{"id":1141405,"date":"2020-05-14T13:43:15","date_gmt":"2020-05-14T12:43:15","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/?p=1141405"},"modified":"2020-05-15T16:31:57","modified_gmt":"2020-05-15T15:31:57","slug":"wolfsburgs-2008-09-bundesliga-winners-best-players-manager","status":"publish","type":"cult-corner","link":"https:\/\/www.squawka.com\/en\/cult-corner\/wolfsburgs-2008-09-bundesliga-winners-best-players-manager\/","title":{"rendered":"Before De Bruyne, there was Misimovi\u0107: A guide to Wolfsburg’s 2008\/09 Bundesliga winners"},"content":{"rendered":"

Wolfsburg’s 2008\/09 Bundesliga victory was a textbook case of a tight-knit group of players performing well above expectations and truly believing in their slightly bonkers manager’s so-crazy-it-might-just-work philosophy. <\/strong><\/p>\n

Some of you might remember Felix Magath from his ill-fated spell in charge of Fulham, where among other things, he prescribed cheese as a remedy to one player’s thigh injury (more on that later). Suffice to say, he was sacked after a few truly surreal months in charge.<\/p>\n

Prior to his spell with the Cottagers, however, he had established himself as a well-respected manager thanks to his two consecutive Bundesliga titles with Bayern Munich<\/span> and his incredible success with Wolfsburg shortly afterwards.<\/p>\n

Spearheaded by his excellent attacking options, the German coach inspired his team to play creative football while implementing a solid spine that was difficult to break down.<\/p>\n

Wolfsburg’s campaign certainly wasn’t flawless but in hindsight seems all the more incredible for it. At the half-way point of the season, the side were ninth in the league, nine points behind Hoffenheim, who were league leaders at the time.<\/p>\n

After drawing their first match of the new year, though, Magath’s side suddenly burst into life and went on an astonishing 10-match winning streak, including a 5-1 thrashing of Bayern Munich<\/span> that gave them the confidence to go and claim the title.<\/p>\n

The side made the Volkswagen Arena a fortress and won 16 out of 17 of their home matches. Ultimately, by virtue of finishing just two points ahead of Bayern, Wolfsburg claimed their first-ever Bundesliga<\/span> title with 69 points. The achievement and the magnificent attacking-minded playing style that yielded 80 goals is never not worth revisiting. Especially considering they remain the Bundesliga<\/span>‘s most recent non-Der Klassiker top-flight<\/span> champions (anyone but Bayern or Borussia Dortmund<\/span>). So below is your guide to the subsequent fortunes of the players most heavily involved.<\/p>\n

Goalkeeper: <\/strong>Diego Benaglio<\/h2>\n
    \n
  • Age: <\/strong>36<\/li>\n
  • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>321<\/li>\n
  • Current side: <\/strong>AS Monaco
    \n<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

    \"\"<\/p>\n

    Diego Benaglio either picked a great moment to return to Germany<\/span>, or his mere presence brought Wolfsburg the title.<\/p>\n

    Signed six months prior to the start of the 2008\/09 season, the goalkeeper has played over 300 times across all competitions for the club before joining Ligue 1 champions Monaco. During the 2008\/09 season, he made 31 appearances and kept 11 clean sheets.<\/p>\n

    Right Wing-Back: Sascha Riether<\/strong><\/h2>\n
      \n
    • Age: <\/strong>37<\/li>\n
    • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>147<\/li>\n
    • Current side: <\/strong>Retired<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

      \"\"<\/p>\n

      Sascha Riether made 28 Bundesliga<\/span> appearances during the title-winning campaign and, in total, featured 147 times for Wolfsburg before signing for FC K\u00f6ln in 2011.<\/p>\n

      After a year with the Billy Goats, the right-back moved to the Premier League and signed for Fulham on loan. Dimitar Berbatov scored 15 goals for the team that season but it was Riether they named Player of the Season. And so the loan was made permanent for the 2013\/14 campaign.<\/p>\n

      It was at this point Magath would join him in west London, and strange things would occur (ultimately ending in relegation); for instance, a Brede Hangeland injury was treated by holding a block of cheese over the Dutch centre-back’s troublesome thigh. Hangeland later called Magath “an awful human being” on account of his notorious approach to player discipline.<\/p>\n

      Explaining his ‘cheese cure’ to the media, Magath later said: “I merely suggested it could be worth trying the old wives\u2019 tale of applying Quark [a German cheese] to the injured area. I would never tell a doctor what to do.<\/p>\n

      “I don\u2019t have a guilty conscience. I don\u2019t want to sound arrogant, but I am convinced that English football has something to learn from German qualities. Sadly, they\u2019re not that prepared to listen. I think I still have something to offer English football.”<\/p>\n

      Riether returned to Germany<\/span> the following year with Freiburg. After just 19 games, he moved once more, signing for his final team Schalke in 2015.<\/p>\n

