- Turbine prepares to solidify its position.
The highly anticipated return of Turbine Potsdam to the Bundesliga isn't expected to be a fleeting stint in Germany's premier women's football league. As Karsten Ritter-Lang, Turbine's president, expressed to "Kicker", "We can't compare ourselves to teams like Wolfsburg, Bayern, or Frankfurt, yet we're not in the deepest hole for staying, and we're determined to carve our own path. Our goal is to solidify our presence."
The task ahead is as daunting as it gets as the new season commences. Potsdam, with its rich history, faces its Bundesliga comeback on Friday (5:00 PM), squaring off against the reigning champions, Bayern Munich. To ensure their goal of avoiding relegation, the historic Brandenburg side might find solace in the fact that only one team will be demoted this season, thanks to the league's expansion to 14 teams the following year.
Struggles up front
To steer clear of the relegation dogfight, Gebhardt and Heinrichs' team need to bolster their offensive performance. Scoring was a prominent issue for Potsdam in their previous second-division campaign, scoring only 37 goals in 26 games. "We were lacking offensive punch," Ritter-Lang admitted.
Conversely, the defensive operations went much more swimmingly, with Potsdam boasting the second-best defense in the league, allowing only 18 goals.
Despite facing one of the toughest opponents in their opening game, Turbine Potsdam's determination to carve out their own path in the Bundesliga remains unwavering, even as they look towards their Bavarian rivals. The team from Bavaria, Bayern Munich, has set a high standard for women's football in Germany, but Potsdam's focus remains on solidifying their presence in the league.
As they aim to avoid relegation, Potsdam might find inspiration from the fact that they're competing in a league that has expanded to include 14 teams, with only one team set to be demoted this season.
