Manuel Veth - 1860 Munich vs Aalen – Monday, February 18, 18:00GMT/19:00CET – Grünwalder Stadion, Munich, Germany 1860 Munich return to the Gr
Manuel Veth –
1860 Munich vs Aalen – Monday, February 18, 18:00GMT/19:00CET – Grünwalder Stadion, Munich, Germany
1860 Munich vs Aalen will take place at the Grünwalder Stadion in Munich (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Bongarts/Getty Images)
1860 Munich return to the Grünwalder Stadion after a difficult trip to Duisburg where they drew 1-1 against the oligarch run club KFC Uerdingen last Saturday. The extra break might in some ways be beneficial for 1860, but then there is one major issue.
Head coach Daniel Bierofka will have several vital tests on the route to his full coaching licence. It is a small line between getting the team ready and ensuring that Bierofka will finish the licence that will allow him to continue coaching the club. “I will somehow get the material in my head,” Bierofka said to the press this week.
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Aalen, in fact, has not been much of a talking point anyhow. Instead the major talking point this week was the architecture company Albert Speer + Partner, which has been put in charge of the putting together the feasibility study on the Grünwalder Stadion.
The question is whether the stadium can have a maximum capacity of 18,500, 25,000 or 30,000 visitors. Given the political pressure on the city 30,000 spectators does not seem impossible at the moment. But to get that stadium expanded 1860 need to stay at least in Liga 3.
To stay in the third division, the club needs points against Aalen. Three points, in fact, would be important after the club has collected just one point against Osnabrück and Uerdingen. Not that Bierofka will be able to tell his team much about Aalen, however.
The club from Baden-Württemberg fired head coach Argirios Giannikis and replaced him with Rico Schmitt this week. Aalen have struggled all season and are last in the league with just 17 points from 22 games. “We are happy that with Rico Schmitt the club was able to sign an experienced head coach. He is a coach hungry for success and knows Liga 3 and knows what is important in this situation,” an official statement by the club read.
1860 are four points clear of the relegation zone. But the Lions need points to remain clear from any relegation trouble. Facing Aalen, a club in trouble, is the perfect opportunity to do just that.
1860 Munich vs Aalen – Players to look out for:
Sascha Mölders #9 – 1860 Munich
1860 Munich need goals and the one man that can provide them is Sascha Mölders. The forward, in fact, is the best striker in the squad after Adriano Grimaldi left the club in January. Mölders has scored four goals in 21 games, in comparison Grimaldi has scored five goals in 19 games for 1860. Mölders needs to step it up for the Lions to shed any relegation worries.
Sascha Mölders of 1860 Muenchen gestures during the 3. Liga match between TSV 1860 Muenchen and KFC Uerdingen 05 at Stadion an der Gruenwalder Strasse on August 12, 2018 in Munich, Germany. (Photo by Sebastian Widmann/Bongarts/Getty Images)
Matthias Morys #10 – VfR Aalen
Aalen have two players that have scored more goals than any of 1860’s top scorers. One of them is Marcel Bär (seven goals), the other is Matthias Morys, who has also scored seven goals. Morys will be a key player against 1860, and the Lions will have to shut down the Aalen top scorer.
Matthias Morys of Aalen during the 3.Liga match between Wuerzburger Kickers and VfR Aalen at Germanyflyeralarm Arena on February 02, 2019 in Wuerzburg, Germany. (Photo by Karina Hessland/Bongarts/Getty Images)
1860 Munich vs Aalen – Match Stats
- The return fixture that 1860 won 4-1 was the only fixture between the two sides in Liga 3.
- 1860 Munich has lost just one of seven competitive games against Aalen. At home 1860 are still undefeated in three games, they have scored 8-1 goals.
- 1860 have conceded the second most goals by headers (10), Aalen have conceded the most (12).
Futbolgrad Network Prediction: 1860 Munich vs Aalen – 2-0
1860 Munich vs Aalen – Lineups
1860 Munich:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Hiller – Steinhart, Lorenz, Weber, Weeger – Berzel, Wein – Karger, Bekiroglu, Lex – Mölders
Head Coach: Daniel Bierofka
VfR Aalen:
Formation: 4-2-3-1
Bernhardt – Büyüksakarya, Geyer, Schoppenhauer, Funk – Lämmel, Fennell – Morys, Sessa, Andrist – Slisković
Head Coach: Rico Schmitt
Manuel Veth is the owner and Editor in Chief of the Futbolgrad Network. He also works as a freelance journalist and among others contributes to Forbes.com and Pro Soccer USA. He holds a Doctorate of Philosophy in History from King’s College London, and his thesis is titled: “Selling the People’s Game: Football’s transition from Communism to Capitalism in the Soviet Union and its Successor States,” which is available HERE. Originally from Munich, Manuel has lived in Amsterdam, Kyiv, Moscow, Tbilisi, London, and currently is located in Victoria BC, Canada. Follow Manuel on Twitter @ManuelVeth.
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