Steilcast - A show about the Bundesliga & German football

Werder Bremen relegated + Steilcast end of season awards

Mon, 24 May 2021 13:02:07 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to reflect on the final weekend of the Bundesliga which saw Werder Bremen become the latest 'blue chip' club to fall into the second tier.

As well as pondering whether that was one of the most avoidable relegations ever we also bring you the Steilcast end of season awards including The Best Player Who Isn't Named Robert Award, Best Coach, Best Transfer, Game of the Season and our combined Bundesliga Best XI

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Dortmund qualify for Champions League but is Terzić still Edin for the exit?

Mon, 17 May 2021 12:46:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard for their take on the penultimate Bundesliga weekend, with Dortmund qualifying for the Champions League just days after winning the cup we assess the changing mood at BVB and ponder the future of interim head coach Edin Terzic.

There's praise for Wolfsburg who have also made into next season's Champions League thanks to a point at Leipzig coupled with Schalke's surprise victory over Frankfurt.

We also delve into the relegation battle after Hertha secured their safety but Werder Bremen lurched even closer to the drop.

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Bayern crowned champions & Dortmund win cup final dress rehearsal

Mon, 10 May 2021 10:40:29 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Steilcast stalwart Christoph Biermann to reflect on Bayern Munich winning their 9th consecutive Bundesliga title - we try to look at the positives surrounding this team before once more pondering whether their continued dominance is good for the league as a whole.

Plus there's a big win for Dortmund over Leipzig in the dress rehearsal for Thursday's DFB-Pokal final, and things are heating up at the bottom of the table as Koln's 4-1 loss to Freiburg leaves them staring relegation squarely in the face as we head into the last two games of the season.

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Bo Selecta! Mainz delay Bayern's party while Werder keep on tumbling

Mon, 26 Apr 2021 13:49:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by regulars Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard for their take on all the big stories from the Bundesliga this weekend.

We welcome special guest Mara Pfeiffer onto the pod to reflect on a stunning win for Bo Svensson's Mainz as they beat Bayern 2-1 to delay the title party, and lead to more people wondering whether Svensson is the next superstar coach to graduate from the Mainz academy.

There's also a look at Augsburg sacking Heiko Herrlich, Werder's continuing troubles as they lose for the 7th game in a row, and we touch on the latest developments in Bayern's pursuit of Julian Nagelsmann

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Super League fallout + Marco Reus falls over

Thu, 22 Apr 2021 12:00:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphel Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to discuss the fallout from the Super League debacle, looking at whether after years of being outliers German fans may now be caught up by their English counterparts when it comes to organised fan power.

There's also reaction to the midweek games in the Bundesliga as a wobbly Marco Reus keeps Dortmund's Champions League hopes alive, ugly scenes as Schalke are finally relegated, and a big win for Mainz gives Werder Bremen cause for concern.

All this plus the latest instalment of Hansi Flick v Hasan Salihamidžić

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Hansi Flick announces he's leaving Bayern + Super League reaction

Mon, 19 Apr 2021 08:17:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein & Steilcast ultra Christoph Biermann convene to discuss the fallout from Hansi Flick's announcement live on TV that he wishes to leave Bayern Munich at the end of the season, plus there's reaction to the story that shook European football on Sunday night with the announcement of a new Super League by 12 of Europe's biggest clubs - not currently including anyone from Germany. Will Bayern and Dortmund cave in or stand firm?

All this plus the usual Bundesliga business including Dortmund's renewed Champions League push, Frankfurt's loss to Gladbach, and the relegation battle takes a twist with Hertha Berlin postponing some key matches due to a COVID outbreak.

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Flick's grumblings, Nagelsmann's future and Frankfurt's Champions League dreams with Ronald Reng

Mon, 12 Apr 2021 14:11:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and special guest award-winning author & journalist Ronald Reng for a look at all of the big stories coming out of the Bundesliga this week

We focus on Ronnie's beloved Frankfurt as he gives us insight into their superb season which sees them looking good for a Champions League place

Christoph gives us his take on the latest behind-the-scenes drama at Bayern with problems brewing between Hansi Flick and the hierarchy

Plus there's talk of Julian Nagelsmann's future and whether there is any chance he could end up at Tottenham soon, and a look at the tense relegation battle in the Bundesliga as struggling Koln sack Markus Gisdol

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A season summed up in one weekend - Dortmund fluff their lines while Bayern get the job done

