For many years, fans of 1. FC Magdeburg dreamed of a return to professional football. The club from eastern Germany, which won the European Cup Winners' Cup in 1974, was often referred to in Magdeburg as a "sleeping giant." Long trapped in the country's lower leagues, FCM was at one point financially on the brink. But the "sleeping giant" was revived.
Step by step, 1. FC Magdeburg fought its way back up the ladder. Under head coach Jens Härtel, who took over in 2014, the big breakthrough came: In the 2014/15 season, FCM crowned champions of the Regionalliga Nordost and prevailed in two play-off matches against Kickers Offenbach – securing the long-awaited promotion to the 3. Liga. Successful years in professional football followed: two consecutive fourth-place finishes and finally the historic promotion to the 2. Bundesliga in 2018. After a brief interlude in the second division, relegation followed, but the passion and the will to quickly return remained.
Under coach Christian Titz, the Blue-Whites achieved promotion back to the 2. Bundesliga in 2021/22 – this time securing their place in the lower tier of German football, where FCM has played ever since. However, the current standings are not looking good for Magdeburg. After eight matchdays, they are in 18th place.
We took a closer look at 1. FC Magdeburg in our opponent check.
| Top Goalscorers | Top Assists |
| Alexander Ahl-Holmström- 2 Goals | Laurin Ulrich – 2 Assists |
| Jean Hugonet – 1 Goal | Jean Hugonet – 1 Assist |
| Rayan Ghrieb- 1 Goal | Baris Atik – 1 Assist |
| Noah Pesch – 1 Goal | Eldin Dzogovic- 1 Assist |
On Sunday (October 12th), 1. FC Magdeburg released its head coach Markus Fiedler and his two assistant coaches, Andreas Schumacher and Saban Uzun, with immediate effect. The U23 coaching duo of Petrik Sander and Pascal Ibold, along with assistant coach Silvio Bankert, will take over on an interim basis. This interim team is expected to also take the bench next Sunday (October 19th, 1:30pm) at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor, unless FCM hires a new head coach beforehand.
1. FC Magdeburg are actually doing pretty well offensively. The team from the Elbe River is consistently and purposefully pursuing the forward path, which is clearly reflected in the numbers: With a total of 125 shots on goal, FCM is one of the second-division teams that most frequently aim for the opponent’s goal. Only Paderborn (128) and Elversberg (129) are better in this statistic and have recorded more shots on goal. But here comes the big but: The Bördestadt team lacks consistency in their finishing. They have scored just seven goals this season, jointly with Nürnberg, the lowest tally in the league.
It’s a chilly training morning in Magdeburg. The ball bounces off the boot of a young midfielder with a dull thud. Laurin Ulrich briefly raises his head, plays a low pass into the back, and calls out a quick instruction to his teammate. Routine – yet there’s something new in every move. The 20-year-old is considered a strong, technically sound midfielder who can set the tempo and open up space – qualities that Magdeburg could certainly use this season.
Born and raised in East Württemberg, Ulrich’s football career began at TSG Nattheim. In 2016, he moved to the VfB Stuttgart youth team – a move that has become a test case for many young talents from the region. Ulrich quickly attracted attention at VfB: In the 2021/22 B-Junioren Bundesliga, he led his team to the division title as playmaker, scoring twice in the semi-final second leg. This paved the way to the final of the German U17 Championship – an early exclamation mark.
His development did not go unnoticed. In the summer of 2022, Ulrich signed a long-term contract with VfB Stuttgart, and shortly thereafter, he received the silver Fritz Walter Medal – one of the highest honors for young players in Germany. Just a few months later, on November 12, 2022, he made his Bundesliga debut against Bayer Leverkusen. However, Ulrich primarily played for Stuttgart’s second team in the Regionalliga Südwest (Southwest Regional League). He impressed with his consistency and game intelligence: three goals, ten assists, and a decisive contribution to promotion to the 3. Liga (German Third League). The DFB (German Football Association) also recognises his name: Ulrich made his debut for the German U16 national team in 2020, and later captained the U17 team at the 2022 European Championship.
New chapters. For the 2024/25 season, he was loaned to SSV Ulm to gain second-division experience. However, Ulrich rarely played there. He returned to VfB Stuttgart after the winter break – to the reserve team with the goal of returning to his previous form. Since this summer, he has been on loan at 1. FC Magdeburg. A new club, a new opportunity in the 2. Bundesliga. He is expected to bring to FCM’s midfield the qualities that distinguished him in Stuttgart: vision, precision, and the composure to steer the game rather than letting it carry him along.
Darmstadt 98 lost to Hannover 96 while playing with ten men and must continue to wait for their first win of this second division season. Read our analysis to find out what positives remain and why Darmstadt 98 had factored in setbacks on their chosen path.
Around the time of the home game against Hannover 96 on Sunday (August 30th), the Jonathan Heimes Square was officially inaugurated. Before kickoff, club president Markus Pfitzner and Martin Heimes, father of Jonathan Heimes, who died of cancer about ten years ago, gave speeches highlighting "Johnny's" importance and his commitment to people with cancer.
The Lilien Team Marathon is not just about athletic performance and the shared experience around the Böllenfalltor stadium – but also about making a difference together.
The SV Darmstadt 98 U21 team drew 2-2 (0-1) against SV Unter-Flockenbach. After a heated home game, the young Lilies had to settle for a frustrating, but ultimately deserved, draw. In this extremely balanced league, Patrick Kurt's team continues to grow week by week, gaining valuable experience.
An emotional match with many controversial moments unfolded on Sunday afternoon at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Ultimately, Darmstadt suffered their first home defeat of the young season. We've compiled the post-match reactions for you.
Tried everything, but to no avail: SV 98 came up short in their home game against Hannover 96. The final score was 1-0 (0-0) to the visitors, whilst the Lilies had to play with ten men after Vukotic was sent off in the 20th minute.
Home game against Hannover! On matchday 3, Darmstadt 98 will host the ambitious Lower Saxons at the Merck Stadium at Böllenfalltor. Florian Kohfeldt has made three changes to his starting lineup compared to the victory in Jena. Hiroki Akiyama replaces the suspended Kai Klefisch, while Nicolas Verkooijen (making his first start) and Yosuke Furukawa start in place of Carlo Sickinger and Manolo Merx.
Weekend, Lilies fever! On Sunday (August 30th/1:30pm), the Lilies have their third matchday on the schedule. Hannover 96, the club from the Lower Saxon capital, will be visiting the Bölle. What do the two head coaches have to say before kickoff? Who will be refereeing the match? And where can you watch the game? As usual, we've compiled all the important information about the match against Hannover in our "Matchday Guide"
One day before their home game against Hannover 96, Darmstadt 98 have announced another new signing. William Mikelbrencis will now wear the SV 98 jersey. The 22-year-old Frenchman was under contract with Hamburger SV until June 30th.
In the press conference before the second home game of the still young season, our head coach spoke about, among other things, our team's attacking play and the past week. As usual, you can find the most important statements before the match against Hannover 96 (August 30th/1:30pm) here for you.
A second-division team on the Berlin Mount Olympus: Hannover 96 achieved something unique in 1992. On May 23, the Lower Saxony club defeated Borussia Mönchengladbach in the DFB Cup final, securing another major title in the club's history 38 years after their German championship win in 1954. Hannover became the first and, to this day, only "true" second-division team to win the DFB Cup, causing one of the biggest upsets in the competition's history.
