object(WP_Term)#5931 (16) { ["term_id"]=> int(36) ["name"]=> string(7) "Germany" ["slug"]=> string(7) "germany" ["term_group"]=> int(0) ["term_taxonomy_id"]=> int(36) ["taxonomy"]=> string(8) "category" ["description"]=> string(0) "" ["parent"]=> int(4) ["count"]=> int(54) ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" ["cat_ID"]=> int(36) ["category_count"]=> int(54) ["category_description"]=> string(0) "" ["cat_name"]=> string(7) "Germany" ["category_nicename"]=> string(7) "germany" ["category_parent"]=> int(4) } object(WP_Query)#4806 (54) { ["query"]=> array(1) { ["category__and"]=> array(2) { [0]=> int(36) [1]=> int(3) } } ["query_vars"]=> array(65) { ["category__and"]=> array(2) { [0]=> int(3) [1]=> int(36) } ["error"]=> string(0) "" ["m"]=> string(0) "" ["p"]=> int(0) ["post_parent"]=> string(0) "" ["subpost"]=> string(0) "" ["subpost_id"]=> string(0) "" ["attachment"]=> string(0) "" ["attachment_id"]=> int(0) ["name"]=> string(0) "" ["pagename"]=> string(0) "" ["page_id"]=> int(0) ["second"]=> string(0) "" ["minute"]=> string(0) "" ["hour"]=> string(0) "" ["day"]=> int(0) ["monthnum"]=> int(0) ["year"]=> int(0) ["w"]=> int(0) ["category_name"]=> string(4) "city" ["tag"]=> string(0) "" ["cat"]=> int(3) ["tag_id"]=> string(0) "" ["author"]=> string(0) "" ["author_name"]=> string(0) "" ["feed"]=> string(0) "" ["tb"]=> string(0) "" ["paged"]=> int(0) ["meta_key"]=> string(0) "" ["meta_value"]=> string(0) "" ["preview"]=> string(0) "" ["s"]=> string(0) "" ["sentence"]=> string(0) "" ["title"]=> string(0) "" ["fields"]=> string(3) "all" ["menu_order"]=> string(0) "" ["embed"]=> string(0) "" ["category__in"]=> array(0) { } ["category__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["post__in"]=> array(0) { } ["post__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["post_name__in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag__in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag__and"]=> array(0) { } ["tag_slug__in"]=> array(0) { } ["tag_slug__and"]=> array(0) { } ["post_parent__in"]=> array(0) { } ["post_parent__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["author__in"]=> array(0) { } ["author__not_in"]=> array(0) { } ["search_columns"]=> array(0) { } ["ignore_sticky_posts"]=> bool(false) ["suppress_filters"]=> bool(false) ["cache_results"]=> bool(true) ["update_post_term_cache"]=> bool(true) ["update_menu_item_cache"]=> bool(false) ["lazy_load_term_meta"]=> bool(true) ["update_post_meta_cache"]=> bool(true) ["post_type"]=> string(0) "" ["posts_per_page"]=> int(10) ["nopaging"]=> bool(false) ["comments_per_page"]=> string(2) "50" ["no_found_rows"]=> bool(false) ["order"]=> string(4) "DESC" } ["tax_query"]=> object(WP_Tax_Query)#4804 (6) { ["queries"]=> array(1) { [0]=> array(5) { ["taxonomy"]=> string(8) "category" ["terms"]=> array(2) { [0]=> int(3) [1]=> int(36) } ["field"]=> string(7) "term_id" ["operator"]=> string(3) "AND" ["include_children"]=> bool(false) } } ["relation"]=> string(3) "AND" ["table_aliases":protected]=> array(0) { } ["queried_terms"]=> array(1) { ["category"]=> array(2) { ["terms"]=> array(2) { [0]=> int(3) [1]=> int(36) } ["field"]=> string(7) "term_id" } } ["primary_table"]=> string(8) "wp_posts" ["primary_id_column"]=> string(2) "ID" } ["meta_query"]=> object(WP_Meta_Query)#4800 (9) { ["queries"]=> array(0) { } ["relation"]=> NULL ["meta_table"]=> NULL ["meta_id_column"]=> NULL ["primary_table"]=> NULL ["primary_id_column"]=> NULL ["table_aliases":protected]=> array(0) { } ["clauses":protected]=> array(0) { } ["has_or_relation":protected]=> bool(false) } ["date_query"]=> bool(false) ["request"]=> string(378) "SELECT SQL_CALC_FOUND_ROWS wp_posts.ID FROM wp_posts WHERE 1=1 AND ( ( SELECT COUNT(1) FROM wp_term_relationships WHERE term_taxonomy_id IN (3,36) AND object_id = wp_posts.ID ) = 2 ) AND ((wp_posts.post_type = 'post' AND (wp_posts.post_status = 'publish'))) GROUP BY wp_posts.ID ORDER BY wp_posts.post_date DESC LIMIT 0, 10" ["posts"]=> array(10) { [0]=> object(WP_Post)#4803 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(21857) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-01-10 22:54:59" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-01-10 22:54:59" ["post_content"]=> string(25504) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Just before Christmas 2016, RB Leipzig went to Munich for a top-of-the-table showdown. Bayern had led the league from August, Leipzig had nipped in during November. Later that season, the club became the first from former East Germany to qualify for Europe since 2001.

The last time a team from Leipzig was crowned all-German champions was 1913. Even in the post-war era, when Leipzig was the second biggest city in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), its main club, Lokomotive, never won the national league, the DDR-Oberliga.

Leipzig is the cradle of German football. In 1900, the German FA, the DFB, were founded at the Mariengarten restaurant, Büttnerstraße 10. A plaque marks where the building once stood. Three years later, VfB Leipzig became Germany’s first champions, winning the title again ten years later.

Previous Next

In 2016, with all the local hullabaloo created by RB Leipzig, it was proposed that a DFB Museum should open on Büttnerstraße.

When RB Leipzig strode out against Bayern for that head-to-head clash of 2016, it had been 25 years since the last DDR-Oberliga. During that time, asphyxiated by the new economic reality, star players sold to savvier, richer clubs in former West Germany, the old giants of the GDR had wilted and disappeared – including Lokomotive, revived by fans as 1.FC Lokomotive Leipzig in 2004.

Surely then, given Bayern’s monopoly of the German game and the long absence of former GDR clubs at top level, the remarkable rise and unexpected title challenge of a team from Leipzig would have been cause for celebration?

Not at all. Because, natürlich, RB Leipzig are not from the home of Bach, Wagner and Mahler, but Markranstädt, a small town 10km south-west of Saxony’s largest city.

RB Leipzig are a vehicle for Red Bull, with stablemates in Salzburg and New York. Unable to be as flagrant about its brand in Germany, the crafty Austrian energy-drink giant called its new club RasenBallsport (‘Lawn Ball Sport’: RB) and plastered its charging bull logo everywhere. 

Dietrich Mateschitz is the billionaire co-founder of Red Bull and brains behind its football operations in Austria and the US. Germany being his next move, he sought advice from Franz Beckenbauer as to where best site this crucial investment. Der Kaiser had only one answer: Leipzig.

This wasn’t only because of the city’s unique soccer heritage. As chairman of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup, Beckenbauer had also overseen the inclusion of Leipzig and its Socialist-built Zentralstadion among the 12 host venues. The other 11 were all in former West Germany. 

The Zentralstadion was the national stadium of the GDR, built by thousands of volunteers using rubble from a city devastated by Allied bombing. Without the Nazi overtones of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, although originally sketched out by the same architect, Werner Marsch, it had attracted attendances of 110,000 for East Germany internationals.

Fallen into disuse after 1989, the old stadium was knocked down but its exterior, Socialist statuary and all, was kept when the new arena was built around it in the early 2000s. First hosting the Confederations Cup in 2005, it staged five games for the 2006 World Cup, most notably the epic Latin battle between Argentina and Mexico.

That same year, Red Bull’s Mateschitz began sniffing around Germany for a small club to piggyback for its football licence. The obvious option, as Beckenbauer pointed out, was Sachsen Leipzig.

The choice was both historical and logistical. As the pre-1990 BSG Chemie Leipzig, they not only had ties with seminal Britannia Leipzig formed in 1899 and their successor, TuRa Leipzig of the Nazi era, but they had been East German champions in the early days and still had something of a fan base.

Struggling on post-Unification as Sachsen Leipzig, the club had one crucial element in its favour: film mogul and entrepreneur Michael Kölmel.

Main sponsor of Sachsen Leipzig, Kölmel had won the contract to rebuild the Zentralstadion and raised nearly a quarter of its €90 million conversion costs.

Kölmel was very keen on the Red Bull takeover. Sachsen Leipzig fans were not. The deal fell through and Sachsen were dissolved in 2011.

The waters had been muddied by the creation of another BSG Chemie Leipzig in 1997, who then rose through the local leagues to face Sachsen in the regional Saxony league.

Now the sole heir of BSG Chemie, the club is based at the same Alfred-Kunze-Sportpark where the East German title was won in 1951 and 1964. Over the water from the former Zentralstadion, the ground is in Leipzig-Leutzsch, close to the S-Bahn station and 7 tram stop of the same name, the line also passing by the main football arena.

Previous Next

In 2016, BSG Chemie won the Sachsenliga to gain promotion to the fourth-tier NOFV-Oberliga. This would have set up league fixtures with local rivals Lokomotive – only at the same time, the former railway club won the NOFV-Oberliga title of 2016 and now play in the third-flight Regionalliga Nordost.

Currently featuring Dynamo Berlin, this league became the boneyard of fallen GDR giants after Unification.

With links back to inaugural German champions VfB, Lokomotive had also played at the Zentralstadion – shortly after their reformation in 2004, ‘Loksche’ set a record attendance for a local-league match when 12,421 watched them play Eintracht Großdeuben reserves. This, indeed, is a city built on football. 

Now based at the Bruno-Plache-Stadion in Probstheida, close to where Napoleon lost a huge land battle in 1813, Loksche are another former GDR giant currently reawakening. Take tram 15 12 stops from the train station to Probtsheida – the ground is a short walk down Connewitzer Straße, on the left.

Rejected by Sachsen Leipzig, embraced by Markranstädt, RB Leipzig moved into the Zentralstadion in 2010. Six years later, 24 hours after a 3-0 defeat at Bayern, RB Leipzig announced that they had reached agreement with Michael Kölmel and had bought the Zentralstadion. And, of course, renamed it. All the Red Bull Arena needed was regular European football...

[mapsmarker map="281"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Previous Next

Leipzig/Halle Airport is 27km (17 miles) north-west of Leipzig. An S-Bahn or inter-city train runs every 15-20mins to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof main station (15-20min journey time, €6). A frequent train from Berlin takes 1hr 15mins, advance single around €25.

Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is close to the city centre a short walk away and well connected for trams, including regular services to the Red Bull Arena.

Leipzig city transport consists of trams and buses. A journey of four stops (Kurzstrecke) is €1.80, a single valid for 1hr (suitable between station and stadium) is €2.60. 24hr day pass is €7.20. Buy tickets from machines at stops and validate them in the stamper alongside.

Long-established Löwentaxi (+49 341 98 22 22) are perfectly located, halfway between the station and the stadium. A transfer from the airport to either should be in the region of €40.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next

The local beer is Ur-Krostitzer, the local bar hub is pedestrianised Barfüßgäschen, just off the main square of Marktplatz.

On one side, Barfusz is an all-purpose nightspot open until 3am at weekends, on the other, Bellini’s mixes cocktails and the Kildare City Pub pours pints and screens matches.

Round the corner on Klostergasse, the Café Madrid dedicates its Siesta Bar to TV football and has the good sense to provide German Paulaner on draught and leave the Spanish beer for the fridge.

There’s another faux pub on Ritterstraße, the 25-year-old Morrison’s. If you’re after authenticity, the Brauhaus an der Thomaskirche brews its own according to the legendary purity laws of 1516.

Previous Next

Convincing candidate for best bar in town, certainly the most unusual, the Haifischbar, where Brühl meets Große Fleischergasse is a cult spot, choosy about the rock ‘n’ roll it plays, with a TV and cocktail deals. It’s squeezed between a tattoo parlour and strip club, but don’t let that put you off. On Brühl itself, Emil & Moritz puts TV football on a par with open-plan, informal, creative dining while Champions at the Marriott is a US-style sports bar.

Arriving or leaving via the vast train station, raise a glass to Leipzig at the cosy Bierbar Gleis 8 on the upper level – it’s been there since the year dot, as have the staff and regulars. There’s a TV for football and plenty of conversation around the timeless bar counter.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next

Leipzig Travel has a hotel database and online booking service.

The nearest lodging to the stadium is about 5-7min walk away, on residential Waldstraße with bars close to it, the Arena City Hotel. Upper mid-range with breakfast (€12.50) extra, it has a sauna, bar and restaurant.

Leipzig station is ideally located for both stadium and town. Among the many hotels there, the 288-room Park Hotel is directly opposite as you come out of the station building, bright and modern, with its own sauna, whirlpool, small gym and restaurant.

Alongside, upscale chain the Marriott contains a panoramic restaurant and the Champions sports bar, open to non-guests as well (see Where to drink).

On the stadium side of the station, the Fürstenhof is a five-star deluxe with a pool – and a century of hospitality behind it. On the other side, Victor’s Residenz-Hotel exudes old-school charm.

Previous Next

A short walk from the station towards town, the B&B Leipzig-City is a convenient, modern budget-chain option. The nearby Motel One Leipzig-Nikolaikirche is similar, a slight notch above, with a stylish bar.

Right in town, by the bar strip of Barfüßgäschen, the Five Elements Hostel offers cheap private en-suite bedrooms as well as dorms – a handy compromise for the wallet-conscious.

Another good choice for bar-hoppers is the Aparion Apartments, directly opposite Morrison’s Irish bar, with kitchenettes. Units can be rented out by the night, €60/two people a bargain.

By Marktplatz, the Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof is another of Leipzig’s classy establishments, elegant but relatively affordable with online deals – particularly given the two-floor premium spa.

At the main square of Augustusplatz, the Radisson Blu Leipzig is a business-friendly choice with great views of local landmarks.

Finally, for history buffs and those with a yen to visit Lokomotive Leipzig over the road, the Brauhaus Napoleon offers nine comfortable rooms and classic German hospitality in the inn where Prussian and Russian officers lodged before routing Napoleon nearby. Literally next door to the Lokomotive ground, the Parkhotel Diani provides mid-range conviviality.

" ["post_title"]=> string(7) "Leipzig" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(7) "leipzig" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-09-26 17:32:52" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-09-26 17:32:52" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(36) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=21857" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [1]=> object(WP_Post)#4805 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(21226) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2016-12-18 00:30:40" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2016-12-18 00:30:40" ["post_content"]=> string(18710) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

The miracle of Darmstadt is that a modest local club full of football passion can compete at the highest level with huge, corporate entities such as Bayern Munich – and survive. So far, at least. Promoted to the Bundesliga in 2015, SV Darmstadt 98 kept their heads above water in their debut season while traditional clubs such as Stuttgart and Hannover floundered. Unlike fellow newcomers of 2015-16, Ingolstadt, Darmstadt have no wealthy backers. Just look around their ground, a no-frills facility of bare, stepped terracing and crash barriers, something that may have hosted a mid-ranking GDR league game in the 1970s. No other top-flight stadium in the modern-day Bundesliga, opened shortly after World War I, would still be sitting in this un-reconstituted condition.

Then there’s the stadium sponsor. Merck is a huge multinational in the pharmaceutical industry for which Darmstadt is famous – it was here that company chemist Anton Köllisch first synthesised MDMA, later known as the drug ecstasy. In July 2014, after a 122nd-minute goal propelled SV Darmstadt from the 3.Liga to the Zweite, Merck announced a five-year €300,000 annual sponsorship of the Böllenfalltor, the club’s forest-fringed home since 1921. Few at Merck, nor on the stadium terraces rebuilt with war-time rubble after 1945, nor at the club, expected Darmstadt to shoot up the Second Division and gain immediate promotion to the Bundesliga. And then stay there. And so, with a five-year deal long in place, and prime worldwide exposure set for another season, what does Merck do? Renounces its naming rights on the Merck-Stadion am Böllenfalltor in favour of Johnny Heimes, the young Darmstadt fan who raised funds for the children’s clinic at a nearby Frankfurt cancer hospital while suffering from the same disease that killed him in March 2016.

For 2016-17, Darmstadt play at the Jonathan-Heimes-Stadion am Böllenfalltor. For the Bundesliga promotion celebrations here in 2015, club captain Aytaç Sulu led a communal rendition of You’ll Never Walk Alone with a packed crowd in honour of Heimes, now buried in the nearby Bessunger Friedhof. ‘Böllenfalltor’ refers to the poplar trees that still backdrop the stadium, and the slatted gates that were used to keep deer from wandering in from the woods. It was these leafy southern outskirts of town that the municipality decided to build a long-needed sports ground, inspired by the merger of two former local rivals, FK Olympia and SC Darmstadt, in 1919. Olympia had been formed by a local professor for his five sons and fellow students, in May 1898 – hence ‘SV Darmstadt 98’. Darmstädter Sport Club 1905 were themselves the result of a merger, of Viktoria 1900 and Germania 1903. These early foundation dates, when football was frowned upon across Germany as a foreign fad, show that Darmstadt was something of a pioneer for the game in those early days.

The Böllenfalltor was sited alongside the university grounds where Professor Ensgraber had taught and his five sons had studied. Players from Olympia and SC had taken part in moral-boosting communal games during World War I. It was no coincidence that the date of their union in 1919 was November 11, exactly a year after Armistice Day. The club badge of a fleur-de-lys refers to the Darmstadt coat of arms when it was capital of Hesse, a Grand Duchy before the creation of modern-day Germany. Today the club’s bucolic setting is partly due to strict planning laws in this verdant, historic part of Darmstadt, and partly to the football club’s 80-year sojourn in the lower and regional leagues. The rapid rise of Die Lilien from 3.Liga in 2011 to Bundesliga in 2015 hasn’t changed the surroundings – nor the spirit in which the game is played here. [mapsmarker map="269"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Darmstadt is 27km (16 miles) south of Frankfurt Airport – connected by a half-hourly Airliner Bus run by Rhein-Main (RMV). Buses run from Terminals 1 and 2 to Darmstadt bus concourse by the main station and the city’s main square of Luisenplatz, single tickets €8.60, journey time 30min. Heading to Frankfurt Airport, they set off from bus stop 20 at Darmstadt station. RMV oversees regional transport links. Regular trains between Frankfurt main station and Darmstadt take 15-20mins and cost under €10. Local trams and buses in Darmstadt are provided by Dadina, linked to RMV. Singles are €2, a Tageskarte day pass valid until 4am, €3.90, available from machines at stops and stamped on board. You’ll need public transport to reach the ground – arrangements change on match days for away fans. See SV Darmstadt for details. Centrally located Taxi Funk Darmstadt (+49 6151 19 410) offer airport transfers at €45.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next The local beer, depicted by its horseshoe logo, is Pfungstädter, brewed just outside Darmstadt. The main bar hub is the other side of the Technical University from the city centre, colloquially referred to as the Watzeverdel – in particular, narrow Lauteschlägerstraße and surrounding streets. On the corner with Mauerstraße, the Hotzenplotz is a fine bar to watch the match, with food another focus. A few buildings down, The Hobbit is a charming, lived-in pub, done out in retro advertising – no Tolkein or TV, though. Close by, Wellnitz is the main cocktail spot, chic and slightly soulless but with a lovely sunny terrace.

Previous Next For an honest-to-goodness dive, where football and serious drinking rule supreme, Kessel, at the Kopernikusplatz end of Lauteschlägerstraße, is a sublime cubby-hole of a bar, friendly once you break the ice with the many regulars. Faux pubs abound – there’s even ‘Ireland Pub’ on Mauerstraße. An Sibin is a little more like it, with TV sport, though bizarrely closes on Sundays. The Green Sheep goes big on live football, with an inner courtyard for summer evenings. Finally, a curio on the other side of the city centre, beside an Oxfam bookshop on Schulstraße, Beat Corner appeals to an older generation of music and football obsessive. Live games are shown as scheduled, vinyl-era tunes ring out and everyone goes home happy, 4pm till last guest, Sundays until 10pm.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next Darmstadt Tourismus has PDF guide to local hotels and a link-through booking function in its English-language accommodation section. Given Darmstadt’s proximity to Frankfurt’s major international airport and the regular conferences around the local pharmaceutical industry, there are scores of hotels in town – though none near the stadium. Many are dotted around the train station – in fact, within the same building, as in the case of the InterCityHotel, with 140 neat, affordable rooms. Guests are also treated to a free transport pass. Just the other side of the station, the B&B Hotel Darmstadt offers bright budget lodgings to the train traveller. Nearby, in the business-friendly Maritim chain, the Konferenzhotel Darmstadt has a pool, sauna and restaurant – note that the sister Maritim Rhein-Main Hotel Darmstadt has recently closed.