Mon, 05 Apr 2021 14:28:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Steilcast ultra Christoph Biermann for a look at a weekend in the Bundesliga which perfectly encapsulated the current state of affairs at the top of the division - Borussia Dortmund flattering to deceive in a defeat against Frankfurt that leaves them staring at catastrophe, and Bayern grind out a 1-0 win over Leipzig to squash any hopes of a title race

There's also reflection on Germany's disastrous defeat to North Macedonia, plus we check in on the Berlin derby, the relegation picture and cast our eye on the future prospects of soon-to-be managerless Gladbach

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Joachim Low's Farewell Tour

Mon, 29 Mar 2021 12:57:47 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann for a special Mannschaft edition of Steilcast as they wonder whether Joachim Low's farewell tour may turn out better than first thought.

As well as their take on the wins over Iceland and Romania there is also a look at Uli Hoeness' performance in the TV studio and an eyebrow raised at the German FA's latest PR own goal.

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Xabi Alonso new Gladbach boss? Do Bayern even need 11 men? And are Leverkusen losing faith in Bosz-ball?

Mon, 22 Mar 2021 16:25:21 GMT

The Athletic's Raphel Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard for their take on another eventful week in the Bundesliga - including the breaking news that Xabi Alonso is lined up to replace the departing Marco Rose at Gladbach.

There's also discussion about the latest episode in Schalke's nightmare of a season, Bayern winning 4-0 with ten men, and our latest thoughts on the future of Dortmund's Erling Haaland

All this plus we ponder the question - are Leverkusen losing faith in Bosz-ball?

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What Löw stepping down means for Bayern, Leipzig, Flick and Nagelsmann

Mon, 15 Mar 2021 15:43:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard for their take on the biggest story in German football right now - the news that Joachim Löw will be stepping down as coach of the German national team after the Euros.

We discuss how this could have a knock-on effect at Bayern Munich and RB Leipzig as Hansi Flick could replace Low, with Nagelsmann the favourite to head to Bayern if the job does become available, plus there's talk of how the news could affect Germany's performance at the tournament.

We also have the regular Bundesliga round-up with more disastrous scenes at Gladbach, Schalke and Hertha Berlin

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Bayern 4-2 Dortmund reaction + Leipzig's Champions League prospects against chaotic Liverpool

Mon, 08 Mar 2021 15:17:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Jasmine Baba for their take on all the big stories across the Bundesliga and Champions League where German teams are concerned.

We react to Bayern Munich coming from two goals down to defeat Borussia Dortmund and ponder whether Dortmund might actually walk away from this result feeling quite good about themselves?

Plus we look at how Leipzig are shaping up ahead of their Champions League second-leg against a crisis-stricken Liverpool side, there's talk of a resurgent Hoffenheim side, and could Gladbach soon be forced to sack Marco Rose even though he has technically already left?

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Schalke Sack Five, Will Leverkusen follow suit? Trouble at Hertha, too: a strugglers' round-up

Mon, 01 Mar 2021 14:46:43 GMT

Raphael Honigstein and Christoph Biermann focus on some notable strugglers in this week's Bundesliga podcast from The Athletic.

The axe fell at Schalke, but it wasn't just the manager who felt the icy blade. Hertha Berlin are winless in nine, and Peter Bosch is in trouble at Leverkusen.

Plus; Rapha tries to drum up some enthusiasm for the title race, and we consider the odd relationship German clubs have with the Europa League.

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Frankfurt beat Bayern on and off the pitch, Leipzig revive the title race and plunge Hertha into relegation trouble

Mon, 22 Feb 2021 12:14:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein & Christoph Biermann bring you their take on all the biggest stories in the Bundesliga.

We start with Eintracht Frankfurt's stunning victory over Bayern Munich, and a look at how Frankfurst also showed Bayern how it should be done off the pitch after they sensitively remembered the victims of the Hanau shooting in stark contrast to Karl-Heinz Rummenigge's unimpressive performance on German TV when being asked about Bayern's relationship with Qatar.

Plus there's discussion of Lepizig's renewed title push, Gladbach's struggles with social media fake news and the fallout from the Marco Rose announcement, a good week for his future club Dortmund, and we check in on the relgation battle as things start to look precarious for Hertha Berlin and a lot more optimistic for Mainz.

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Marco Rose swaps one Borussia for another and Bayern held to 3-3 draw by Bielefeld

Tue, 16 Feb 2021 11:05:28 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by regular conspirators Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard for their take on all the biggest stories in the Bundesliga and German football.

