Page 58 - Soccer360 Issue 107

SEASON PREVIEW
EPL SEASON REVIEW
2024-25
LAST SEASON
LAST SEASON
LAST SEASON
‘UNION BERLIN
REALLY
HAD A
AMAZING
FALL FROM
GRACE
LAST
SEASON
AS THEY
WENT
FROM 4TH
TO 15TH
IN THE
SPAN OF
JUST 12
MONTHS.’
KEY PLAYER
KEY PLAYER
KEY PLAYER
ST. PAULI
FINISH: 1st (2. Bundesliga) RECORD: 20-9-5
MOST GOALS: Hartel (17)
STUTTGART
FINISH: 2nd place RECORD: 23-4-7
MOST GOALS: Guirassy (28)
UNION BERLIN
FINISH: 15th place RECORD: 9-6-19
MOST GOALS: Gosens (6)
One of two newly promoted sides who will be featuring in the top-flight this season,
St. Pauli will be looking to make their stay
a longer-term affair. They are back in the Bundesliga for the first time in over a decade, and interestingly, for the first time in club history, are playing in a higher tier than cross-town rivals Hamburg, who failed to secure promotion after finishing fourth in the 2.Bundesliga last season. Fabian Hürzeler, who led them to the title, has since departed, with Alexander Blessin hoping to endear himself to his new fans by keeping them afloat this term. It will be tricky, but opponents will face a unique atmosphere when visiting Millerntor-Stadion.
Jackson Irvine
If it wasn’t for the sensational, record- breaking achievements of Bayer Leverkusen, there would have been
so much more attention of Stuttgart’s magnificent performance last term. Led by the goalscoring exploits of Serhou Guirassy as well as Deniz Undav, Sebastian Hoeneß’s squad went from relegation contenders during the 2022-23 term to successfully securing second in the league in 2023-24. That means that Stuttgart will be competing in the Champions League for the first time since the 2009-10 campaign
- but they have been dealt a huge blow with the departure of key striker Guirassy to rival club Borussia Dortmund during this summer’s transfer window. Undav has also returned to parent club Brighton & Hove Albion, so a repeat of last season seems unlikely.
Chris Führich
Union Berlin earned plenty of rave reviews during the 2022-23 season as their fourth placed finish earned them a spot in the Champions League for the first time in club history. Fast forward 12 months later, and they were battling for their top-flight status in a nightmare 2023-24 campaign. In fact, were it not for a very late goal on the final matchday, Union Berlin would have had to try their luck during the relegation playoffs. Now under the guidance of Bo Svensson, will they be able to prove that last season’s disaster was just a minor blip? Midfielder Laszlo Benes and former Borussia Dortmund youngster Tom Rothe are the standout summer additions.
Laszlo Benes
56 SOCCER360