Previous Next The Hotel Hornung, a 5min walk from the station towards town, is the kind of friendly, affordable, independent lodging quickly disappearing from Germany as chains take over. Closer to the centre, individual as well as independent, the Prinz Heinrich contains 60 smoke-free rooms and 35 apartments in all kinds of designs. Alongside, the ibis Darmstadt City comprises 84 renovated rooms in standard configuration. Right in the city centre, the 77-room Best Western is a business-friendly three-star while the Bockshaut remains a classic guesthouse of the old school, rooms ranged around a traditional restaurant. The most central place is the Zentral-Hotel Darmstadt, no-frills but offering reasonable comfort and cleanliness at a knock-down price, particularly for single rooms. In a different category, the gleaming, modern four-star Welcome Darmstadt beside the congress centre has a quality spa complex on the top floor." ["post_title"]=> string(9) "Darmstadt" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(9) "darmstadt" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-03-26 20:55:17" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-03-26 20:55:17" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(36) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=21226" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [2]=> object(WP_Post)#4814 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(20055) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2016-11-02 21:21:51" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2016-11-02 21:21:51" ["post_content"]=> string(19899) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Home of Audi in the very heart of Bavaria, Ingolstadt was more an ice hockey town than a football one – until 2015. FC Ingolstadt 04 – the number a reference to the year, 2004, when the club was created from the merger of two long-established, low-standing ones – entered the Bundesliga in 2015-16 after five years in the Zweite. Perhaps even more surprisingly, die Schanzer stayed up, achieving a comfortable mid-table position above local rivals Augsburg. Like Augsburg, Ingolstadt has only seen such success in recent seasons. Like Augsburg, Ingolstadt has a century-long tradition in football, but it’s a history of smaller local teams pootling along at, mainly, regional level, until a merger galvanised one single club.

In the case of Ingolstadt, this was ESV (‘Eisenbahner Sport Verein’), a joint sports association attached to the railways, and MTV (‘Männer-Turn-Verein’), dedicated to gymnastics until 1924. ESV were a post-war construct. Before then, there were half-a-dozen smaller sports clubs, most notably FC Victoria and VfR, who created VfB Ingolstadt-Ringsee in 1925. In the early 1930s, VfB played at the highest regional level – when this also meant the highest national level, Germany not having a single Bundesliga. VfB Ingolstadt were not able to match the achievements of fellow Bavarians 1.FC Nürnberg and Greuther Fürth, who managed to reach the regional play-offs then become German champions. The Nazi reorganisation of sport did VfB few favours and during the war they merged with MTV to form KSG Ingolstadt. Pre-1933, MTV had trailed behind VfB. After the war, Nazi-founded clubs such as KSG were disbanded by the Allies. MTV were reformed, VfB as VfL, and the clubs became rivals in the Bavarian League, the second tier of Germany’s post-war game.

VfL then became ESV, based at the same stadium behind the train station as VfB before the war. MTV played at Kreuztor, just west of the city centre. As part of the 1972 Munich Olympics, the ESV-Stadion hosted four matches, one featuring eventual winners Poland, Kazimierz Deyna and all, another a hat-trick by later East German hero Jürgen Sparwasser. Two games featured the USA and defender Casey Bahr, son of Walter, the last surviving member of the American side that beat England 1-0 at the 1950 World Cup. Later in the 1970s, ESV and MTV rose from the lower divisions for a two-season stint in the second-tier 2.Bundesliga, then divided north and south, overlapping for one season in 1979-80. Before the arrival of FC Ingolstadt 04, this was the high point of the game in Bavaria’s fourth-biggest city – somewhat modest when compared to Augsburg or Nuremberg. After relegation, each struggled on for 20 years or so in the same local and amateur leagues as before until a merger became the inevitable solution.

It came in 2004. Based at ESV’s renamed Tuja-Stadion, the new club took MTV’s place in the fourth-flight Bavarian Oberliga. FC Ingolstadt’s second team assumed ESV’s slot further down in the sixth tier. When 4,000 came to Ingolstadt’s inaugural game, a friendly against Borussia Mönchengladbach in July 2004, it was clear that the city was hungry for football. The ESV-Stadion was renovated in 2008 then usurped by the new Audi Sportpark, south of the Danube and way south-west of the city centre, in 2010. That was just when Ingolstadt had risen to the Zweite, matching the achievement of their forebears, ESV and MTV, back in the late 1970s – then going on to the Bundesliga five years later. Senior football at ESV finished in 2004. As for MTV, they also ran junior teams until reforming the senior one in 2009. MTV rose to the ninth-tier Danube/Isar local league in 2015 – just as FC Ingolstadt 04 were looking forward to a first season in the Bundesliga. [mapsmarker map="247"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

The nearest airport to Ingolstadt is Munich 72km (45 miles) away. Ingolstadt bus company INVG runs the X109 Airport Express every hour from Terminal 2 E 03, calling at Terminal 1 Bereich A/B and Munich Airport Center, before heading to Ingolstadt’s second station, Nordbahnhof, and the town’s central bus hub of ZOB, Bussteig 20. Journey time is 1hr, single tickets €23 (€22 in advance), return €36 (€31). A single journey on a local bus to/from the Airport Express stop comes included. Alternatively, from Munich airport, take S-Bahn lines S1 or S8 to the main station (Hauptbahnhof) about 40-45mins away. Tickets are €10 single. The hourly ICE train from Munich Hauptbahnhof to Ingolstadt takes 35-40mins – online tickets €19. There are regional services too, but they take an hour and cost almost the same. If you’re flying into Nuremberg, then the high-speed line from Nürnberg Hauptbahnhof to Ingolstadt is 30mins, online tickets also €19.

Ingolstadt main station is quite a way south of the city centre across the Danube, a 15-20min walk or a 10min bus journey. Diagonally right as you exit the station is a concourse of bus stops – services going to town/ZOB leave from Busstieg 2 every 7-15mins, including the 10, 11, 16, 18 and 44. From a machine, it’s €2.20, on board €2.40, day ticket (Tagekarte) €4.40/€4.80. The stadium, way too far to walk, is within that central tariff Zone 100. Note that some hotels, such as the InterCity by the station, offer free local transport for the length of your stay. Taxi-IN is a local co-operative of cabs, including Taxi Walter (+49 176 22 70 87 61).

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next Every single German beer owes its taste and clarity to the Rheinheitsgebot, the Purity Laws, of 1516 – signed right here in Ingolstadt. April 2016 saw liquid celebrations to mark its 500 years. Downtown Dollstraße is lined with terrace cafés, bars and restaurants, traditional Weissbräuhaus zum Herrnbräu is typical of the genre and the main outlet for local brew Herrnbräu. Across the street, La Diva is more contemporary and shows football. Round the corner, Theresientraße/Kreuzstraße has a more bar-strip feel. Corso Italia feels slightly upscale but is firmly Ferrari-focused but flies the flag for FC Ingolstadt and shows games. Further down, Zum Engelwirt is a real drinking den, where regulars get communally stotious, spin a bit of table-football table, watch the game and tuck into grilled meats. Not to be missed, just behind Kreuzstraße, Das Mö combines a classic bar with a busy beer garden, FC Ingolstadt games a main attraction in both, the big screens tuned to Bundesliga and European matches.

Previous Next On the other side of Kreuzstraße on narrow Gerbergasse, Touch Down is as fine a football bar as you’ll find in Germany. True, this football is not always of the round-ball variety, hence the name, but boss Alfred Auerbach is Bayern-mad, hence the photos of him with almost everyone who has ever donned the red shirt, starting with Beckenbauer and Müller. It has a real hard-drinking feel – ‘We’re always the last bar to close’, says barman Yo Yo – and regulars swear by it. Back on Theresienstraße, The Shamrock has been in place since 1998, in a building that used to house the stables for the Herrnbräu brewery. The other Irish bar in town is Molly Malone’s, close to the Danube, which goes big on live music. Nearby, on the street of the same name, Schutter is what Germans call a Kultkneipe, frequented by those in the know, here very happy to focus on live screenings of Bundesliga games.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next Ingolstadt Tourismus has an accommodation database and booking search. There are no hotels near the stadium. In town, accommodation tends to be of the traditional guest-house type rather than chain hotel. The exception is the InterCityHotel Ingolstadt, right beside the main station, a clean, functional and business-like lodging that occasionally offers ‘Fanrates’ of 20% on match days. It also provides free city transport, and has a bar and restaurant. The location is convenient unless you’re carousing late in Ingolstadt – then you’ll need a taxi back. The most prominent place in town is the Adler, now a three-star but with 500 years of history as a local inn and later hotel. Kaiser Wilhelm stayed here in 1872 when he was still prince. Rooms are comfortable though not contemporary – for the price, though, considering it has a sauna, steam room, jacuzzi and gym, it’s a steal.

Previous Next Towards the Danube stands another traditional lodging, the Hotel zum Anker, with 39 tidy rooms, each with a flat-screen TV, and the restaurant downstairs operates in its own right. A few houses down, the Villa Viktoria is a ‘boardinghouse’, ie its two rooms are usually rented out long-term – but not exclusively. The family-run Hotel Bayerischer Hof has the look of a historic lodging but only dates back 40 years. It’s still a handy find, a comfortable three-star with an adjoining ‘boardinghouse’ added in 2010. Guests have free use of a nearby swimming pool during the day. The most unusual hotel in town, and most recent to open, in 2015, is the Classic Oldtimer, the Oldtimers being the bright, Bond-era sports cars you’ll see on display through the bar. The 128 rooms are relentlessly contemporary, though, and there’s a SKY Sportsbar too. It’s right behind the Saturn Arena ice-hockey stadium. Alongside stands the somewhat more business-like Enso, named after a symbol of Buddhist enlightenment but it’s really just a standard hotel with funky furnishings, a personal trainer on hand and €100-plus rates." ["post_title"]=> string(10) "Ingolstadt" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(10) "ingolstadt" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-04-02 15:07:13" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-04-02 15:07:13" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(36) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=20055" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [3]=> object(WP_Post)#4798 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(7250) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2014-08-31 09:00:48" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2014-08-31 09:00:48" ["post_content"]=> string(14908) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

In 2017, the party-mad tourist mecca of Cologne celebrated the return of European football after 25 years. Fans of flagship club and three-time German champions 1.FC Köln swarmed Arsenal’s Emirates Stadium, an invasion of some 20,000 causing kick-off of the Europa League tie to be delayed by an hour. An early goal by new signing Jhon Cordoba saw outbursts of celebration all round the ground until order was restored and the visitors return to the Rhineland with no points and a hangover. Despite Köln’s 25-year absence from the European limelight, the passion had never really dimmed. The season that Köln regained top-flight status in 2013-14, crowds at the RheinEnergieStadion averaged a near capacity 49,000, a figure that has barely wavered since. The man who took Köln up, former Austrian international Peter Stöger, then steered the Billy Goats to fifth place in 2016-17. The distraction of European football led to a dreadful start to the 2017-18 campaign but even if Köln stride out in the Zweite in 2018-19, support will barely diminish.