We react to Bayern Munich's snowy 3-3 thriller with Arminia Bielefeld, plus take a look at the latest grumblings from Hansi Flick after Thomas Muller has been told to quarantine following a positive covid test.

There's discussion of the news that, as we've been saying for months, Marco Rose will be leaving Gladbach at the end of the season to become the new Borussia Dortmund manager.

Plus there's a Champions League preview as Leipzig get set to face Liverpool and Dortmund face in-form Sevilla, and we check in on Mainz who are putting up a spirited attempt at survival.

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Airport drama for Bayern, Elivs is alive in Köln & are Dortmund Edin for the Europa League?

Mon, 08 Feb 2021 16:34:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein & Christoph Biermann bring you their take on the biggest stories in the Bundesliga.

We look at the latest noise coming from Bayern Munich after they were left stranded on an airport runway following their victory at Hertha Berlin.

There's focus Köln's fight for survival as an Elvis Rexhbecaj brace gave them the win at rivals Gladbach.

Plus we unpick yet more despair at Dortmund as their loss at Freiburg lead to further questions about the status of interim coach Edin Terzic and the situation surrounding heavily-rumoured replacement Marco Rose.

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Politics in play at Stuttgart & Bayern + unloved but impressive Wolfsburg sneak into 3rd

Mon, 01 Feb 2021 14:01:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to roundup all the big stories in the Bundesliga.

We take a look at the somewhat unloved VfL Wolfsburg who have snuck up the table into 3rd place, there's off-field politics to discuss at Stuttgart and Bayern Munich, plus a lesser-spotted routine win for Dortmund at Augbsurg.

There's also discussion of Ralph Rangnick's coaching legacy in German football as his raft of proteges continue to progress in the Bundesliga and beyond.

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Big changes at Hertha and is the title race really over again?

Tue, 26 Jan 2021 06:00:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann for a look at all the big stories from the Bundesliga - Bayern have strengthened their lead at the top, Leipzig and Dortmund suffered yet more disappointing defeats, Frankfurt bagged a big win, and Mainz gave themselves a glimmer of hope at the bottom.

Hertha correspondent Marc Schwitzky joins us to work out what's gone wrong for the Berlin club as they get set to part company with manager Bruno Labbadia in the wake of a hammering at the hands of Werder Bremen.

Plus we react to the news of Thomas Tuchel replacing Frank Lampard at Chelsea and assess his chances of success at Stamford Bridge

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Will this Dortmund team ever achieve its potential?

Thu, 21 Jan 2021 13:56:59 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann for a look at all the results and stories from the 'Englische Woche' round of midweek games

Schalke and Mainz are looking increasingly doomed at the bottom, Dortmund are still flattering to deceive and now find themselves ten points off the top spot, but there is good news for challengers Leipzig and Leverkusen as they pick up wins to stay in touch despite the Bayern juggernaut marching on with a win at Augsburg.

All this and more discussed plus an eyebrow raised at Gladbach's Breel Embolo's trip to Switzerland to watch an NBA game with his friends.

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Bayern back out in front as chasing pack stumble + racism overshadows Union Berlin win at Leverkusen

Mon, 18 Jan 2021 19:34:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann for a look at all the big stories from the Bundesliga, starting with another fine result for Union Berlin as they beat Leverkusen 1-0 but concerning developments off the pitch as Union's Florian Hubner stands accused of racially abusing Leverkusen's Nadiem Amiri.

Elsewhere there were disappointing draws for Dortmund, Leipzig and Gladbach, all of which saw Bayern Munich restore a healthy lead at the top of the table but that's not to say all is well at Bayern after a week that saw them lose in the cup to second division Holsten-Kiel

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SCHALKE HAVE WON A FOOTBALL MATCH!

Mon, 11 Jan 2021 19:14:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to roundup a very eventful weekend in the Bundesliga - Bayern lost to Gladbach, Dortmund reminded everyone they're still in the title race by beating RB Leipzig, and Schalke actually WON A GAME, avoiding becoming the worst Bundesliga side in history at the last possible moment.

All these games plus talk of Stuttgart, Union Berlin, and there's a look at whether Thomas Tuchel may return to the Bundesliga sooner than we expected.

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Civil war at Stuttgart and Mainz anger the Bayern bear

Mon, 04 Jan 2021 18:04:29 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann to roundup all of the action from the first Bundesliga weekend of the year. Bayern had a scare against Mainz, finding themselves 2-0 down at half-time before winning 5-2, Schalke's quest to rob Tasmania Berlin of their long-held winless record continued as they lost 3-0 to Hertha, and there was yet another impressive victory for Union Berlin who are still in the mix for the Champions League places as we head into the second half of the season.

