1. FC Magdeburg 2025/26 season preview: A new era begins under Fiedler | OneFootball

2024-25 season recap

After a campaign that promised so much, FC Magdeburg were left disappointed with a 5th-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga. For large stretches of the season, they were firmly in the promotion hunt, but a poor run of form from late April into May ultimately dashed those hopes. Costly defeats to struggling sides - most notably a 1-0 loss away to SSV Ulm and a dismal 0-5 home thrashing by Preußen Münster - defined a bitter end to the campaign.

Despite some magnificent results across the course of the campaign which rightly gained them a lot of praise from the footballing world, it was ultimately their home form that betrayed them last season. Remarkably, Magdeburg finished top of the away form table as they gained 31 of their 53 points on their travels. In contrast, they picked up just 22 points at the Avnet Arena, placing them 14th in the home form standings - leaving fans to wonder what could have been with a more balanced record.

One undoubted bright spot was the red-hot form of Martijn Kaars, who netted 19 league goals - second only to Hamburg’s Davie Selke. Much of Magdeburg’s success was built on the Dutch striker’s consistency in front of goal, and the club will once again rely on him to fire them towards the top half of the table.

Coaching change

The departure of long-serving head coach Christian Titz to Hannover 96 confirmed at the end of last season marked the end of an era. He had been at the club for four and a half years - joining in February 2021 when Magdeburg were battling relegation in the 3. Liga - and led them to a remarkable promotion in his second season followed by continued stability in the 2. Bundesliga.

Titz was a very popular figure during his tenure, with many supporters sad to see him leave. For some, it feels like losing a key architect of one of the club’s most exciting recent eras. Since taking charge, Titz reversed Magdeburg’s fortunes - with last season's fifth-placed finish the club’s highest since the reunification of German football in 1990.

The task of building on the impressive foundations laid by Titz, falls to new head coach Markus Fiedler. The 39-year-old has impressed whilst working his way up the ranks at VfB Stuttgart, demonstrating his ability to nurture and develop young prospects, first coaching the U-17 side before guiding the reserve side to promotion to the 3. Liga.

Otmar Schork, Magdeburg’s Managing Director of Sport was full of praise upon the announcement of Fiedler’s arrival: “Markus has done an outstanding job at VfB Stuttgart for several years, developing young, talented players with a targeted approach. Together with him on the team, we want to continue to shape the future of our Magdeburg successfully.”

The 2. Bundesliga presents a new level of challenge for Fiedler, but he appears eager to embrace it. With big shoes to fill, the early weeks of the season will be crucial in determining whether he can settle quickly and push the club towards a long-awaited first promotion to the Bundesliga.

Pre-season preparations

Magdeburg’s pre-season results have raised some concerns as Fiedler looks to implement his ideas. They began brightly with commanding wins over lower-league opposition, SV Dessau and Burger BC, but things took a downturn in July. A 0-2 loss to Swiss side FC Zürich was followed by a disappointing 2-5 home defeat to 3. Liga outfit Rot-Weiss Essen.

That was compounded by a frustrating 1-1 draw with Chemnitzer FC, a Regionalliga side Magdeburg would have expected to beat even in pre-season. While the final friendly - a narrow 3-4 loss to Bundesliga side VfL Wolfsburg - offered more positives in terms of attacking rhythm and intensity, the persistent defensive issues continue to cast a shadow over preparations.

Fiedler has voiced his frustration publicly, acknowledging that concentration and discipline - particularly in the back line - must improve if they are to start the season strongly.

Transfers

The tale of the transfer window so far has focused mainly around outgoings for Magdeburg. Players such as Xavier Amaechi (End of contract), Mohammed El Hankouri (End of contract) and Livan Burcu (End of loan) who combined for 14 league goals last season have all left the club. Further departures include Bryan Teixeira (End of loan), Patric Pfeiffer (End of loan) and Jason Ceka (End of contract).

The general feeling among the fan base is that not enough has been done by Managing Director of Sport Otmar Schork to compensate for the host of outgoings, many of whom had a big impact last season. The arrival of attacking midfielder Laurin Ulrich on loan from Stuttgart represents the only true new addition for Magdeburg, with the hope he can take on some of the creative workload currently lacking from the side.

Andi Hoti, Aleksa Marušić, and Robert Leipertz return from loan spells, but it remains unclear how prominently they will feature in Fiedler’s plans - each was previously considered surplus to requirements under Titz. Supporters will be hoping Schork has a few surprises up his sleeve before the window closes, as they appear desperate for quality reinforcements.

Predicted starting line-up

4-2-3-1:

Reimann (GK) - Musonda, Hugonet, Müller, Hercher - Gnaka, Mathisen - Atik, Ulrich, Baars - Kaars

It is expected that Markus Fiedler will attempt to roll with a 4-2-3-1 system with the flexibility and personnel to change to a 4-3-3 or even a five-man back line if required. Injuries may force Fiedler into some early reshuffling - most notably, centre-back Daniel Heber is currently sidelined with a knee issue. That could see Hercher shift into a defensive role and offer a big opportunity to young winger Magnus Baars, who impressed in the last friendly against Wolfsburg.

Predictions for the upcoming season

Given the significant transition - both in terms of coaching and personnel - it may be unrealistic to expect Magdeburg to reach the heights of last season's 5th-place finish. A period of adaptation seems inevitable, and the early weeks will be critical for Fiedler and the team. If results don’t come quickly, there’s a risk of early pressure mounting on both the players and the new coach.

That said, there is still clear talent within the squad. With Kaars leading the line and Atik pulling strings in midfield, Magdeburg should have enough quality to remain competitive. However, without further reinforcements, a realistic expectation would be a mid-to-lower table finish with most tipping Magdeburg for this exact fate. A position anywhere between 8th and 13th whilst avoiding any real relegation worries would likely be considered acceptable given the current players at Fiedler’s disposal.

Magdeburg kick off their campaign at home to Eintracht Braunschweig, last season’s 16th-placed side, before a tough away trip to newly promoted Dynamo Dresden who will be looking to hit the ground running themselves. A fast start could build momentum and belief - but if the issues from pre-season persist, it might be a tricky road ahead for the Fiedler era.