Previous Next Cologne is rooted in the game. This is the site of Germany’s main sports university – the nation’s top football coaches all receive their training here. For 14 years, former Köln player Hennes Weisweiler, who later led his former club and nearby Mönchengladbach to four titles, headed the academy. Centrepiece of Germany’s largest sports complex when created in 1923, 1.FC Köln’s stadium has twice been completely rebuilt (and renamed), most recently for the 2006 World Cup. City mayor Konrad Adenauer, later West German Chancellor during the post-war economic miracle, was behind the creation of a vast sports park on Cologne’s western outskirts, on the main road to Aachen. In the aftermath of World War I, it created thousands of jobs and the Hauptkampfbahn (later Müngersdorfer Stadion) was key to Cologne’s unsuccessful bid for the 1936 Olympics, eventually awarded to Berlin. Yet Cologne’s first football ground wasn’t here but in Weidenpesch, near Nippes, north of town.

Previous Next Weidenpescher Park staged two early German championship finals, in 1905 and 1910. This was the home of the city’s oldest club, VfL Köln 1899, who provided six players for the German national side before World War II. Though later overshadowed by 1.FC Köln and their modern-day city rivals Fortuna, VfL held out in the lower leagues until as recently as 2013. A decade earlier, VfL vacated Weidenpescher, allowing for a flea market to be set up. The park retained its link with the nation’s football past – still housing Germany’s oldest surviving grandstand, a protected building, it was used by Sönke Wortmann to film his ‘Das Wunder von Bern’, the story of the 1954 World Cup. 1.FC and Fortuna were formed within ten days of each other in February 1948, Fortuna from a merger of three clubs, including VfL contemporaries Viktoria. 1.FC’s predecessors were Kölner BC 1901 and SpVgg Köln-Sülz. Both had enjoyed modest pre-war success, including regional West German titles, but 1.FC  took the local game to a whole new level.

Previous Next Inaugural winners of the Bundesliga in 1964, debut season of genial left-footed playmaker Wolfgang Overath, 1.FC was also where players such as Pierre (‘Litti’) Littbarski and Lukas (‘Poldi’) Podolski started their careers. Littbarski scored the only goal when 1. FC met Fortuna at the old Müngersdorfer in the 1983 German Cup Final. Both clubs later fell on hard times, 1.FC bouncing between top and second flights, Fortuna sinking lower. Without the long-term financial backing of Jean Löring, a former Viktoria Köln player-cum-electrician and five-time Fortuna coach, the club all but went out of business. Still playing at the Südstadion, by Pohlingstraße on the 12 tramline, Fortuna gained promotion to the third flight in 2013-14 and are now looking to renovate their 15,000-capacity ground. [mapsmarker map="122"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Previous Next Köln-Bonn Airport is 15km (nine miles) south-east of Cologne, with its own railway terminal, on Germany’s high-speed train (ICE) network, linked to Frankfurt and other major cities. From Terminal 2, local S-Bahn 13 and 19 lines, and regional trains, frequently run to Cologne main station, Köln Hauptbahnhof (15min journey time, €2.80 single, €8.60 Tagesticket day pass valid until 3am the next day). A schedule can be found on the German Rail website. City transport also consists of buses, trams and U-Bahn subway, using the same ticket system. Taxi Ruf Köln (+49 221 2882) charge €35 from airport to town.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next The local drink is Kölsch – a light beer served in a thin glass (or Stange). Scorned all over Germany for being weak and ladylike, Kölsch is, in fact, the perfect barhop accompaniment as it’s affordable, downed in seconds and won’t bloat you out. Sample it at a lovely old bar such as the Weinhaus Vogel (Eigelstein 74). Towards at the end of the street, the Lapidarium (No.118) is more contemporary, charging entrance for big-match screenings, offset against your drinks bill. Right on the Alter Markt, the Corkonian (No.51) is the oldest and most central of the Irish pubs. Away from the traditional taverns of Groß St Martin in the Altstadt, nightlife is concentrated along the ring road that envelops the city centre, with names given to each section, and little bar hubs by each.

Previous Next The Belgian Quarter, Belgisches Viertel, is the most grown-up, directly west of the Dom. There Grünfeld (Brüsseler Straße 47) offers TV sports and serious table-football action. Nearby US-style Joe Champs stands on the ring road itself. Moving south, the student-oriented Quartier Lateng, the Latin Quarter, is set around Zülpicher Straße, and Zülpicher Platz U-Bahn stop. Look out for Heimspiele, the best football bar in town, with several screens, Bundesliga I and II tables chalked up and a mural of 1. FC Köln newspaper cuttings. If it’s too busy, nearby Shamrock (Zülpicher Straße 34) is a decent choice. The Latin Quarter mingles with the less studenty Südstadt, near Ubierring. The wonderful Ubier Schänke is not too bohemian to go overboard on match nights.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next Cologne Tourist Office by the Cathedral offers a hotel-booking service. There are no hotels in the immediate vicinity of the stadium but at the ring road, the smart, four-star AMERON Hotel Regent, five stops from the ground, five from town, offers advance and half-board rates for major matches. Hotels surround Köln Hauptbahnhof, ranging from the basic Ibis immediately below the Cathedral to the five-star, 150-year old Excelsior Ernst. Cheaper options nearby include the A&O Köln Dom, one of a chain of nationwide budget hotels/hostels, and the Station, a hostel with single and double rooms.

Previous Next" ["post_title"]=> string(7) "Cologne" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(7) "cologne" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-03-26 19:01:45" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-03-26 19:01:45" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=7250" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [4]=> object(WP_Post)#4799 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(7115) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2014-08-08 18:09:19" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2014-08-08 18:09:19" ["post_content"]=> string(14773) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Walking around the pleasant, mainly pedestrianised centre of Paderborn, an hour east of Dortmund in North-Rhine Westphalia, and you’d be forgiven for not noticing that flagship club SC Paderborn 07 recently spent a year in the most popular league in Europe. Arrive somewhere like Vitoria-Gasteiz, Ferrara or Brighton soon after a top-flight promotion, and flags, posters and scarves in bars and shop windows demonstrate local pride, a sense of shared achievement. Here, around focal Markt, tacky Marienstraße and busy Kamp, few businesses sport the signature blue, white and black of SC Paderborn. Nearby Bielefeld, whose Arminia have more than a century of tradition, don’t even consider Paderborn rivals – that honour goes to Prueßen Münster.

Then again, as SC Paderborn 07, the club hasn’t been around too long – since ’87, in fact. Yes, the 07 refers to 1907, but this is the year that Arminia Neuhaus were founded, the start of a long and rather complicated saga. Arminia, the first club to be formed in the Paderborn area, became Concordia in 1910 and SV07 Neuhaus in 1919, who amalgamated with TuS Sennelager in 1973 to form Tus Schloß Neuhaus. There was also an 1.FC Paderborn, previously FC Preußen Paderborn, VfB Paderborn and TV Jahn Paderborn. SC Paderborn 07, the offspring of the 1985 union of 1.FC Paderborn and TuS Schloß Neuhaus, were named TuS Paderborn-Neuhaus for the two years between amalgamation and 1987.

It was Schloß Neuhaus who played at the Hermann-Löns-Stadion from its opening in 1957, by the area of the same name north-west of Paderborn. SC Paderborn 07 moved in 30 years later, playing their third- (and fourth-) flight fixtures until 2005. Gaining promotion to the second, SC Paderborn were also granted permission to build a stadium close to the Ahorn-Sportpark, an early candidate for the proposed new venue, just west of town. The 15,000-capacity stadium was opened in 2008. After staging a couple of Germany under-21 international fixtures, it was renamed the Benteler-Arena in 2012 after the local steelworks. Previous under-21 manager André Breitenreiter arrived in 2013 and took Paderborn to the Bundesliga in his first season. With no previous experience in the top flight, SC Paderborn were out of their depth and went back down to the Zweite in May 2015. Worse was to follow, although a Zweite return looks likely for 2018. [mapsmarker map="116"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Paderborn has its own airport, 20km (12.5 miles) south-west of town, used only by Air Berlin and a handful of other airlines. Buses S60 (20mins) and 460 (35mins) run hourly each to Paderborn main train station (€6.20 single). A taxi (+49 151 172 456 78) should cost around €30-€35. The nearest international airport is Dortmund, 105km (65 miles) away, 10km (six miles) east of Dortmund main train station. A taxi (+49 231 14 44 44) to Dortmund should cost €22-€25. Airport Express bus 21 (€7.50, 25mins) runs hourly to Dortmund station, where direct trains to Paderborn (65mins) run every 2hrs. You can also go via Hamm every 30mins, overall journey time to Paderborn 1hr 20mins. Tickets are around €20-€25 online. Paderborn city centre is walkable but you’ll need a bus to get to the stadium. A single ticket is €2.30 from a machine at the stop, €2.50 on board. A day pass is €6. For a town-centre taxi, call Taxi Stern on +49 5251 63377/+49 5251 20 50 55.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next Many of nearby Dortmund’s famous beers – Brinkhoff’s, Kronen, DAB – are readily available around Paderborn. Bars dot various downtown streets, with a hub aimed at a younger clientele around Heierstraße and Mühlenstraße. Among the venues are the Globetrotter and the Rock-Café, with its decent selection of regional beers. More traditionally, the Deutsches Haus is an age-old venue with TVs set up for football-watching near the doorway, a front bar and side snug seating ideal vantage points. Diagonally opposite, the Paderborner Brauhaus is also long-established. On Paderborn’s main shopping street, Zeitgeist is the most football-focused bar in the town centre, its opening hours altered to accommodate home games on Saturday or Sunday afternoons. Friendly little Patrizias Pinte is in similar vein, with the accent more on culture than sport.

