On the terraces: 'Der Klassiker' from the Südtribüne, Balkan security checks, VfB Lübeck saved

In a weekly Newsletter, Matt Ford keeps an eye on the action off the pitch in the Bundesliga and German football, explaining what’s going on from fan protests to finances.

Such is the twice-a-season international media interest in the fixture which the Bundesliga’s marketing men have dubbed "Der Klassiker" that this reporter's accreditation request for Borussia Dortmund vs. Bayern Munich was rejected. Frustrating but, on second thoughts, not the worst thing in the world. After all, what good would an "On the terraces" blog be from the press box? And so, Gegenpressing plunged into the teaming masses of the Südtribüne instead, a blissful world of flags, megaphones, drums and beer where the debate over whether Dortmund vs. Bayern really is "Der Klassiker" or not simply doesn't exist. Some Dortmund supporters had had rather less pleasant experiences in the Champions League in midweek, though, as had some VfB Stuttgart fans. Elsewhere, there was last-minute financial drama in Lübeck.

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Matt Ford's "On the terraces" newsletter will continue to appear every week throughout the 2024/25 Bundesliga season. Last season, the newsletter featured exclusive and in-depth coverage of the Bundesliga's private equity plans and the political intrigues at VfB Stuttgart, among other things. If you like what you see, please consider taking out a paid subscription.