We are also joined by our Stuttgart correspondent Oliver Trust with insight into the brewing civil war between club president Claus Vogt and CEO Thomas Hitzlsperger ahead of the upcoming elections in March.

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Bayern Munich's extraordinary treble-winning 2020

Mon, 28 Dec 2020 06:00:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Patrick Strasse who is the Bayern reporter for Munich-based Abendzeitung newspaper, and together they reflect on Bayern's extraordinary treble-winning year in 2020.

Starting with the final days of Niko Kovac's doomed reign we chart the journey of this immortal Bayern side from Hansi Flick's unassuming start to life as head coach, his reinvigoration of key players Lewandowski and Muller, peaking with the 3-0 domination of Chelsea in the Champions League before the season halted due to covid.

Once we've looked at their formidable post-lockdown run which saw them clinch the Bundesliga with ease and famously destroy Barcelona 8-2 on their way to winning the Champions League we cast an eye to the future and wonder whether this team and Hansi Flick could be the first Bayern side since the 70s to win back-to-back European cups.

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Bayern crowned Christmas Champions and it's more trouble for Hertha & Dortmund

Mon, 21 Dec 2020 17:02:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann for a round-up of the final Bundesliga weekend of 2020, where we saw Bayern do what Bayern do and edge out title rival Leverkusen in the last minute.

There's also discussion of Leroy Sane's immediate future as he was subbed off after being brought on and received some chastening words from Hansi Flick post-match.

Elsewhere we look at the continued struggles of Dortmund after their 2-1 loss to Union Berlin, the mounting problems at Hertha Berlin after a 4-1 trouncing at the hands of Freiburg and there's Schalke's ongoing quest to become the worst Bundesliga team in history as they failed to win for the 29th consecutive game.

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Dortmund sack Lucien Favre

Mon, 14 Dec 2020 17:17:50 GMT

It's the episode we've been waiting for all year! The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Steilcast regular Christoph Biermann and The Yellow Wall Pod's Lars Pollman to react to what felt like the inevitable sacking of Dortmund head coach Lucien Favre following a 5-1 defeat to Stuttgart on Saturday.

They discuss what went wrong for Lucien and why the players had publicly turned, and there's also a look at the possible contenders to replace him with Gladbach's Marco Rose the front-runner, but perhaps we can't rule out Mauricio Pochettino just yet?

We also roundup the rest of the Bundesliga action after a weekend that saw Leverkusen go top after Bayern could only draw with Union Berlin

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Three-for-all at Bayern and Lucien Favre makes his point in Frankfurt

Mon, 07 Dec 2020 18:45:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to reflect on the Bundesliga weekend which included a three-for-all between Bayern and Leipzig, Leverkusen moving into the title picture with a win at hapless Schalke and a goal straight out of the playground from Stuttgart's Silas Wamangituka

Plus in what is fast becoming a weekly feature there is a look at Dortmund's latest underwhelming result as Lucien Favre's men could only draw with Eintracht Frankfurt.

All this plus the rest of the Bundesliga headlines discussed in Steilcast!

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Mailbag Special - your questions answered

Mon, 30 Nov 2020 15:20:16 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein sits down with Steilcast regular Christoph Biermann to go through the mailbag and answer your questions on all things Bundesliga and German football

Topics covered include the ongoing grumblings around Lucien Favre at Dortmund, talk of potential successors ranging from Marco Rose to Mauricio Pochettino, there's mention of Bayern's sluggishness, plus questions on Wolfsburg, Frankfurt, Stuttgart and plenty more besides.

Away from club matters there's also some searching queries regarding the state of the German national team and the future of the 50+1 rule.

All this plus a review of the Bundesliga weekend which saw Bayern stay top, Dortmund lose ground, and a thriller between Wolfsburg and Werder Bremen

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Bayern draw with Werder, Haaland destroys Hertha and is it game over for Löw?

Mon, 23 Nov 2020 17:12:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Oliver Muller to reflect on a Bundesliga weekend that saw Bayern's lead shortened as they were made to look like mere mortals in a draw with Werder Bremen while Erling Haaland scored four in Dortmund's 5-2 win over Hertha Berlin.

There's also discussion of yet another miserable performance from Schalke who find themselves rooted to the bottom and staring at one of their worst seasons in decades

Plus we have a thorough post-mortem of Germany's 6-0 defeat to Spain last week and what it means for the immediate future of Joachim Low

Subscribe to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga and German football including his recent profile of the league's youngest ever player - Dortmund's Youssoufa Moukoko - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod to sign up for just £1-a-week

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Bayern win Der Klassiker but does it give us hope for a proper title race?

