Rot-Weiss Essen travels to SC Verl on Saturday (December 13, 4:30 p.m.). Uwe Koschinat celebrates his one-year anniversary at Rot-WSiebers on the DFB Cup against Ingolstadt and the humble Lenz and Koscierski

Sunday marks the end of the soccer year for VfL Bochum’s U19 team. After the game against FC Ingolstadt, they are set to reach the semifinals of the DFB Cup.

On Sunday (12 p.m.), VfL Bochum’s U19 team will play one more game in the 2025 soccer year. In the quarterfinals of the DFB Cup, coach David Siebers’ team will host FC Ingolstadt.

We spoke with the coach about the last game of the year and his assessment of 2025.

David Siebers on …

… the balancing act between results and transfers to the pros. With Kacper Koscierski and Cajetan Lenz, two U19 players are playing in the 2nd Bundesliga: “We have to be particularly good as a team. If we have really good individual players, it’s important to me that everyone in the team can also subordinate themselves and fit in. And if you want to celebrate individual successes and developments, you can only do that with a united team that helps you develop. The two players mentioned are the best example. They were always humble in their training, led the way, and always trained and played at their limits. Despite all the steps they have taken, they have never been arrogant and have always been role models. And it’s also important to me that I support the boys in their training in terms of their personality.“

… the cup quarter-final against FC Ingolstadt: ”It will be a fitting and enjoyable end to the year. The first half of the year was successful; we qualified for the main round in a difficult group. People saw the quality SV Wehen Wiesbaden had, we even finished ahead of Bayer Leverkusen. And we’ve had individual successes with the players, even though there have been a few injuries. So that’s very impressive. And now we’re really looking forward to the quarterfinal in the DFB Cup at the end of the year.“

… the opponent from Ingolstadt: ”We’re looking forward to an opponent we don’t know from the league—that was my wish. We have video footage of all their cup and league games, which we’ve already previewed. The analysis is in its final stages. We’ll know our opponent extremely well. It’s important to me that the boys bring what makes VfL soccer special to the pitch.“

… the danger of underestimating the opponent: ”It will be anything but a walk in the park. They knocked out Nuremberg and Kaiserslautern, so it will be a game between two evenly matched teams. Ingolstadt already plays very maturely and with great determination. We have a big task ahead of us.“

… the VfL squad ahead of the game against FCI: ”Some players will definitely be missing. Jaden Kibbe and Ruben Schneider are coming back, though.“

… the 2025 soccer year: ”The whole year was great. The course of the last main round was also very special. We won the Westphalia Cup, the boys were there when it mattered. I hope the same will be true for the game against Ingolstadt.” cb / gp

eiss Essen.

It was December 12, 2024, when Uwe Koschinat took up his post at Rot-Weiss Essen and was presented as the successor to Christoph Dabrowski.

One year later, the 54-year-old sat at the press conference before the game at SC Verl and was asked by the media what the 365 days as coach of Rot-Weiss Essen had done to him.

Koschinat recalls: “In any case, a year ago I was absolutely aware of the initial situation. A year later, you can’t compare the situation. When I took over, a match between two traditional clubs in extreme crisis was just around the corner. VfL Osnabrück was in an even worse position than RWE.“

He goes on to explain: ”It was very exciting to get to know a team in such a short time. They then developed very well. The people made me feel that I was part of this club and that I could be very close to them emotionally. They made me feel that I was in the right place.”

And Koschinat is well aware that expectations of the team, the coach, and indeed the entire club have risen. “With the successes, expectations have also changed somewhat and been raised. The expectation for the final result is no longer just to avoid relegation. But we are facing up to that and I also see further potential. With two successful weeks, we can play the best first half of the season in the history of the third division, and we have this in our own hands.“

RWE has 30 points to its name. Nevertheless, there is still some rumbling. Koschinat has also come to terms with this sometimes critical audience and media. He says: ”At Rot-Weiss Essen, there is always a ‘but’. That’s also part of the club. We are in a really great position at the moment.“

The Essen crowd may be critical at times, but they are also very emotional towards their favorites – regardless of whether they are coaches or players. The ‘Uwe’ chants are standard after winning games. ”I can’t deny that it made me very proud.”

“Uwe, Uwe” could once again be heard from around 2,000 Essen throats if Rot-Weiss Essen wins away at SC Verl on Saturday for the first time in over twelve years. Just in time for Koschinat’s red-and-white anniversary – actually a perfect moment.