First top game of the season! Newly promoted Bielefeld hosts Düsseldorf

After a euphoric summer, Arminia Bielefeld is looking forward to the new second division season with great anticipation and confidence. With their surprise run to the DFB Cup final and their commanding promotion from the 3. Liga, the East Westphalians not only impressed on the pitch, but also rekindled their emotional bond with their fans. Buoyed by renewed energy and growing self-confidence, they are now ready to kick off again.

"Thanks to last year's sporting success, everyone who holds Arminia in their hearts has brought a great deal of positive energy into this season. Everyone in the club is currently feeling this energy and it motivates us to continue working hard to ensure this positive momentum is maintained," Arminia Bielefeld's sporting director Michael Mutzel told the German Press Agency.

There's unprecedented hype surrounding Arminia. Membership numbers and season ticket sales are at record levels. Last season's cup run was a balm for Bielefeld's battered football soul. The team prevailed against higher-class opponents like SC Freiburg, Werder Bremen, and Bayer Leverkusen with tactical discipline, unbridled commitment, and clever transition play—virtues that will also be in demand in the 2nd division.

"We're very confident going into the upcoming second division season," Mutzel said. "Of course, the 2. Bundesliga will be a huge challenge for us, but we're aware of the quality of our team, and that makes us positive." The core of the promoted team has been maintained and specifically strengthened, the official emphasized.

The club compensated for the departures of Marius Wörl (Hannover 96) and Louis Oppie (FC St. Pauli) with the signings of Tim Handwerker and Marvin Mehlem. Young newcomers Jonathan Norbye, Benjamin Boakye, and Florian Micheler expand the squad's options. Head coach Mitch Kniat, who took over at the helm in Bielefeld for the 2023/24 season following relegation to the 3. Liga, continues to provide stability and leadership.

With this consistency and self-confidence, the club now intends to continue on its chosen path – but remains realistic despite the euphoria: "Last season, we saw how difficult the 2. Bundesliga is for teams promoted from the 3. Liga. We want to get into the league as quickly as possible and establish ourselves. Therefore, staying in the league is, of course, our main goal," explained Mutzel.

Bielefeld will kick off the season with a home game on Saturday evening (8:30 p.m./Sky and RTL), facing Fortuna Düsseldorf, one of the favorites in the promotion race. "A good start to the season is extremely important for every team. We know, of course, that Fortuna Düsseldorf is a top team in the 2. Bundesliga and is certainly among the promotion contenders," Mutzel said. With a "top performance," however, they could make things "very difficult" for their opponents and even win.

One of Arminia's strengths at home, which was also a key factor in the year they were promoted, is expected to be their trump card. Perhaps they can also leverage this strength two weeks later in the DFB-Pokal: In the first round, they will face SV Werder Bremen, the first division team they defeated in the cup quarterfinals last February. A matchup awaits that will evoke memories—and perhaps hold the next magical moment.