Arminia Bielefeld still finding their feet in 2 Bundesliga

Bielefeld clinched promotion from the German third tier at the end of the 2024/25 season and are currently 9th on the log with 17 points from 12 games – having won five, lost five and drawn two. 

Speaking to SABC Sport, Wortmann says the players are still getting used to the style and level of the second tier. 

"To be back in the Bundesliga 2 was an amazing step for us. Yes, we were in the German Cup final, but to be back in the second Bundesliga is important, both from a financial and sport perspective as well,” Wortmann said. 

“Now we have young players in our team, they came from the third division with us to the second one, and now it's new and they have to find their ways. 

"They are very young and talented, but in the end it's a little bit different football now and they have to improve their skills, but they are doing very well.  

“We are now in the middle of the league and everything is fine. It's good to see that they are so young and hungry and they want to do more. 

"We won the first two matches and they want to go to the first division, yes, but let us go our way. It's nice to see."

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The German side are back in South Africa to host coaching clinics – something they have been doing for five years, while also announcing a partnership with Bolabatha United FC, a football academy based in Johannesburg. 

Wortmann says it's crucial for them to continue investing in South African grassroots. 

"We start today and we are looking forward to this partnership, it's for us the next milestone, the next step. We always told our friends in South Africa that we want to be sustainable in this market in the long term and we've been here for five years,” he added. 

“We want to be here on a daily basis, now it's not on the daily basis but it's more on a regular basis that we have the football school here in South Africa, and we are looking forward to this partnership."