Football’s “sleeping giants” should be cherished
The rise and fall of big clubs is a sign of healthy competition
FOOTBALL FANS outside Germany may not pay much attention to the country’s second division. After all, Europe boasts a plethora of high-quality leagues and there are only so many hours in the day. Still, those who overlook Bundesliga 2 are missing out. Aficionados consider it one of the continent’s most exciting club competitions, with closely fought, often high-scoring matches and exuberant fan cultures. It is certainly well attended. Last season the average match-day crowd was 29,189, greater than that of Spain’s highest league, La Liga.
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