Previous Next Of the faux pubs, the best is probably The Auld Triangle, tucked away in a quiet part of town, with TV sport a major attraction. Close to the main square, Limericks at Marienstraße 2 is more Irish-by-rote, while party-centric Mad Hatter stands on the site of a former destination pub in town. Last but by far means not least, Bei Bernie (Riemekestraße 18), along a downbeat street close to the station, is hands-down the best football bar in town. Run by the amiable Bernhard Queren, this cosy establishment is a shrine to the German game, frequented by equally friendly, football-savvy regulars. Note the Radenković-era TSV München 1860 line-up on display – and the England shirt from the Euro ’96 semi.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next The Paderborn Tourist Office offers a free reservation service for the hotels, guest houses and hostels on its database. There are no hotels near the stadium. In town, the most picturesque lodging is the Galerie-Hotel Abdinghof, a homely reconstruction of a 400-year-old townhouse, overlooking a lake. Also pleasant and privately run is the Hotel zur Mühle, by a little stream close to a couple of traditional pubs. Beside the Rock-Café, the Hotel Stadthaus is a centrally located, mid-range three-star. Like the Abdinghof and zur Mühle, it has its own restaurant. Of the chains, there’s a Best Western, the Arosa, on the edge of the town centre, with a panoramic pool, sauna and spa area, and conference facilities. The local Ibis is a little further up, tucked away but signposted. A short walk from the station, the B&B Paderborn offers the usual B&B chain tasteful affordability." ["post_title"]=> string(9) "Paderborn" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(9) "paderborn" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-04-12 19:25:39" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-04-12 19:25:39" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(35) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=7115" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [5]=> object(WP_Post)#4837 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(101) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:58:11" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:58:11" ["post_content"]=> string(18439) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

A town founded for the workers of the omnipotent Volkswagen car factory, Wolfsburg – and its VfL club – are one of the most successful examples of works teams in world football. German champions in 2009, Wolfsburg have been ever-present in the Bundesliga for the best part of two decades, recently gaining more European experience than some of the biggest names in the German game. Bisected by a canal that runs past the Volkswagen plant and the nearby modern stadium the company built, along with the club, Wolfsburg is a surprisingly pleasant town of 120,000 people, with a busy, pedestrianised centre of shops and bars.

Previous Next Pre-dating most of these downtown outlets is Wolfsburg’s original football hub, the VfL-Stadion am Elsterweg, that still stands on the opposite bank to the contemporary Volkswagen Arena that superceded it in 2002. Elsterweg was opened in October 1947, soon after the factory works club were founded. Or rather re-founded, for a works team competed, quite remarkably, in the later war years when the town must have been a prime target for Allied bombing. Four months into peacetime, VSK Wolfsburg came into being, adopting the city colours of green and white. By December 1945, every player but one left for new 1. FC Wolfsburg, a club that still exists. Proudly bearing the red-and-white club badge (‘Founded 1945’), 1FC play at the Porschestadion, just south of Wolfsburg city centre, across Berliner Ring from the Schiller Lake – not more than 10mins walk from Elsterweg. Here you’ll find a stadium bar and a first team who play in Braunschweig amateur District League 1. Back in 1946, however, 1FC beat VfL (the renamed VSK) 8-2 for a quicker climb up the lower ranks of the amateur game – for a while, at least.

Previous Next Based at Elsterweg, the green-and-whites attracted ever-growing crowds, as seen in the black-and-white photos on the walls of the Club 45 restaurant at today’s Volkswagen Arena. While driving Germany’s post-war economic miracle, Volkswagen was also funding a club that achieved mid-table status in the inaugural Regionalliga Nord in 1964, one step down from the top flight. The rest is history. Elsterweg, meanwhile, is used today for VfL’s reserve and women’s teams. One other local club merits mention: the fabulously named Lupo Martini Wolfsburg. Formed by Italian car workers who moved here in the early 1960s, Lupo (‘Wolf’) Martini play at their own-named stadium on Hubertusstraße. There, at the crossroads with Franz-Marc-Straße in Kreuzheide, on the other side of the VW plant from the canal, you’ll find the authentic Italian restaurant/clubhouse Fiorenza. Lupo Martini just missed out on promotion to the Regionalliga Nord in 2013 – Germany’s fourth tier that also includes VfL Wolfsburg II.

Previous Next [mapsmarker map="38"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Previous Next The nearest main airport to Wolfsburg is Hannover-Langenhagen, an easy S-Bahn journey into Hannover, from which the fastest train to Wolfsburg (€17.50 online) takes 35mins. Once at Wolfsburg station, stadium and city centre are both 10-15 mins’ walk away. If needed, buses require a €2.10 single ticket. For a taxi, call +49 5361 23023.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next The Kaufhofpassage, an unmarked pedestrianised strip that leads from the focal City-Galerie shopping centre to Schillerstraße, is lined with bars. Bland, Asian or shisha, they all show football, but the pick of the bunch – and, in fact, the best (and only authentic) bar in town – is Das Alt-Berlin, ‘Die Wolfsburger Kultkneipe’. With a big screen for TV, the Old Berlin offers hulking steaks, a range of beers and wood-panelled rooms. Note also the black-and-white photos of post-war Wolfsburg when the economic miracle was in full swing. Either side and opposite along Kaufhof, bars and party-focused Italian restaurants include Wunderbar, Lupus, Cosa Nostra, Monkeys and Papillon. The latest to open, in late 2021, is Rein Damit!, a late-opening nightspot disguised as a takeaway eatery.

Previous Next In the City-Galerie itself, Play-Off is a US-style sports bar, with match viewing over grilled meat. On nearby Goethestraße, the Irish-Pub Wob is as authentic as the hyphen in its name but takes great pride in offering TV football (closed Sundays and Mondays). Also close, the  Altdeutsche Bierstube at a prominent corner of Goethestraße and Schillerstraße feels loved and lived-in, with its wooden interior and archive photos of Wolfsburg. Towards the station, nationwide chain Bar Ce Lona offers live football and Latin cocktails. Serious drinkers head for the Bahnhofspassage and Bierbrunnen, a smoky retreat serving Gilde beer to low-key regulars.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next Wolfsburg Tourist Office has a separate click-through booking service for hotels in town and nearby. Overlooking the stadium, the Courtyard by Marriott Wolfsburg is used by visiting teams, when the 24/7 gym might come in handy. Guests enjoy a view of the park on one side and the lake on the other. Also on this side of town, by Schloß Wolfsburg, the Hotel Alter Wolf carries off the faux historic nicely while offering comfortable, mid-range lodging surrounded by greenery. It's a pleasant 10min stroll to the stadium.

Previous Next By the station so convenient for the stadium, the Wolfsburg Centrum in the Palma-based Meliá hotel group more than justifies its four-star status with room service, a sauna, a smart Italian restaurant and a late-night lounge bar. Opposite, stablemate INNSIDE goes one better with a rooftop bar and panoramic sauna. Close to Kaufhof in the centre of town, amid bars and shops, the friendly City Hotel Journal is affordable and convenient, with a terrace café-restaurant to boot. Either side of it, you find the swish, contemporary Porschepension and handy Porsche Hotel, both named the street they're located on rather than any luxury car affiliation. By the Kunstmuseum south of town, the smart Leonardo offers an indoor pool, sauna and lobby bar." ["post_title"]=> string(9) "Wolfsburg" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(9) "wolfsburg" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-04-16 11:24:48" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-04-16 11:24:48" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(34) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=101" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [6]=> object(WP_Post)#4820 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(97) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:48:02" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:48:02" ["post_content"]=> string(22129) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Germany’s motor city of Stuttgart is home to the Mercedes-Benz Arena and VfB Stuttgart, five-time title-winning football power of south-western Germany. Formerly the Gottlieb-Daimler-Stadion, the Mercedes-Benz-Arena is set in the old spa suburb of Bad Cannstatt, a leafy recreation area by a bend in the Neckar river that lent the venue the first of its post-war names. This is where West Germany played their first post-war international in 1950 and, 40 years later, celebratory match to mark Reunification, each time against Switzerland.

Previous Next It was in Bad Cannstatt, at the former Concordia Hotel, that city flagship club VfB were founded in 1912, an amalgamation of Stuttgarter FV and Kronen-Club Cannstatt. Both were multi-sports clubs who mainly concentrated on rugby. FV themselves were founded at Zum Becher, then a hotel, now a restaurant close to the main train station. Once established, VfB became the second-most successful club in the regional league for Württemberg-Baden. Top dogs during this pre-Nazi era were city rivals Stuttgarter Kickers, also formed at the turn of the last century, and who also rejected rugby. Die Blauen, now in Germany’s third tier, enjoyed a short period of success between 1987 and 1991, with an appearance in the German Cup final and two short stints in the Bundesliga.

Previous Next That proved the last time Kickers and VfB crossed paths. Kickers play at the Waldau-Stadion, or Gazi-Stadion auf der Waldau, near Stuttgart’s TV Tower, accessed from the Waldau stop on the U7 and U8 lines, or Ruhbank (Fernsehturm) on the U15 line. After the war, VfB came into their own, earning major success in the early 1950s, the 1980s and 1990s. An unexpected title win in 2007 broke the Bayern monopoly. While VfB haven’t yet repeated the feat, they were  expected to be top-half Bundesliga finishers every season until a recent stint in the Zweite. Despite a lower profile in the domestic game, Stuttgart continues to host international fixtures – Euro 2024 will be the fourth major finals hosted here, after the six games staged for the 2006 World Cup. Two European Cup finals have produced two goals, both by Real Madrid against Reims in 1959. The 0-0 draw between eventual winners PSV Eindhoven and Benfica in 1988 is probably best forgotten.

Previous Next [mapsmarker map="100"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Previous Next Stuttgart Airport is 13km (8 miles) south of the town centre, served by S2/S3 S-Bahn trains that leave from just below Terminal 1 for the main train station (every 15mins, journey time 30mins, single €3.60/day ticket €10.10). A taxi should take 15mins and cost about €30. The city transport network consists of U-Bahn trains, S-Bahn trains, trams and buses. A single ticket is €2.20, €1.20 for a short journey (Kurzstrecke) such as the one from the Hauptbahnhof to Bad Cannstatt. A day ticket is €6.30.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next It's hard to define any bar quarter of central Stuttgart but the streets either side of the ring road near transport hub Stadtmitte are a good place to start. By day, the Paulaner am alten Postplatz attracts thirsty visitors to a pretty Baroque mansion dating back to 1747, where hulking portions of pork are devoured across an open courtyard.  Nearby Sophie's Brauhaus is along similar lines, a study, honest pub with food the focus, a maxiscreen installed during tournament summers. Beside the Hotel Royal, the Pils-Pub Alt Stuttgart is a major football haunt, open from mid-morning until way past midnight, screening games and serving various beers, including a daily discounted one advertised outside. Alongside, Biddy Earlys is the most central of the Irish faux pubs, a popular spot offering TV sport, live music and midweek karaoke. Across the main junction of  Fritz-Elsas-Straße and Theodor-Heuss-Straße lies the city's main late-night vortex. A stretch of nightspots includes the football-friendly One Table Club and party-centric 7grad.

