Kaiserslautern pushing for Bundesliga return

Although Kaiserslautern last appeared amongst the elite in 2012, German football supporters of a certain age will remember Lautern as one of the country’s most traditional and iconic clubs. Formed in 1900, the Rhineland-Palatinate-based outfit twice won the German championship before becoming one of the Bundesliga’s inaugural participants in 1963.

They spent the next 33 years in the top flight, winning the title in 1990/91 before suffering a maiden relegation at the end of the 1995/96 term. That setback, though, only set the scene for one of the most memorable comebacks in football history, as Kaiserslautern immediately won promotion back before crowning their Bundesliga return with the top-flight title. The 90s also saw two DFB Cups head to the Fritz-Walter-Stadion, in itself a ground that is another example of their historic pedigree with a capacity of over 50,000.

From 1954 FIFA World Cup winner Fritz Walter to a member of the 2014 vintage Miroslav Klose, Kaiserslautern have been blessed with unforgettable talent. Even after the likes of Klose and Michael Ballack had sought pastures new, the Red Devils remained a Bundesliga club, albeit unable to match their past standards.

The start of the century brought with it financial problems, with 2003 a particularly difficult year, as the club were forced to sell the stadium to the regional government in order to avoid bankruptcy. Against that backdrop, relegation in 2006 was hardly a surprise, and neither was the four-year stint in Bundesliga 2 that followed.

Promotion in 2010 offered some short-term hope, but despite a seventh-placed finish in 2010/11, they were bottom of the pile the following year, and they have not been back in the Bundesliga since. They initially looked close to another revival before mediocrity set in and the unthinkable occurred in 2018 – a drop to Germany’s third division.

Then chairman Patrick Banf summed up Lautern’s plight the best. “In the past 10 years, Kaiserslautern always lived like a Bundesliga side, but, unfortunately, they rarely played like one”. Yet, while the Red Devils were easily the biggest club in the third division, producing unprecedented attendances at that level, things were about to get worse before they got better.

A history of underwhelming transfers, dating back to the early 2000s, finally caught up with them and, even despite the money-raising visit of Bayern Munich for a pre-season friendly, Kaiserslautern were officially declared bankrupt in 2020 amidst the COVID-19 pandemic, which had significant economic consequences for clubs across the continent.

That could have been the end of one of German football’s institutions, but Kaiserslautern showed resolve reminiscent of their 1998 Bundesliga triumph. After stabilising in the 3. Liga, they regained their place in Bundesliga 2 in 2022 and have stayed there ever since, even reaching the DFB Cup final in 2023/24 before losing to Bayer Leverkusen. That said, club legend Friedhelm Funkel was required to come in and steer them away from the drop beforehand.

Now, under ex-player Markus Anfang, they find themselves in the middle of a real promotion battle. Just six points separate leaders Paderborn and 11th-placed Hertha Berlin after 15 matchdays, but Kaiserslautern are currently just one point off the summit courtesy of a seven-game unbeaten run.

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In recent weeks, while others around them have floundered, Anfang and Co. have impressed, defeating Eintracht Braunschweig, Schalke and local rivals Karlsruhe in succession and scoring three times on each occasion. They have performed well at both ends of the pitch – only three teams have conceded fewer than their 21 goals, and just two have managed more than the 29 they have struck themselves – and also beat Paderborn 3-0 in October to start off their current streak.

Matching the exploits of Walter and Klose will take some doing, but nine-goal striker Ragnar Ache, Bundesliga 2’s joint-top goalscorer, strike partner Daniel Hanslik and captain Marlon Ritter are amongst the current heroes doing everything they can to get Kaiserslautern rubbing shoulders with the cream of the crop once more.

Following the win against Kalsruhe, Ritter warned against complacency in a league famous for the seemingly ever-changing fortunes of its 18 clubs. “We have to be careful: six or seven games ago, we were written off badly,” he said. “We fought our way out of that. We can't get carried away now, we have to give it our all week after week. That's the only way! If we hit top gear on the pitch, it's hard to beat us.”

Watch: Kaiserslautern 3-1 Karlsruhe - highlights

That is a view no doubt shared by boss Anfang, who continues his personal quest for redemption. While he has come close to promotion with Holstein Kiel, Cologne and Werder Bremen, the Bundesliga has thus far remained elusive. It is no secret that he is keen to test himself against the best, and he has certainly put his team in a position to get there.

Things can change quickly and, with last season’s Bundesliga duo Darmstadt and Cologne to come in the next two fixtures before the winter break, there is no time to sit back and bask in a start to the campaign that has exceeded expectations. After everything they have been through, however, Kaiserslautern supporters will know by now to savour the good times, and they will be hoping it will soon be their time to shine once more.