of the colors. Then the team went in 2015 to sign an American 16-year-old to their U17 squad, which than made me more of a Dortmund guy. Hershey native Christian Pulisic would quickly rise through the ranks and would make his first team debut in 2016.

Maybe a USMNT tie may not get you to root for a team, then look at Schalke 04. The team has multiple union ties, one current tie is Kai Wagner. While Wagner never had time with the first team, he would make 33 appearances for the team’s second tier. Then you have the former Swiss midfielder, Tranquillo Barnetta, who spent about three seasons with club.

While he’s hurt currently, Downingtown, Pa. native and former FC Delco/Union Academy goalkeeper Zack Steffen plays for Fortuna Düsseldorf. 

Former Union assistant coach Dick Schreuder left the Union last fall to join his brother at TSG Hoffenheim. That’s also the former club of Lancaster, Pa. native Russell Canouse and where former Union homegrown Zach Pfeffer spent time on a loan spell in 2013.Another option might even be Borussia Monchengladbach, which beat the Union to using the “Doop” song.

Ties to current and former union players not enough to get you interested, what about DOOP’n for another Union team? That is right, the league boosts a team called Union Berlin. The team is the first Bundesliga club from what was formerly East Berlin to make the first division. While they do not wear blue and gold, they are normally seen in Red kits. So maybe FC Union Berlin is not the right team to watch.

I now have one important question to ask, what team will you be supporting tomorrow?

It’s so nice to finally say these words, Soccer is back!