Category: Germany

Borussia Dortmund fans thank Jurgen Klopp with brilliant display

It’s been a strange and difficult season for Borussia Dortmund. Just three months ago, the players were trying to calm irate fans as the team sat at the very bottom of the Bundesliga table. But the final league match of the season — and Jurgen Klopp’s final home match with the club — proved to be a sentimental affair with a happy ending.

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Cologne’s mascot projected onto the Hoover Dam for strange new world record

(Bundesliga.com)
(Bundesliga.com)

Because the world is a strange, nonsensical place, Cologne’s crest and mascot, Hennes, were projected onto the Hoover Dam (yes, the one in the United States) to set a new Guinness World Record for largest ever projection.

But of all the things to project onto the Arizona landmark, why this? Was it part of a court settlement after Hennes was assaulted by a coworker earlier this season?

From Bundesliga.com:

Covering an area of 39,000 square metres, the logo covered practically the whole surface of the infamous American landmark. Cologne-based PR agency Oliver Schrott Kommunikation (OSK) chose the Köln logo to experiment the new powerful lighting system installed, thanks in no small way to the affinity to the club of many of the firm’s employees.

Regardless of the reason, it’s just nice to see Hennes finally get the respect he deserves.

Jurgen Klopp credits Dortmund’s improved form to his resignation

Borussia Dortmund beat Hertha Berlin 2-0 on Saturday to extend their unbeaten streak to four matches since manager Jurgen Klopp announced that he will leave at the end of the season. This continued Dortmund’s rebound from being bottom of the league up to 10th in the table, and now to seventh place and a chance at qualifying for the Europa League.

After the match, Klopp demonstrated his always wonderful sense of humor. From the BBC:

“If I’d known before the start of the season that we’d put such a winning run together, I’d have announced my departure back then,” Klopp said.

“Seventh place feels brilliant.”

 The world would be a better place if we were all a little bit like Jurgen Klopp.

Mainz offer player new contract after gruesome injury to cover his rehabilitation

Mainz midfielder Elkin Soto suffered a sickening knee injury during their Bundesliga match against HSV on Sunday. Though there is never a good time for a career threatening injury, this comes at an especially bad moment for the 34-year-old, since he will be out of contract at the end of the season and planned on returning to his native Colombia to finish his career.

Even though he planned to leave, Mainz have quickly made a tremendous gesture to support a player who has served the club for eight years by offering him a new one-year contract.

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Aalen player scores comical scorpion kick own goal

It has not been a good season for VfR Aalen. Sitting at the very bottom of the 2. Bundesliga, their season got even worse with a 4-2 loss to Bochum on Sunday and the last of those four goals was just plain silly. Aalen forward Collin Quaner swung his leg behind his back in a bid to try and deflect a Bochum cross into the box and in doing so, he scored a lovely backheel.

Quaner’s teammates groaned, one of them even covered his face with his shirt, but the 23-year-old couldn’t help but chuckle at his mishap. It was that kind of goal and it’s been that kind of season.

Choose Jurgen Klopp’s next adventure!

Jurgen Klopp has announced that he will leave Borussia Dortmund — where he has spent the last seven years and won two Bundesliga titles — at the end of the season. The two-time German coach of the year managed to pull Dortmund out of the relegation zone and back up to 10th in what has been a horrendous season, but that hasn’t changed the fact that he feels it’s time to move on.

Klopp will now have his pick from a variety of high-profile jobs, but which to choose? Here are several top options…

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Cologne’s Jonas Hector beats five defenders to score tremendous solo goal

Jonas Hector scored the deciding goal in Cologne’s 3-2 win against Hoffenheim on Sunday, weaving through and jumping over a total of five defenders before beating the keeper with a deflected shot.

If that was the best individual goal of the weekend, then Atalanta had the best team goal when German Denis’ overhead shot was set up by a backheel and a header.

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Hertha Berlin’s Thomas Kraft makes a save with his face

I love a good face save and this is a good face save. Hertha Berlin’s Thomas Kraft preserved his clean sheet in his side’s 2-0 win against Paderborn by saving a shot from close range with his nose. He even added in some jazz hands for added flair.

Kraft was able to laugh about the incident as he rubbed his stinging kisser. He was probably just thankful that he didn’t concede a 65-yard goal to Charlie Adam.