Page 54 - Soccer360 Issue 107

SEASON PREVIEW
EPL SEASON REVIEW
2024-25
Dortmund, Bottom: Serhou Guirassy joins Borussia Dortmund after a phenomenal season with Stuttgart
Dortmund, Top:
Nuri Sahin becomes the Bundesliga’s youngest head coach as he takes over
at Borussia Dortmund
Frankfurt, Top:
Youngster Can Uzun
is expected to prosper
at Eintracht Frankfurt this season
LAST SEASON
LAST SEASON
LAST SEASON
‘EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
HAVE
SHOWN
THAT THEY CAN MIX IT
KEY PLAYER
UP WITH
THE BIGGER SIDES, AND
KEY PLAYER
KEY PLAYER
NOW ARE
AIMING FOR
THE TOP
FOUR.’
BORUSSIA DORTMUND
FINISH: 5th place RECORD: 18-9-7
MOST GOALS: Malen (13)
BORUSSIA MÖNCHENGLADBACH
FINISH: 14th place RECORD: 7-13-14 MOST GOALS: Hack (9)
EINTRACHT FRANKFURT
FINISH: 6th place
RECORD: 11-14-9
MOST GOALS: Marmoush (12)
For the first time in over ten years, Borussia Dortmund will not have Marco Reus in their ranks, but they do have a familiar face in charge: Nuri Sahin. The former midfielder will look to Xabi Alonso for inspiration as he aims to lead die Schwarzgelben to what would be their first Bundesliga title in well over a decade.
Although Dortmund made an impressive
- not to mention unexpected - run to the Champions League final last term, they come into the 2024-25 Bundesliga season having finished in fifth spot, which was their worst showing since 2015. They have made some exciting additions, with Serhou Guirassy and Waldemar Anton both being poached from Stuttgart, but while there are high expectations of this Dortmund side,
it remains to be seen whether they will be able to match those expectations or will fall short.
Serhou Guirassy
After finishing 14th last season and thus missing out on European football by a distance, Borussia Mönchengladbach will be another team desperate to chase down a coveted spot in one of the continental competitions.
It will be much easier said than done, however. Die Fohlen come into this season off the back of their worst ever performance in the Bundesliga since 2011, and they have not exactly made major waves in the transfer market, either. Gerardo Seoane still has his employers’ confidence - for now - but it goes without saying that Gladbach will need to improve by leaps and bounds in order to challenge for a spot in the European football places.
Alassane Pléa
Eintracht Frankfurt posted a very impressive sixth placed finish last season under current manager Dino Toppmöller, and on top of that, they have made some interesting signings, including Can Uzun from Nuremberg as well as securing
PSG’s Hugo Ekitiké on a permanent basis. However, they will need to improve even further if they want to have any shot at forcing their way into what will be some stiff competition for a spot in next season’s Champions League.
Retaining Egyptian international Omar Marmoush, who was his team’s top marksman with 17 goals across all comps, will hopefully be a boost, but simply put, Frankfurt will need to find a way of scoring more goals in order to really compete for a top four berth.
Omar Marmoush
52 SOCCER360