Mon, 09 Nov 2020 13:21:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Lars Pollman to reflect on Der Klassiker with Bayern coming out on top in a five goal thriller, but does Dortmund's spirited performance give us hope for a genuine title race this season?

Elsewhere we ponder whether Bayer Leverkusen may be an underrated threat this season after they beat Gladbach 4-3 in a thrilling encounter, plus we look at Union Berlin's surprisingly strong start to the season as they find themselves up in 5th place following a 5-0 thrashing of Bielefeld

Access to The Athletic is currently just £1-a-week - sign up for Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga by heading to theathletic.com/steilcastpod

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How are Bayern and Dortmund shaping up ahead of Der Klassiker?

Mon, 02 Nov 2020 14:25:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to look back at the weekend's Bundesliga action, with a particular eye on how Bayern and Dortmund are faring ahead of their clash next weekend.

Elsewhere there is talk about David Alaba's future as it appears Bayern won't give him the new deal he's asking for, and we look at the excellent starts made by Bayer Leverkusen and Gladbach and whether either of them has what it takes to muscle their way into the top two.

Subscribe to The Athletic for Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga and German football - including his recent interview with RB Leipzig's Marcel Sabitzer - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod to sign up for just £1-a-week

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Revierderby reaction - Dortmund win but was it a hollow victory over hapless Schalke?

Mon, 26 Oct 2020 09:01:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christop Biermann, Kevin Hatchard and special guest Lars Pollman to discuss the Revierderby that saw Dortmund run out comfortable 3-0 winners over struggling Schalke, and once again the conversation turns to whether Lucien Favre's days at BVB are ultimately numbered.

Elsewhere there is discussion of a good week for Gladbach, continued fine form for Leipzig and Bayern doing what Bayern do.

Subscribe to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga and German football - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod to sign up for just £1-a-month

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How long can Stuttgart keep it up and are Leipzig ready for another title challenge?

Tue, 20 Oct 2020 05:00:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Oliver Trust to take an in-depth look at Bundesliga newcomers Stuttgart as they find themselves in 5th place after an impressive start.

Elsewhere we look at whether Leipzig have got what it takes to mount a genuine title challenge in the post-Werner world, and whether Thomas Muller's continued good form for Bayern is worthy of a recall to the national team.

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Bayern back on track and Dortmund hold on to Sancho

Tue, 06 Oct 2020 12:00:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann & Kevin Hatchard to reflect on the Bundesliga weekend that saw Robert Lewandowski ride to Bayern's rescue once again, a Gio Reyna-inspired Dortmund beat Freiburg and a tough start to life for new Schalke manager Manuel Baum losing 4-0 at Leipzig.

Elsewhere we roundup all the transfer window activity including a flurry of late signings for Bayern and of course the biggest non-transfer of the summer as Jadon Sancho stays firmly put at Dortmund.

Subscribe to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga & German football including his recent piece on the inside story of how Dortmund kept hold of Jadon Sancho - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod to sign up for just £1-a-month

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Crisis talk: Schalke, Dortmund, and... Bayern?

Wed, 30 Sep 2020 05:00:00 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Oliver Muller to react to Schalke sacking manager David Wagner after the second game of the season, plus there is also disappointment on the other side of the Ruhr as Dortmund lose 2-0 to Augsburg prompting some familiar questions for Lucien Favre.

Elsewhere there are crises of a slightly less urgent nature at Bayern as they lose 4-1 to Hoffenheim, and there's also a managerial change at Mainz to discuss.

Subscribe to The Athletic for just £1-a-month and get access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga and German football - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod

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Bundesliga is back - Bayern score 8 again, Dortmund in 17th heaven and Hertha off to a flyer at Werder Bremen

Mon, 21 Sep 2020 14:49:42 GMT

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Bundesliga Season Preview - Can anyone stop Bayern?

Mon, 14 Sep 2020 14:00:19 GMT

Subscribe to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of the Bundesliga and German football - including his recent piece on the next steps for Bayern Munich after their all-conquering campaign last season.

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THREE Coaches, TWO Clubs: Do Champions League Semi-Finals Put The Bundesliga Back On Top?

Mon, 17 Aug 2020 13:15:04 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann to dissect Bayern Munich's 8-2 demolition of Barcelona, "Radio Muller" and a very high defensive line, even if Raf was MORE impressed by another German side on the weekend...

