Greuther Fürth vs Dynamo Dresden preview: Kleeblatt host 2. Bundesliga returnees | OneFootball

Greuther Fürth

Following a turbulent 2024/25 campaign, Fürth enter the new season with renewed optimism. Thomas Kleine begins his first full term as head coach, having helped guide the club to survival and a 13th-place finish last season while serving as interim boss alongside Milorad Pekovic.

Their summer recruitment has shown intent, with the club blending experience and youthful energy. New arrivals such as defenders Phillip Ziereis, Brynjar Ingi Bjarnason and Jannik Dehm, along with midfielder Mathias Olesen, bring leadership and maturity to the side. Meanwhile, young talents like Lukas Reich, Timo Schlieck, and Aaron Keller will be eager to seize any opportunity handed to them to help push Fürth further up the table.

Pre-season has been encouraging. Fürth have delivered solid performances and promising results, showcasing the fight and intensity that Kleine demands. A 1-0 win over Bundesliga side Union Berlin in their final friendly will surely boost confidence ahead of the season opener.

“Overall, we’re satisfied,” said Kleine after that match. He called it “a very good test against a very good opponent, who is, however, still in the middle of their preparations.” He praised his side’s defensive work, adding, “We conceded few chances, which is the foundation for success in the second division.” He’ll be hoping for a similar display on Sunday.

Fürth also hold a psychological edge heading into this fixture, having gone unbeaten in their last seven meetings with Dresden. Though their last clash came in 2020, Fürth will be eager to extend that run and begin their season with a statement win.

Teams news:

Kleine was forced to improvise defensively in the final pre-season match, with Philipp Ziereis and Gian-Luca Itter - two-thirds of his preferred back three - both unavailable. Their availability for Sunday remains uncertain. Elsewhere, Aaron Keller, Sacha Banse, Marco John, Timo Schlieck, and Lukas Reich have all been ruled out through injury.

Dynamo Dresden

Dresden arrive in the 2. Bundesliga full of momentum after a strong 3. Liga campaign, where they finished runners-up and secured automatic promotion.

They’ve been active in the transfer market to prepare for the step up in quality, adding eight players - many with second-tier experience. Defenders Konrad Faber and Luca Herrmann, along with goalkeeper Lennart Grill, bring valuable know-how. Perhaps most notably, top scorer Christoph Daferner has been signed permanently from Nürnberg after netting 18 league goals while on loan last season.

In a major show of faith, Dresden extended the contract of head coach Thomas Stamm earlier this week. “As a coaching team, we want to continue moving forward with the team to take the next step with the club,” Stamm said. “It feels good to have the trust of those in charge. We’re incredibly excited about the challenges ahead.”

With backing from both the board and the squad, Stamm will be confident in steering Dresden clear of relegation danger in their first season back in the second tier. "Everyone here has been working toward this - I've been working toward this for a year, everyone else for three years - to be back where we want to be, where we see ourselves. But now it's up to everyone to prove that we belong there.” A bold statement of intent from the head-coach ahead of the opener.

Team News:

It appears that Stamm has a near fully fit squad to choose from, with only young midfielder Jacob Zickler confirmed to miss out so far. Vinko Sapina looks set to be available despite training individually during the week after picking up a knock in the friendly against SC Freiburg.

Predicted Line-ups

Greuther Fürth (3-4-2-1):

Boevink (GK) - König, Bjarnason, Münz - Dehm, Green, Dietz, Olesen - Klaus, Hrgota - Futkeu

Kleine may stick with the majority of the line-up from the Union Berlin friendly due to ongoing injuries. That would hand opportunities to young defenders Reno Münz and Noah König, though things could change should Ziereis and Itter get the all clear to play with a late decision expected to be made. With no fit left-sided full-back available, Mathias Olesen is expected to stand-in as a makeshift wing-back.

Dynamo Dresden (4-3-3):

Schreiber (GK) - Faber, Bünning, Kammerknecht, Rossipal - Sapina, Casar, Fröling - Lemmer, Daferner, Oehmichen

Stamm is expected to go with the same eleven that started the first hour of their final friendly against Bundesliga side SC Freiburg. Christoph Daferner will lead the line as he looks to carry over his prolific form from last season.