Previous Next Nearby, on Rotebühlstraße, Greek-run Seekneiple has character in spades, the tone set by seen-it-all bar staff who oversee an ever-changing tableau of unusual regulars. A must on VfB days. Next door, the Sportcafé Carambolage, evening-only during the week, open in time for halb vier on Bundesliga Saturdays, begs you to linger with its 13 Brunswick pool tables, eight dart machines, table football and TV screens aplenty. A varnished wood interior seals the deal, along with a leafy little beer garden and Schönbuch beer from nearby Böblingen. The 200-year-brewery also has its own large Brauhaus on Bolzstraße, near Börsenplatz U-Bahn. Back in west Stuttgart, just off Rotebühlstraße, O'Reilly's is the best of the Irish pubs, a notch above in comfort, food and drinks – note the draught Alpirsbacher beer hiding amid the Guinness and Kilkenny. Sport here means sponsoring the local hurling and rugby teams as well as screening matches. They opened Next Door in 2019 to offer craft ales and select spirits. Opposite, Laternchen has taken over from the excellent Zehn Biere, removing the football scarves but still providing TV coverage and various pub games. Away from the mainstream, a tiny knot of bohemian bars around Geißstraße includes stand-out DJ spot Transit/Bergamo, always packed, with several other savvy options close by if you can't get in.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next The Tourist Office facing the train station can book hotels (and VfB match tickets). Stuttgart hosts major trade fairs all year, so check first. The classic stadium hotel is the Hilton Garden Inn Stuttgart NeckarPark, slap next to the Mercedes-Benz Arena, a four-star with gym and sauna, where visits by Franz Beckenbauer and Hot Chocolate are commemorated in the lobby, along with a shirt signed by West Germany’s 1982 World Cup side. In-house Mike's Urban Pub is a little less inspiring. Nearby, the former spa resort and festival site of Bad Cannstatt is surrounded by hotels and guest houses, all a 10-15min walk from the stadium. Bright three-star attimo on Wildunger Straße contrasts with old-school options such as the Hotel Geissler on the next street over, Waiblinger Straße.

Previous Next A little further away on Wiesbadener Straße, the Wiesbadener Hof is so traditional, it doesn't even bother with its own website. Safe to say, it's a reliable, family-run lodging whose comfortable rooms have Sky channels. A few houses up, the Hotel Spahr has just passed its half-century of hospitality and offers 24hr reception and bar. Nearer the Neckar, the Krone offers comfortable, mid-range accommodation while by Bad Cannstatt station, Motel One has brought its turquoise-branded hotel/hostel hybrid to Stuttgart's recreation zone.

Previous Next In town, there’s plenty of choice near the station. When Bayern are in town, they stay at the luxury Steigenberger Graf Zeppelin, with its superb spa and soundproofed rooms. A few steps away, the comfortable, mid-range Hotel Rieker is worth it for the online price and location. By Hauptbahnhof U-Bahn on Kronenstraße, the four-star Hotel Unger provides business travellers with a bright stay, balconies attached to many rooms and a lavish breakfast, steps from the station. Round the corner stands another Motel One, the Stuttgart-Mitte branch all funky, urban design in the communal areas. To stay next door to a sports bar, close to many more drinking and dining options, the robust Hotel Royal on Sophienstraße has been welcoming guests since the mid-1800s." ["post_title"]=> string(9) "Stuttgart" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(9) "stuttgart" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-04-15 18:05:59" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-04-15 18:05:59" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(33) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=97" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [7]=> object(WP_Post)#4817 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(93) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:30:04" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:30:04" ["post_content"]=> string(19014) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Bavaria’s second largest city and de facto capital of the Holy Roman Empire, Nuremberg is commonly linked in the public imagination as the site of the Nazi rallies in the 1930s. Its football history dates back to May 1900 when 1. FC Nürnberg were founded at the Zur Burenhütte pub on Deutschherrnwiese, just over the river west of the city centre. So dominant was the city’s flagship club in the period after World War I that FCN are known, quite simply, as ‘Der Club’. FCN had no cross-city rivals, only an age-old enmity with nearby Greuther Fürth, and one so strong that players on the national side refused to share train carriages. The two clubs dominated the North Bavarian Championship until the Nazis took over football in 1933.

Previous Next Fürth today is close enough to Nuremberg to be part of the city’s underground system. In football terms, today both Fürth and FCN play mainly in the Zweite Bundesliga. In 1928, the city unveiled the splendid Städtisches Stadion at verdant, lake-dotted Dutzendteich south-east of town. Exploiting both Nuremberg’s status in German history, and the popularity of Der Club, Hitler deliberately chose the stadium, and adjoining Zeppelin Field, as the perfect venue for party rallies and sports days for his Hitler Youth. The parade grounds today house a documentation centre, close to the Franken Stadion revamped for the 2006 World Cup and thereafter renamed the Grundig Stadion. This name, in fact, was a quick fix, and tells its own story, for 1FCN fans protested against the original sponsored one of EasyCredit.

Previous Next After the contract with the German electronics manufacturer ran out, the City which owns the arena switched to Stadion Nürnberg as no sponsor could be found, such was the poor standing of Der Club in the German game. In 2017, it became the Max-Morlock-Stadion, after the club's record goalscorer and player who gave West Germany a lifeline against Hungary in the 1954 World Cup Final, pulling the score back to 1-2 on ten minutes. 1. FC Nürnberg, meanwhile, still have no city rivals, only a reserve team that runs out in the Bavarian Regional League in Germany’s fourth tier.

Previous Next [mapsmarker map="118"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Previous Next Nuremberg Airport is 5km (three miles) north of the city, at the terminus of the red U2 line that takes 13mins (€2.50, day ticket €5.10) to reach the main train station, every 10-15mins. A taxi (+49 911 19410) should cost about €16. City transport consists of buses, trams, a U-Bahn and the S-Bahn. Single tickets are valid for 90mins if you travel in the same direction; day passes bought on a Saturday are also valid the following day.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next Bars and restaurants are concentrated around the Old Town, where traditional hostelries serve local Tucher beer and slim Nürnberg sausages, served six at a time with potato salad. Typical venues include the Bratwursthäusle  in the same family as the similarly tourist-friendly Goldenes Posthorn. More upscale lounge bars and nightclubs are found on and around Augustinerstraße. Close to these tourist-friendly spots, locals gather to watch the match at the Czech-themed Kaiserburg, open from 5pm and closed on Sundays. Regulars leaf through copies of ‘Kicker’ over draught Budvar amid the iconography of Bohemia. Of the main Irish bars downtown, four-screen Finnegan’s by the Hotel Victoria feels the most authentic. The smaller and unpub-like Dubliner offers plenty of live sport. Nearby, the Barfüßer is a large traditional restaurant that might put up a couple of screens on a big-match night. If you’ve time to kill at the station, Sportsbar is a late-opening internet and betting bar, with plenty of TV action.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next The Nuremberg Tourist Office runs a room-booking service. As you exit Nuremberg main station, via the underpass into the Old Town, a sign along Königstrasse says ‘9 Hotels’. These include the imaginatively conceived Hotel Drei Raben, with individually styled rooms, including number 15, beautifully created around the legendary 1. FC Nürnberg side of the 1920s – easily the best football-themed hotel accommodation in Europe. It’s also large enough to contain a table-football table. Across the street, the Hotel Victoria and ibis Nuernberg Altstadt are close to football-friendly Irish pubs. Pillenhof is a classic old restaurant with 14 rooms attached while the Gideon Design Hotel hides a contemporary lodging behind its historic façade. The Deutscher Kaiser is a reliable three-star.

Previous Next Other central mid-range hotels include the Agnes Hof, the Dürer, the Burghotel, the Lorenz Hotel and the Hotel Central, with the plus of a roof terrace. Immediately around the station, you’ll find upscale Le Méridien Grand, handy chains Ibis and InterCity, and independent cheapie Marienbad. Near the stadium, alongside the 1FCN headquarters, the Hilton Nuremberg is where teams stay before the match, taking advantage of the pools and sauna. A couple of stops nearer to town on the 44 bus, the family-run Jägerheim is a lovely spot, with restaurant, that dates back to 1908. On the other side of the ground, past a summer-only campsite, the Arvena Messe is a business-friendly three-star, busy during trade fairs, whose prices otherwise drop at weekends." ["post_title"]=> string(9) "Nuremberg" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(9) "nuremberg" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-04-12 19:12:43" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-04-12 19:12:43" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(33) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=93" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [8]=> object(WP_Post)#4815 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(87) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:15:45" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:15:45" ["post_content"]=> string(18556) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Munich, home of 2021 European champions Bayern, embraces every German cliché. Bavarians in lederhosen and shaving-brush hats rub shoulders on the terraces with equally unfashionable denim-jacketed rockers with sew-on badges. The stage, though, is the sleek, contemporary Allianz-Arena, until recently also groundshared by TSV 1860. The groundbreaking Allianz is an arena of international importance, stage for the opening match of the 2006 World Cup, the Champions League Final of 2012, in which Chelsea overcame Bayern on penalties, and the quarter-finals of Euro 2020. It will also co-host Euro 2024. Its predecessor, the Olympiastadion, was where Beckenbauer’s West Germany beat Cruyff’s Holland in the 1974 World Cup Final.

Previous Next Bayern’s success story is relatively recent. Before the mid 1960s, Bayern were overshadowed by the then more popular 1860 (‘Sechzig’). From 1972 to 2005, both groundshared Olympiastadion, before moving into the Allianz. Both were formed in the late 19th century when gymnastics was the obligatory discipline – Bavarian schools banned football until 1913. Once a regional championship was in place, Nürnberg dominated it, Bayern sneaking a title on the eve of the Nazi era in 1932. With working-class roots class around Giesing, TSV were the favoured club of the 1940s. Their fan base in bohemian Schwabing, and under Jewish management, Bayern were forced to adopt amateur status. It took them 20 years to recover.

Previous Next Both clubs played at TSV’s ground in Giesing, Grünwalder Straße, today soon for demolition. It would be TSV and not Bayern who joined the inaugural Bundesliga in 1963, prefacing the club’s golden era. Bayern’s would come later that same decade, with half-back Franz Beckenbauer, goalscorer Gerd Müller and keeper Sepp Maier. The trio won three consecutive European Cups in the early 1970s. Lost in Bayern’s shadow, TSV slipped into lower-league football. Bayern regained their status a European superpower. They remain loved and hated (FC Hollywood!) in equal measure, their buying power and star status mocked from Aachen to Wolfsburg. In 2017, as Bayern claimed a fifth straight title, TSV plunged to rock bottom. Falling out of the Zweite by losing a play-off to Jahn Regensburg, the populist club then threw in the towel, declared itself amateur, entered the Bavarian Regional League and moved back to its old Grünwalder Straße ground. TSV duly won the division, ironically leaving Bayern’s reserve side in second place, but could only finish mid-table in the 3.Liga in 2018-19. Munich’s third club, Unterhaching play at the 15,000-capacity Sportpark, between the Unterhaching and Fasanenpark stops on the S3 S-Bahn line. Tickets to watch the Reds play in the third league are €8 standing, €12-€18 sitting.