Plus, have Bundesliga sides benefitted from their early restart? And what does the success of Flick, Tuchel and Nagelsmann tell us about the state of coaching in Germany?

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Goodbye Europa League, Hello Champions League

Tue, 11 Aug 2020 13:40:53 GMT

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BONUS POD - Champions League & Europa League Preview

Tue, 04 Aug 2020 18:41:19 GMT

The Athletic's Raphel Honigstein teams up with the Zonal Marking podcast for a special Champions League & Europa League preview, looking at every single game on the schedule and all the potential storylines that could emerge from this truncated single-leg knockout format. It promises to be a furious festival of elite football and we've got every angle covered.

We also dive into the Europa League with teams like Manchester United, Wolves, Inter, Roma, Sevilla, Getafe, Wolfsburg, Frankfurt and Leverkusen all still in the mix there is plenty to look forward to in that competition too.

Sign up to The Athletic now for Honigstein, Horncastle and Corrigan's unrivalled Champions League & Europa League coverage - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod for a 30 day free trial

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Changing the way we analyse football - A discussion with Stefan Reinartz and Jens Hegeler

Thu, 23 Jul 2020 05:00:14 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by former Bayer Leverkusen players Stefan Reinartz and Jens Hegeler.

In 2015 Stefan and Jens developed their own football data analysis model called packing and with their company IMPECT they are attempting to change the way teams evaluate players by effectively measuring how a player uses the ball.

Stefan and Jens explain to us how the concept came about, why it's been adopted by the likes of PSG and Chelsea, and why they think possession itself is an overvalued statistic.

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How to fix the broken Bundesliga - A discussion with Musa Okwonga & Christoph Biermann

Thu, 16 Jul 2020 05:00:08 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Musa Okwonga as they attempt to identify the problems with the Bundesliga and the best solutions to fix it

Bayern Munich have won eight titles in a row so how do we make the league more equitable without diluting the quality at the top end?

Should the Bundesliga be making a better effort to market itself globally? Is it time for German football fans to let go of the 50+1 rule and embrace outside investment?

And of course no discussion about the future of football is complete without thoughts turning to the potential advent of a European Super League

Sign up to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled coverage of German football - head to theathletic.com/steilcastpod for a 30-day free trial

Thanks to Musa Okwonga for joining us, you can hear Musa's regular thoughts on the Bundesliga and much more over on the Stadio podcast on Ringer FC, exclusively on Spotify

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Werder Bremen survive relegation play-off, Bayern win another trophy, and is the Bundesliga about to lose its greatest artist in Thiago?

Tue, 07 Jul 2020 05:00:26 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigsteion is joined by Christoph Biermann and Jonathan Harding to react to Werder Bremen clinging on to their Bundesliga status by the skin of their teeth after an away goals victory in the play-off against Heidenheim, a result that maybe casts doubt on the future of the relegation play-off itself.

Elsewhere they look at a comfortable victory for Bayern Munich over Bayer Leverkusen in the DFB Pokal final, ponder whether this defeat could hasten the departure of Kai Havertz from Leverkusen, and also consider the future of Bayern's Thiago Alcantara and whether German football should really have shown him more appreciation during his stay at Bayern

Subscribe to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled German football coverage - head to theathletic.com/bundesligasback for a 30-day free trial

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Thrills but no spills on the Bundesliga final day

Mon, 29 Jun 2020 12:52:26 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to look back at an exciting final day of the season in the Bundesliga as Werder Bremen spectacularly won only their second home game of the season to avoid relegation, Fortuna Dusseldorf went down after a defeat at Union Berlin and Gladbach clinched the final Champions League spot ahead of Leverkusen.

Elsewhere there were joyous celebrations at Bayern but without the usual celebratory beer soaking, a miserable end to the season for Schalke who find themselves mired in crisis, and we take a look at the goings on in Bundesliga II as Hamburg blow the chance to qualify for the promotion play-off.

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The Werder Inquiry

Mon, 22 Jun 2020 15:08:07 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Archie Rhind-Tutt to look back at the penultimate weekend of the Bundesliga season. With defeat against Mainz leaving Werder Bremen on the brink of relegation we try to decipher the reasons behind their collapse this season.

