Who are Arminia Bielefeld? | OneFootball

Arminia Bielefeld: Who are the DFB Cup finalists returning to Bundesliga 2?

The 2024/25 season has been one to remember for Arminia Bielefeld, who have earned promotion back up to Bundesliga 2 alongside a giant-killing DFB Cup run that has earned them a place in the final.

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Following two years away, Bielefeld have returned to Bundesliga 2 after one of the most exciting campaigns in the club's history.

The story of 2024/25

Mitch Kniat’s side owe much of their success in the third division to their home form, losing just three of 19 games at the SchücoArena, while they have also picked up an impressive 34 points on the road.

They have scored for fun at one end and kept it tight at the other, netting three or more goals on 10 occasions, and keeping 14 clean sheets in the process.

Julian Kania has shown what he can do with regular game time this season. (Thomas F. Starke)

Those attributes, coupled with their hard-running style and never-say-die attitude have helped them reach this season’s DFB Cup final against VfB Stuttgart, having knocked out four Bundesliga teams on the way in Union Berlin, Freiburg, Werder Bremen and holders Bayer Leverkusen.

Key player: Julian Kania

Captain Mael Corboz has led by example with eight goals and six assists from midfield, but young striker Julian Kania, on loan from Nuremberg, has stolen the limelight with 17 goals in all competitions, helping propel the Blues up the table and into the cup showpiece.

Coach

Kniat laced his boots in Germany's lower divisions as a player before moving into coaching in 2014. The 39-year-old has spent the majority of his career in the dugout in the third division, first with an 18-month spell at Verl (2022-2023), before joining Bielefeld ahead of the 2023/24 season from Verl.

History

Founded on 3 May 1905 as 1. Bielefelder FC Arminia, the club’s first Bundesliga season came in 1970/71. Their time in the top flight didn’t last long, though, and after several years in the lower divisions, they enjoyed five consecutive years in the Bundesliga between 2004-2009, a period in which Germany internationals Patrick Owomoyela and Heiko Westermann played for the club.

Bielefeld returned to the top-flight for one more season in 2020/21 with a squad that included current Bundesliga stars Ritsu Dōan, Amos Pieper as well as current Germany international goalkeeper, Stefan Ortega. Back-to-back relegations and very nearly a drop to the fourth tier left the club on the brink, but the 2024/25 campaign has more than steadied the ship.

>>> Find out more about Bielefeld's history here

Stadium

The SchücoArena is affectionately know as the ‘Bielefelder Alm’, in reference to the site's history as a farmer’s field. With a capacity of just over 27,000, and the stadium was used as a venue during the Women’s U20 World Cup in 2010 and even hosted the final of the tournament, which Germany won.

Leverkusen boss Xabi Alonso compared it to Liverpool's Anfield for the noise levels in the cup semi-final.

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