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The Most Interesting Bundesliga Stories in 2023

February 8, 2023
byTJ549 views

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To a casual football fan, the Bundesliga may not have the gravitas or prestige that is visible in La Liga and the Premier League. The dominant chokehold Bayern Munich has on the league isn’t making things any better.

There are more teams in the Bundesliga than just Bayern Munich. Going beyond the Bavarian giants, you’ll find many teams with rich histories and compelling narratives. Some are fighting for Champions League places, while others are fighting for their right to stay in the top flight.

However, people who take the time to watch this league will find plenty of interesting storylines in the 2022/23 season. After the January transfer window passed, teams are now focused on making European football or avoiding relegation.

If you’re curious about how Germany plays football, this OKBET piece is the perfect place to start! We’ve gathered some interesting Bundesliga stories that will intrigue you enough to watch these games.

okbet bundesliga

Union Berlin Making the Champions League?

The German capital isn’t used to seeing exciting football in its backyard. Hertha Berlin is far from a powerhouse in German football, though the club has been a Bundesliga mainstay for a while.

However, the city is seeing titillating soccer being played in the capital. A Berlin team is winning games in the German top flight and might be headed to a Champions League appearance.

The Berlin team making noise in the German top flight isn’t Hertha, though. It’s Union Berlin.

The club that was expected by many to fall back to the second tier when they first came up is playing incredible soccer. They are the best team behind Bayern Munich after winning 12 of their 19 matches.

The team is playing great football against traditional Bundesliga powerhouses. The team drew with Bayern Munich in September. The league leaders struggled to crack through Eisern Berlin’s defense.

They also put up impressive wins against Borussia Dortmund and RB Leipzig, with the team scoring twice in both games.

Sheraldo Becker is the star attacker for Union at the moment. His seven goals and four assists through 19 appearances have been instrumental in bringing the team toward Champions League contention. 

Christopher Trimmel is also doing an incredible job at the back. The right wing-back and team captain leads the team in chance creation with five assists in 17 games.

However, it’s hard to deny that the team’s core is with its manager. Urs Fischer is the consistent presence in the side’s meteoric rise to the top. He’s instrumental in keeping the team in the German top flight when many tipped them to go down. 

Should Union Berlin finish in Champions League spots, this rise will be one of the most compelling Bundesliga stories to date.

Will Hertha Fall to 2. Bundesliga?

We won’t leave the German capital for the next item in this list of intriguing Bundesliga stories.

On the other side of Berlin, Hertha Berlin is experiencing another disappointing season. Their lack of activity in the summer transfer window can be felt on the pitch.

They lost four of their last five league matches and are currently in the relegation zone. Even if they make it out of the automatic relegation spots later on, costly losses against teams like Bochum will hurt their chances of survival.

Dodi Lukebakio is the only thing between the club and complete collapse. The 25-year-old striker scored seven goals and supplied one assist to score important points for the squad. However, the rest of the team needs to catch up in terms of production.

The biggest hole in their formation has been Ivan Sunjic. The Croatian midfielder, who came in as a loanee from Birmingham, often looked lost in the middle of the pitch. While he showed better performances in the defensive midfield, it’s far from enough to get Berlin in the midfield table.

Die Alte Dame hasn’t played in the second division since 2012/13. However, the team has been in similar predicaments over the past ten years. If Sandro Schwarz doesn’t get the ship right, Berlin’s Olympiastadion will be host to 2. Bundesliga games.

Will SC Freiburg Make This Season Count?

Freiburg made the DFB-Pokal Final in 2022, but their supporters will be the first to tell you that their run in the domestic cup was nothing short of a miracle. However, they were again given hope when they put on a strong performance at the start of the 2022/23 campaign.

The Breisgau-Brasilianer won seven of their first ten matches in all competitions, which helped the team start at the top of the Bundesliga table. However, they stumbled as they lost two of their last four matches before the World Cup break.

They resumed the season with a tough draw against Frankfurt. Still, the team and its fans should have every reason to believe they can mount a convincing fight to finish in Champions League sports.

Two of the biggest reasons for this vote of confidence come up front and at the left wing. Michael Gregoristch has been clinical for Freiburg, bagging seven goals and three assists from the forward position.

His strike partner from the left is Vincenzo Grifo. The seasoned winger has been effective in finishing from the left, as evident by his nine goals. His three assists also show how willing he is to share the ball.

SC Freiburg has been one of the most inspiring Bundesliga stories for soccer fans who love underdogs. They built on their solid 2017/18 return to the Bundesliga and built a strong squad. They’re now being rewarded with the chance to compete for Champions League football and record attendance for their home games.

Is Haller the Right Haaland Replacement?

Borussia Dortmund is in a weird spot regarding their current position in the Bundesliga table. They finished the last couple of seasons in the top three. However, they want to dethrone Munich from the top after wallowing in fifth for a time.

There are plenty of Bundesliga stories that could be discussed with Dortmund’s in-season struggles. However, the biggest one would be Erling Haaland-sized hole in their XI.

They had no choice in selling Haaland when they were offered decent money in the summer for the striker’s services. They tried replacing the Norwegian with Sebastien Haller, but he had to sit out the first four months of the Bundesliga campaign due to testicular cancer. He’s had a promising start to his career, notching a goal and an assist in four appearances.

While waiting for Haller’s return, the team had to rely on other players to take on the scoring load. The 18-year-old Youssoufa Moukoko leads the charge with his six goals. Julian Brandt has five, and Jude Bellingham and Giovanni Reyna have four to keep the BVB relevant.

They will have to step up their offensive output to compensate for their defensive lapses, and they hope Haller has the answer. But whether their €31 million investment will pay out remains to be seen.

Watch On to See These Bundesliga Stories Play Out

These are only some of the biggest storylines you will find in the Bundesliga this season. There are more intriguing narratives brewing with every match, so it’s recommended that you sit down and watch how the German league’s story this season morphs.

Read more: All-Star Reserves: The Stars and the Snubs



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