Elsewhere there is praise for Hansi Flick after Bayern confirmed their 8th successive title, more question marks over the future of Lucien Favre at Dortmund and we check in on Leipzig's lacklustre end to a once promising campaign

Sign up to The Athletic for access to Raphael Honigstein's unrivalled Bundesliga coverage - head to theathletic.com/bundesligasback for a 40% discount

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Bayern close in on title as Werder Bremen close in on safety

Mon, 15 Jun 2020 15:34:37 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann & Kevin Hatchard to look at a Bundesliga weekend that saw Bayern move within three points of confirming an 8th successive title, Dortmund relying on an injury time winner to beat Dusseldorf, and Werder Bremen secure a big win at Paderborn to boost their hopes of survival.

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Schalke Shambles, Werder Woes & Leipzig Labours

Mon, 08 Jun 2020 15:12:11 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann & Jonathan Harding to reflect on the Bundesliga weekend.

The teams discuss the struggles of Schalke and Werder Bremen,the effect Werner's departure will have on RB Leipzig, and the emergence of one of the Bundesliga's next top talents in Florian Wirtz

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No love for Wagner at Schalke, Bayern edge closer to title + another impressive win for Hertha

Mon, 01 Jun 2020 14:55:19 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann & Kevin Hatchard to look at the Bundesliga weekend that saw another impressive victory for a resurgent Hertha Berlin, Bayern take another step towards the title, and a damaging defeat for David Wagner as Schalke lost to strugglers Werder Bremen, plus we discuss the reaction from clubs & the authorities in Germany to the players who came out in support for George Floyd and the Black Lives Matter movement over the weekend.

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Der Klassiker reaction - Bayern take huge step to 8th title in a row and what does that mean for Dortmund & the Bundesliga?

Wed, 27 May 2020 05:00:10 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein hops straight from the TV studio onto the pod to react to Bayern Munich's win over Borussia Dortmund in Der Klassiker - looking at the reasons behind Bayern's dominance, what the result means for the future of Lucien Favre as Dortmund manager, and what it does for the international reputation of the Bundesliga.

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Havertz, Werner and Hertha impress + Der Klassiker preview

Mon, 25 May 2020 11:14:01 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann & Kevin Hatchard to look back at the Bundesliga weekend which saw impressive performances from Leverkusen's Kai Havertz, Leipzig's Timo Werner and a big win for Hertha in the Berlin derby. The guys are also joined by Lars Pollmann from The Yellow Wall pod to preview Tuesday's pivotal Der Klassiker between Dortmund & Bayern

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Bundesliga restart: ghost games and ghost goats

Mon, 18 May 2020 15:28:41 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein looks at how the Bundesliga performed over the weekend with the eyes of the world watching the first round of 'ghost games', with insight from Christoph Biermann & Archie Rhind-Tutt who were both in stadiums at the weekend

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Bundesliga prepares for kick-off despite sending Dynamo Dresden into quarantine

Mon, 11 May 2020 10:35:30 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann and Kevin Hatchard to look at the latest around the Bundesliga's impending return despite Dynamo Dresden's whole squad having to quarantine for 14-days due after two players tested positive for COVID-19, we also get the latest on how players have reacted to being back in action, and the guys make their predictions for the title race, European spots and relegation

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The Bundesliga is back

Thu, 07 May 2020 06:00:31 GMT

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Latest on the Bundesliga's proposal to return in May

Mon, 27 Apr 2020 13:17:22 GMT

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Mesut Ozil's agent on the realities of coronavirus for players and clubs

Mon, 20 Apr 2020 14:31:10 GMT

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Didi Hamann on Hansi Flick and the futures of Neuer, Werner, Sancho and Sané

Mon, 06 Apr 2020 12:20:55 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by the former Bayern & Liverpool midfielder Didi Hamann and journalist Christoph Biermann to react to the news of Hansi Flick being given the Bayern job full-time,plus their take on the uncertain futures of Manuel Neuer, Timo Werner, Jadon Sancho & Leroy Sané

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1998/99 Bundesliga Rebooted with Jan Age Fjortoft

Thu, 26 Mar 2020 05:00:26 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by special guest Jan Age Fjortoft along with regulars Christoph Biermann & Kevin Hatchard for a look back the 1998/99 Bundesliga season as part of our Rebooted series. Jan scored a crucial goal to keep Frankfurt up on the last day in a 5-way relegation battle, as well as looking at that amazing day the team also drop in on a miserable end to the season for Bayern and also reminisce about the worst kit design in German football history

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Does Covid-19 threaten the identity of German football as we know it?

