Teams | 02.08.2007
Karlsruhe
Karlsruhe ran away with the second division title last year so most soccer experts are giving them the best chance among the newly promoted clubs to survive in the top flight.
But this season is not going to be a cakewalk. Karlsruhe are faced with the daunting task of replacing last year's second-division MVP Giovanni Federico. They've signed a trio of forwards, Alexander Iashvili, Tamas Hajnal and Christian Timm, but none has shown he can perform at the top level.
In addition, Karlsruhe's defense looked shaky at times last season, and the squad is very small -- leaving the team vulnerable to injuries.
"In the first division, the teams play offensive soccer so we should be able to compete," commercial manager Rolf Dohmen has said.
Survival, however, remains anything but a sure-bet.
Coach: Eduard Becker
Acquisitions: Alexander Iashvili (Freiburg), Tamas Hajnal (Kaiserslautern), Christian Timm (Greuther Fürth), Stefan Buck (Unterhaching), Christopher Reinhard (Eintracht Frankfurt), Andreas Görlitz (on loan from Bayern München)
Departures: Jan Männer (Paderborn), Thomas Kies, Giovanni Federico (Borussia Dortmund), Jiri Kaufman (Erzgebirge Aue), Sascha Traut (Koblenz)