Previous Next [mapsmarker map="19"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Munich Airport is 28km (18 miles) north-east of town, connected by S-Bahn lines S1 and S8 that take different routes to the central stops of Marienplatz and Hauptbahnhof main station about 40-45mins away. Tickets are €10 single, €11 for a day pass. A day pass on the transport network of U-Bahn, S-Bahn, trams and buses is otherwise €5.60, a single €2.50. A taxi (+49 89 19410) from the airport to town should cost about €60, €40-€45 to the Allianz-Arena. The budget-air hub of Memmingen is about 90km (55.5 miles) away. Five Allgäu Airport Express buses a day (€15 plus €3 for bulky luggage, journey time 1hr 25mins) run to Munich.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next Munich is a beer capital. Around the centre are the flagship hostelries of the huge regional brewing companies, such as the Hofbräuhaus and Augustiner, typical of the historic taverns now geared to the tourist market. In the party area of Schwabing, Lloyds bar&bistro houses the local branch of the Werder Bremen fan club while next door, the fine bohemian haunt of Vereinsheim displays West Germany’s 1974 World-Cup winning team. Also close to Münchner Freiheit U-Bahn, evening-only Shamrock was one of the city’s first expat pubs – near focal Marienplatz you’ll also find Ned Kelly, sister operation Kilian and Kennedy’s. Near the station, the Fan Arena (Arnulfstraße 16) would be the perfect football hangout, displaying classic Bayern memorabilia from the owner’s personal collection, were it not tucked down a slightly seedy alleyway, 5am closing times attracting a somewhat down-at-heel clientele.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next For booking, try the tourist office. You’ll find nothing for the two weeks of Oktoberfest in late September/early October unless you book months in advance. Near Kieferngarten U-Bahn stop, one down from Fröttmaning and the Allianz-Arena, the Hotel Arena Stadt München is a pleasant mid-priced guesthouse 20mins' walk from the stadium. On the same U6 line near Nordfriedhof, upscale Marriott München also features the Champions Sports Bar. Urban chic is provided at boutique H’Otello H’O9 while the mid-range Schwabinger Freiheit by Geisel is near U6 Münchner Freiheit.

Previous Next Cheaper is the Hotel Pension am Siegestor, near U6 Universität. Dead central is the Hotel am Markt, with a range of rooms and prices. Within easy reach of the station, the classic, family-run Hotel Jedermann is affordable and convenient. Nearer the station, the 4you is one of a new generation of half-hostels, half-budget hotels, with a pool table and 24hr reception. Right beside the station, Le Méridien Munich offers the reliable comforts of a sauna, pool and gym while the Sofitel is an elegant five-star with nearly 400 rooms. Built into the station itself, popular German chain InterCity caters to rail travellers with neat, functional rooms and a free pass for public transport." ["post_title"]=> string(6) "Munich" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(6) "munich" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-08-16 20:29:25" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-08-16 20:29:25" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(33) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=87" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } [9]=> object(WP_Post)#4813 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(83) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "2" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:06:23" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2013-10-15 23:06:23" ["post_content"]=> string(18634) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

The modest community of Mönchengladbach is known for one thing, and one thing only: Borussia. Up until 1960, the year the equally modest Borussia won the German Cup, this town halfway between Düsseldorf and the Dutch border was called Mönchen Gladbach, before that München-Gladbach. Most still refer to the town as ‘Gladbach’. The name simplification came as both Borussia and another force were emerging in the newly professional German game, Bayern München. Borussia, under legendary coach Hennes Weisweiler, would challenge the Bavarians for the Bundesliga title. Between 1969 and 1977, the title went nowhere but Mönchengladbach or Munich, and everyone in the Europe game got to know this little town with the 15-letter name.

Previous Next Their base was the Bökelberg, a modest ground nicknamed the ‘Gravel Pit’ that dated back to World War I. Here in residential Eicken north of town, where Borussia had been founded in 1900, Weisweiler brought through some of the greatest talents ever to grace to German game, among them Günter Netzer, Berti Vogts and Rainer Bonhof. Struggling to keep up with the likes of Bayern and other moneyed clubs, Borussia slipped down, unable to squeeze more than 34,500 into the cramped Bökelberg and increase ticket revenue.

Previous Next Although relegated in 1999, Mönchengladbach were able to build the Borussia Park on Hennes-Weisweiler-Allee and move from their beloved Bökelberg in 2004. Now based in the town’s western outskirts, close to the military-town-within-a-town of Rheindalen, the base for British forces in Germany, Borussia have recently enjoyed healthy seasons in the Bundesliga in front of an average 50,000 fans. Even European nights have returned to Mönchengladbach. [mapsmarker map="71"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and tips

Previous Next The nearest airport to Mönchengladbach is Düsseldorf,  35km (21.5 miles) away. The airport has its own rail station, accessible by SkyTrain cable from the airport terminal. The train to Mönchengladbach, with one change at Düsseldorf main station, should take less than 1hr. A taxi  (+49 2161 13-13) to Mönchengladbach should cost about €45. In town, buses are run by Rhein-Ruhr Transport. A single ticket is €2.50, a day pass €5.90 – the centre is easily walkable.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next Opposite the station, the Humboldt Schänke has recently been revamped, the new ownership creating a large mural of Borussia history. Live TV football too. A 15-minute walk away up Eickener Straße is where you’ll find the site of the old Bökelberg, two sets of terraces still ranged around the neat white residencies that replaced the stadium. Traditional fans’ hangouts still dot the junction with Schwogenstraße:  the Alt Eicken is now more a sedate meeting place for older locals, food and occasional live jazz brought to the fore. Opposite, Bei Milan refers to the Yugo ownership and cuisine (čevapčići, pljeskavica) rather than any calcio affinity, while alongside, Bei Walja/Troubadour is more music-oriented. The statues in this pedestrianised section of the street hark back to a long, local football heritage.

Previous Next In town, bars and restaurants line focal Alter Markt. The classic spot is MaNaMaNa, a shrine to Borussia Mönchengladbach, litres and litres of local Boltens beer sank amid a mass of green, white and black. Note also a little corner dedicated to FC Aarau – the chef is Swiss. Alongside, Markt 26 is a party-centric bar that shows live Borussia and other Bundesliga games. Opposite, lounge bar/restaurants such as Cannape and Graefen und König are not too snooty to have TV screens installed for football action – adjoining Café Berlin and SunSide are more down to earth. An absolute classic fans’ bar is the Endlich Treff a short walk from the Alte Markt, with ten years of Borussia worship and the serious quaffing of Bolten Alt and Bitburger beers. Nearby, Déjà Vu is another popular Borussia spot. Also football-centric, neighbourhood corner bar Carola’s Am Büjelieser at 98 Aachener Straße hosts an annual pilgrimage of Liverpool fans – hence Graham’s Corner within, and a montage of souvenirs from that night in Rome.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and town centre

Previous Next The Mönchengladbach City Hall has a database of local hotels. Near the stadium on main Gladbacher Straße, the Palace St George is a high-spec design hotel and restaurant that offers a football special of a three-course meal, late breakfast and one overnight stay. Also close to the ground, the more traditional Hotel Tannenhof is a more modest guest house with doubles, singles and cheaper rooms without private facilities.

Previous Next Hands down best hotel in town is the Dorint Parkhotel, set in greenery a short walk from the town centre. The Best Western Crown is near the junction of Aachener Straße that leads to the stadium – buses between town and ground will pass close by. In the same vicinity, the Leonardo is comfortable and business-friendly. In the same vein, the Amadeo has a sauna and restaurant. Near the station, the Fair Hotel is one of a national chain of modest lodgings in convenient locations. The nearby Palazzo is equally affordable. Behind the station, accessed via Breitenbachstraße, the B&B Hotel Mönchengladbach is part of a nationwide budget chain, this one with football-themed rooms." ["post_title"]=> string(16) "Mönchengladbach" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(15) "monchengladbach" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-04-11 20:41:57" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-04-11 20:41:57" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(33) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=83" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } } ["post_count"]=> int(10) ["current_post"]=> int(-1) ["before_loop"]=> bool(true) ["in_the_loop"]=> bool(false) ["post"]=> object(WP_Post)#4803 (24) { ["ID"]=> int(21857) ["post_author"]=> string(1) "3" ["post_date"]=> string(19) "2017-01-10 22:54:59" ["post_date_gmt"]=> string(19) "2017-01-10 22:54:59" ["post_content"]=> string(25504) "

Teams, tales and tips – a guide to the local game

Just before Christmas 2016, RB Leipzig went to Munich for a top-of-the-table showdown. Bayern had led the league from August, Leipzig had nipped in during November. Later that season, the club became the first from former East Germany to qualify for Europe since 2001.

The last time a team from Leipzig was crowned all-German champions was 1913. Even in the post-war era, when Leipzig was the second biggest city in the German Democratic Republic (GDR), its main club, Lokomotive, never won the national league, the DDR-Oberliga.

Leipzig is the cradle of German football. In 1900, the German FA, the DFB, were founded at the Mariengarten restaurant, Büttnerstraße 10. A plaque marks where the building once stood. Three years later, VfB Leipzig became Germany’s first champions, winning the title again ten years later.

Previous Next

In 2016, with all the local hullabaloo created by RB Leipzig, it was proposed that a DFB Museum should open on Büttnerstraße.

When RB Leipzig strode out against Bayern for that head-to-head clash of 2016, it had been 25 years since the last DDR-Oberliga. During that time, asphyxiated by the new economic reality, star players sold to savvier, richer clubs in former West Germany, the old giants of the GDR had wilted and disappeared – including Lokomotive, revived by fans as 1.FC Lokomotive Leipzig in 2004.

Surely then, given Bayern’s monopoly of the German game and the long absence of former GDR clubs at top level, the remarkable rise and unexpected title challenge of a team from Leipzig would have been cause for celebration?

Not at all. Because, natürlich, RB Leipzig are not from the home of Bach, Wagner and Mahler, but Markranstädt, a small town 10km south-west of Saxony’s largest city.

RB Leipzig are a vehicle for Red Bull, with stablemates in Salzburg and New York. Unable to be as flagrant about its brand in Germany, the crafty Austrian energy-drink giant called its new club RasenBallsport (‘Lawn Ball Sport’: RB) and plastered its charging bull logo everywhere. 

Dietrich Mateschitz is the billionaire co-founder of Red Bull and brains behind its football operations in Austria and the US. Germany being his next move, he sought advice from Franz Beckenbauer as to where best site this crucial investment. Der Kaiser had only one answer: Leipzig.