Wed, 18 Mar 2020 05:00:06 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann, Jonathan Harding and Kevin Hatchard to discuss how the Bundesliga have reacted so far to the Covid-19 crisis and whether it could bring about fundamental changes to the famous 50+1 ownership model in German football

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Business As Usual

Mon, 09 Mar 2020 11:28:36 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann, Jonathan Harding and Felix Tamsut to look at the continued dispute between the ultras and the DFB, Bayern being very Bayern and opening up a 4 point lead at the top, and they cast an eye on the teams struggling towards the bottom of the Bundesliga

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Protest and Prejudice: The Culture War between Ultras and the Bundesliga

Mon, 02 Mar 2020 10:53:16 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann, Kevin Hatchard and Archie Rhind-Tutt to discuss the remarkable scenes at Hoffenheim v Bayern where the game was stopped and then played out in farce after protests from fans against Hoffenheim president Dietmar Hopp. They also run the rule over Bayern, Hertha and Leipzig after another exciting weekend in the Bundesliga.

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The Carnival Edition

Mon, 24 Feb 2020 12:39:11 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Kevin Hatchard, Jonathan Harding and Archie Rhind-Tutt to look back at the weekend in the Bundesliga and ahead to the Champions League last 16 tie between Bayern Munich and Chelsea

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Hertha win post Klinsmann, Dortmund dazzle and what's next for Werner, Thiago and Sane?

Mon, 17 Feb 2020 12:23:43 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Christoph Biermann, Marc Schwitzky and Christian Falk to look back at the weekend in the Bundesliga, discuss the fallout from Jurgen Klinsmann's departure as Hertha Berlin boss, and assess the future for Timo Werner, Thiago and Leroy Sane

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No can do: Bayern vs Leipzig falls flat as Dortmund sizzle and flop once more at Leverkusen

Mon, 10 Feb 2020 10:40:50 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Jonathan Harding & Christoph Biermann to look at a Bundesliga weekend that saw a stalemate between Bayern and Leipzig and a potentially disastrous defeat for Dortmund against fellow contenders Leverkusen

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Plea's double-booking spoils BMG's trip to Leipzig, Bayern keep it simple in Mainz and the latest on the Sané saga

Mon, 03 Feb 2020 11:35:17 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by Kevin Hatchard & Jonathan Harding to look back at a weekend in the Bundesliga that saw Bayern go top, more goals for Erling Haaland, and an incident-packed draw between RB Leipzig & Gladbach. We also hear from The Athletic's Manchester City correspondent for the latest on Bayern's ongoing pursuit of Leroy Sane.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - Gladbach defender Oscar Wendt

Thu, 30 Jan 2020 17:05:09 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein sits down with Borussia Mönchengladbach left-back Oscar Wendt - they discuss Wendt's lengthy nine year spell at Gladbach, the club's progression in that time, what it's like inside the current dressing room, and we find out what he's watching on Netflix right now.

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Leipzig struggling at the summit as Bayern, Gladbach and Dortmund gain ground

Mon, 27 Jan 2020 11:20:01 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by broadcaster Kevin Hatchard and writer Christoph Biermann to reflect on the weekend in the Bundesliga - focusing on the picture at the top of the table as leaders RB Leipzig lose and the chasing pack of Bayern, Gladbach and Dortmund all take maximum points. We also hear from Gladbach left-back Oscar Wendt on whether the lack of Europa League football will help his side in their pursuit of the title.

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EXCLUSIVE INTERVIEW - Schalke & USA midfielder Weston McKennie

Tue, 21 Jan 2020 05:00:19 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein sat down with Schalke and USA midfielder Weston McKennie during the recent winter break. They covered Schalke's improvement under David Wagner, the change in tactics, and discussed Weston's positional versatility.

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Wagner love and lift off for Er Norwegian

Mon, 20 Jan 2020 13:00:02 GMT

The Athletic's Raphael Honigstein is joined by German football journalists Jonathan Harding & Christoph Biermann to round-up all the action after the Bundesliga returned from its winter break. The guys hear from Schalke's Weston McKennie on how David Wagner has transformed the side since coming in, they marvel at Erling Haaland's debut hat-trick for Dortmund, and assess whether Leipzig really can hold on in the second half of the season to win the title.

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Steilcast - Trailer

Wed, 15 Jan 2020 16:41:54 GMT

Steilcast is the brand new German football podcast from The Athletic. Every Monday Raphael Honigstein will be rounding up all the biggest stories from the Bundesliga and German football, as well as hearing from a host of players and managers.

To hear an ad-free version of this podcast you can sign up to The Athletic with a 40% discount using the promo code GERMANPOD

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