Opposition Check: SC Preußen Münster

On average, every resident of Münster owns 1.3 bicycles, because there are more „Leezen“ (Münster dialect for bicycles) than people in the city. It’s no wonder, then, that over 75 percent of the inhabitants hop on their bikes several times a week. The Westphalians can also feel safe on their steel steeds in traffic, because the home of Preußen Münster is the cycling capital of Germany and, according to the Copenhagenize Index, the seventh most bicycle-friendly city in the world.

The bicycle isn’t just Münster’s best friend on the streets, but also on the gym floor, because in Münster, the ball isn’t just played with the foot. They’ve also learned to score goals with their bikes. In the sport of cycle ball, RSV Münster, founded in 1895, is one of the most traditional cycle ball clubs in Germany.

Just as confident as the residents of Münster feel on their bikes, the players of SC Preußen Münster are equally adept at passing on the field. With 14,601 passes, head coach Alois Schwartz’s team has played the second-most passes in the league. Overall, they primarily rely on short combinations before resorting to long balls forward. And they do so with conviction, completing 84 percent of their passes – only Hannover boasts a better success rate. We’ve taken a closer look at Darmstadt’s upcoming opponent.

Münster have failed to secure a win in their last eight matches, managing only three points in their last five. This poor run of form has left them in 18th place with 29 points. However, they recently demonstrated against the strong Hannover side that they can also take points from the top third of the table. After matchday 32, safety is a full five points away. This means they need two wins in their final games to avoid relegation. Their next objective is therefore to achieve maximum points against SV Darmstadt 98 on Sunday.

Better late than never, Alois Schwartz’s team will be thinking when they look at their goal statistics. The Eagles like to take their time. Nine of their 37 goals have come in the final quarter of an hour, meaning a full quarter of their goals have been scored after the 75th minute. True to the saying „he who laughs last laughs best,“ Münster had the last laugh in Hannover with a spectacular goal to make it 3-3.

“I’m happy when people call me a street footballer,” says Yassine Bouchama, who has been playing for Preußen Münster for four years now. His path to professional football, however, was fraught with obstacles. The now 28-year-old grew up playing on local pitches in Essen and developed into a footballer in the Oberliga and Regionalliga, but none of his clubs truly made him happy. Bouchama played for Phönix Lübeck, among others, but only for six games. The comfort factor is very important to him. So important, in fact, that he was already considering retirement in his early twenties, as he revealed on the “Preußen Privat” podcast.

After leaving Phönix Lübeck in 2021, he set himself an ultimatum for the following year: “If I hadn’t received anything then, I would have quit football.” But the Essen native did receive an offer. He found his way to Preußen via VfB Homberg. It was clearly communicated to him that he wasn’t the team’s first choice, but the ambitious street footballer couldn’t pass up the opportunity.

And it paid off: Four years later, Bouchama has become a regular starter, making 110 appearances for the club – in a wide variety of positions. This season alone, he’s played in almost every role in midfield, primarily on the right wing, but he’s also shown his abilities as an attacking midfielder, a central midfielder, and on the left wing. That’s the hard-working mentality of this lad from the Ruhr area. None of this bothers Bouchama; the crucial factor for him is that he feels comfortable, and he clearly does in Münster. In true Münster style, he also revealed: „In the summer, I cycle to training.“