This wasn’t only because of the city’s unique soccer heritage. As chairman of the organising committee for the 2006 World Cup, Beckenbauer had also overseen the inclusion of Leipzig and its Socialist-built Zentralstadion among the 12 host venues. The other 11 were all in former West Germany. 

The Zentralstadion was the national stadium of the GDR, built by thousands of volunteers using rubble from a city devastated by Allied bombing. Without the Nazi overtones of the Olympic Stadium in Berlin, although originally sketched out by the same architect, Werner Marsch, it had attracted attendances of 110,000 for East Germany internationals.

Fallen into disuse after 1989, the old stadium was knocked down but its exterior, Socialist statuary and all, was kept when the new arena was built around it in the early 2000s. First hosting the Confederations Cup in 2005, it staged five games for the 2006 World Cup, most notably the epic Latin battle between Argentina and Mexico.

That same year, Red Bull’s Mateschitz began sniffing around Germany for a small club to piggyback for its football licence. The obvious option, as Beckenbauer pointed out, was Sachsen Leipzig.

The choice was both historical and logistical. As the pre-1990 BSG Chemie Leipzig, they not only had ties with seminal Britannia Leipzig formed in 1899 and their successor, TuRa Leipzig of the Nazi era, but they had been East German champions in the early days and still had something of a fan base.

Struggling on post-Unification as Sachsen Leipzig, the club had one crucial element in its favour: film mogul and entrepreneur Michael Kölmel.

Main sponsor of Sachsen Leipzig, Kölmel had won the contract to rebuild the Zentralstadion and raised nearly a quarter of its €90 million conversion costs.

Kölmel was very keen on the Red Bull takeover. Sachsen Leipzig fans were not. The deal fell through and Sachsen were dissolved in 2011.

The waters had been muddied by the creation of another BSG Chemie Leipzig in 1997, who then rose through the local leagues to face Sachsen in the regional Saxony league.

Now the sole heir of BSG Chemie, the club is based at the same Alfred-Kunze-Sportpark where the East German title was won in 1951 and 1964. Over the water from the former Zentralstadion, the ground is in Leipzig-Leutzsch, close to the S-Bahn station and 7 tram stop of the same name, the line also passing by the main football arena.

Previous Next

In 2016, BSG Chemie won the Sachsenliga to gain promotion to the fourth-tier NOFV-Oberliga. This would have set up league fixtures with local rivals Lokomotive – only at the same time, the former railway club won the NOFV-Oberliga title of 2016 and now play in the third-flight Regionalliga Nordost.

Currently featuring Dynamo Berlin, this league became the boneyard of fallen GDR giants after Unification.

With links back to inaugural German champions VfB, Lokomotive had also played at the Zentralstadion – shortly after their reformation in 2004, ‘Loksche’ set a record attendance for a local-league match when 12,421 watched them play Eintracht Großdeuben reserves. This, indeed, is a city built on football. 

Now based at the Bruno-Plache-Stadion in Probstheida, close to where Napoleon lost a huge land battle in 1813, Loksche are another former GDR giant currently reawakening. Take tram 15 12 stops from the train station to Probtsheida – the ground is a short walk down Connewitzer Straße, on the left.

Rejected by Sachsen Leipzig, embraced by Markranstädt, RB Leipzig moved into the Zentralstadion in 2010. Six years later, 24 hours after a 3-0 defeat at Bayern, RB Leipzig announced that they had reached agreement with Michael Kölmel and had bought the Zentralstadion. And, of course, renamed it. All the Red Bull Arena needed was regular European football...

[mapsmarker map="281"]

Getting Around

Arriving in town, local transport and timings

Previous Next

Leipzig/Halle Airport is 27km (17 miles) north-west of Leipzig. An S-Bahn or inter-city train runs every 15-20mins to Leipzig Hauptbahnhof main station (15-20min journey time, €6). A frequent train from Berlin takes 1hr 15mins, advance single around €25.

Leipzig Hauptbahnhof is close to the city centre a short walk away and well connected for trams, including regular services to the Red Bull Arena.

Leipzig city transport consists of trams and buses. A journey of four stops (Kurzstrecke) is €1.80, a single valid for 1hr (suitable between station and stadium) is €2.60. 24hr day pass is €7.20. Buy tickets from machines at stops and validate them in the stamper alongside.

Long-established Löwentaxi (+49 341 98 22 22) are perfectly located, halfway between the station and the stadium. A transfer from the airport to either should be in the region of €40.

Where to Drink

The best pubs and bars for football fans

Previous Next

The local beer is Ur-Krostitzer, the local bar hub is pedestrianised Barfüßgäschen, just off the main square of Marktplatz.

On one side, Barfusz is an all-purpose nightspot open until 3am at weekends, on the other, Bellini’s mixes cocktails and the Kildare City Pub pours pints and screens matches.

Round the corner on Klostergasse, the Café Madrid dedicates its Siesta Bar to TV football and has the good sense to provide German Paulaner on draught and leave the Spanish beer for the fridge.

There’s another faux pub on Ritterstraße, the 25-year-old Morrison’s. If you’re after authenticity, the Brauhaus an der Thomaskirche brews its own according to the legendary purity laws of 1516.

Previous Next

Convincing candidate for best bar in town, certainly the most unusual, the Haifischbar, where Brühl meets Große Fleischergasse is a cult spot, choosy about the rock ‘n’ roll it plays, with a TV and cocktail deals. It’s squeezed between a tattoo parlour and strip club, but don’t let that put you off. On Brühl itself, Emil & Moritz puts TV football on a par with open-plan, informal, creative dining while Champions at the Marriott is a US-style sports bar.

Arriving or leaving via the vast train station, raise a glass to Leipzig at the cosy Bierbar Gleis 8 on the upper level – it’s been there since the year dot, as have the staff and regulars. There’s a TV for football and plenty of conversation around the timeless bar counter.

Where to stay

The best hotels for the stadium and city centre

Previous Next

Leipzig Travel has a hotel database and online booking service.

The nearest lodging to the stadium is about 5-7min walk away, on residential Waldstraße with bars close to it, the Arena City Hotel. Upper mid-range with breakfast (€12.50) extra, it has a sauna, bar and restaurant.

Leipzig station is ideally located for both stadium and town. Among the many hotels there, the 288-room Park Hotel is directly opposite as you come out of the station building, bright and modern, with its own sauna, whirlpool, small gym and restaurant.

Alongside, upscale chain the Marriott contains a panoramic restaurant and the Champions sports bar, open to non-guests as well (see Where to drink).

On the stadium side of the station, the Fürstenhof is a five-star deluxe with a pool – and a century of hospitality behind it. On the other side, Victor’s Residenz-Hotel exudes old-school charm.

Previous Next

A short walk from the station towards town, the B&B Leipzig-City is a convenient, modern budget-chain option. The nearby Motel One Leipzig-Nikolaikirche is similar, a slight notch above, with a stylish bar.

Right in town, by the bar strip of Barfüßgäschen, the Five Elements Hostel offers cheap private en-suite bedrooms as well as dorms – a handy compromise for the wallet-conscious.

Another good choice for bar-hoppers is the Aparion Apartments, directly opposite Morrison’s Irish bar, with kitchenettes. Units can be rented out by the night, €60/two people a bargain.

By Marktplatz, the Steigenberger Grandhotel Handelshof is another of Leipzig’s classy establishments, elegant but relatively affordable with online deals – particularly given the two-floor premium spa.

At the main square of Augustusplatz, the Radisson Blu Leipzig is a business-friendly choice with great views of local landmarks.

Finally, for history buffs and those with a yen to visit Lokomotive Leipzig over the road, the Brauhaus Napoleon offers nine comfortable rooms and classic German hospitality in the inn where Prussian and Russian officers lodged before routing Napoleon nearby. Literally next door to the Lokomotive ground, the Parkhotel Diani provides mid-range conviviality.

" ["post_title"]=> string(7) "Leipzig" ["post_excerpt"]=> string(0) "" ["post_status"]=> string(7) "publish" ["comment_status"]=> string(6) "closed" ["ping_status"]=> string(4) "open" ["post_password"]=> string(0) "" ["post_name"]=> string(7) "leipzig" ["to_ping"]=> string(0) "" ["pinged"]=> string(0) "" ["post_modified"]=> string(19) "2022-09-26 17:32:52" ["post_modified_gmt"]=> string(19) "2022-09-26 17:32:52" ["post_content_filtered"]=> string(0) "" ["post_parent"]=> int(0) ["guid"]=> string(36) "https://old.liberoguide.com/?p=21857" ["menu_order"]=> int(0) ["post_type"]=> string(4) "post" ["post_mime_type"]=> string(0) "" ["comment_count"]=> string(1) "0" ["filter"]=> string(3) "raw" } ["comment_count"]=> int(0) ["current_comment"]=> int(-1) ["found_posts"]=> int(23) ["max_num_pages"]=> int(3) ["max_num_comment_pages"]=> int(0) ["is_single"]=> bool(false) ["is_preview"]=> bool(false) ["is_page"]=> bool(false) ["is_archive"]=> bool(true) ["is_date"]=> bool(false) ["is_year"]=> bool(false) ["is_month"]=> bool(false) ["is_day"]=> bool(false) ["is_time"]=> bool(false) ["is_author"]=> bool(false) ["is_category"]=> bool(true) ["is_tag"]=> bool(false) ["is_tax"]=> bool(false) ["is_search"]=> bool(false) ["is_feed"]=> bool(false) ["is_comment_feed"]=> bool(false) ["is_trackback"]=> bool(false) ["is_home"]=> bool(false) ["is_privacy_policy"]=> bool(false) ["is_404"]=> bool(false) ["is_embed"]=> bool(false) ["is_paged"]=> bool(false) ["is_admin"]=> bool(false) ["is_attachment"]=> bool(false) ["is_singular"]=> bool(false) ["is_robots"]=> bool(false) ["is_favicon"]=> bool(false) ["is_posts_page"]=> bool(false) ["is_post_type_archive"]=> bool(false) ["query_vars_hash":"WP_Query":private]=> string(32) "0ed096dee3494dda7fa3253d3e513172" ["query_vars_changed":"WP_Query":private]=> bool(false) ["thumbnails_cached"]=> bool(false) ["allow_query_attachment_by_filename":protected]=> bool(false) ["stopwords":"WP_Query":private]=> NULL ["compat_fields":"WP_Query":private]=> array(2) { [0]=> string(15) "query_vars_hash" [1]=> string(18) "query_vars_changed" } ["compat_methods":"WP_Query":private]=> array(2) { [0]=> string(16) "init_query_flags" [1]=> string(15) "parse_tax_query" } ["query_cache_key":"WP_Query":private]=> string(41) "wp_query:2c4f2285167bba74acf0be715c0a4656" }