      Centre Back: Andrea Barzagli<\/strong><\/h2>\n
        \n
      • Age:<\/strong> 39<\/li>\n
      • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>94<\/li>\n
      • Current side: <\/strong>Retired<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

        \"\"<\/p>\n

        Barzagli was signed from Parma for what was considered big money at the time (\u20ac10m). His physical presence marshalled the Wolfsburg back four throughout the whole season and his impressive leadership ability, coupled with his supreme defending, was integral to the team’s success.<\/p>\n

        The Italian played 34 games in that Bundesliga<\/span> campaign and his impressive performances in Germany<\/span> gathered the attention of Serie A giants Juventus, who signed him for only \u20ac300,000. An absolute steal for a player who up until his retirement was still turning out performances at the very highest level in the Champions League.<\/p>\n

        Barzagli represented the ‘B’ in Juventus’ formidable ‘BBC’ defence. While the ‘C’ (Giorgio Chiellini) would describe Barzagli as Juventus’s “professor”, the ‘B’ (Leonardo Bonucci) once said: “The player I like watching on the pitch the most is Barzagli. He\u2019s unbeatable in one-on-ones, he\u2019s impressive in training and he always gives 100%. Andrea is an example for everyone.” It’s a level of respect that explains why Juve chairman Andrea Agnelli considers Barzagli “the best signing we ever made.”<\/p>\n

        Centre Back: Ricardo Costa<\/strong><\/h2>\n
          \n
        • Age: <\/strong>38<\/li>\n
        • Appearances for Wolfsburg:<\/strong> 58<\/li>\n
        • Current side: <\/strong>Boavista<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

          \"\"<\/p>\n

          Ricardo Costa lined up alongside Andrea Barzagli at the heart of the Wolfsburg defence during the 2008\/09 season, mainly when Cristian Zaccardo was out through injury.<\/p>\n

          He made 11 Bundesliga<\/span> appearances and went on to play 58 times for the Wolves<\/span> before signing for Lille on loan. He helped them to a fourth-placed finish but left the summer before Eden Hazard, Yohan Cabaye, Moussa Sow, Gervinho et al went on to stage their own unexpected title win.<\/p>\n

          Later, Costa joined Valencia on a permanent deal in 2010 and was made one of Unai Emery<\/span>‘s captains (the former Arsenal<\/span> manager’s ‘leadership team’ has been a thing for a while). After stints in Qatar and Greece, he moved to Spain<\/span> and signed for Granada and then Luzern in Switzerland<\/span> before returning to Portugal<\/span> with Tondela and then moving onto Boavista. Despite staying on the bench for the 2004 final, he boasts a Champions League winners’ medal from his time at Porto.<\/p>\n

          Centre Back: Cristian Zaccardo<\/strong><\/h2>\n
            \n
          • Age: <\/strong>38<\/li>\n
          • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>23<\/li>\n
          • Current side: <\/strong>Retired
            \n<\/strong><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

            \"\"<\/p>\n

            Cristian Zaccardo only spent one season at Wolfsburg, but he certainly picked the right one.<\/p>\n

            He made 14 appearances during the Wolves<\/span>‘ title-winning season – which is probably why he said he and Magath “did not see eye to eye” – and only reached 23 games in total before leaving the club in 2009, just one year after joining. He moved back to his homeland and signed for Parma, later landing a dream transfer to AC Milan in 2013.<\/p>\n

            In 2017, he became the first World Cup winner to advertise their services to prospective clubs on LinkedIn (you’d imagine).<\/p>\n

            \"Zaccardo

            Source: LinkedIn<\/p><\/div>\n

            Fair play to him, though. Not only did it actually work (he ended up spending a season with Maltese Premier League side Hamrun Spartans) but he later said the post helped make contacts that will serve him well if he ever embarks on a future career as a football agent.<\/p>\n

            At international level, his involvement in the 2006 World Cup was restricted after an own goal against USA in the group stages, technically making him the only player to score from open play against Italy during the whole tournament.<\/p>\n

            He was a member of that triumphant Italian side, nonetheless. Two decent winners’ medals for his mantelpiece.<\/p>\n

            Left Wing-Back: Marcel Sch\u00e4fer<\/strong><\/h2>\n
              \n
            • Age: <\/strong>35<\/li>\n
            • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>312<\/li>\n
            • Current side: <\/strong>Retired<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

              \"\"<\/p>\n

              A key part of Wolfsburg’s title winning-side, Marcel Sch\u00e4fer occupied the left full back position for nearly the entire season and racked up 34 appearances during the 2008\/09 season.<\/p>\n

              He added a DFB Pokal 2014\/15 winners’ medal to his collection as Wolfsburg beat Borussia Dortmund in Jurgen Klopp’s last game and two years later joined United Soccer League team Tampa Bay Rowdies. In 2018, he retired from playing to become a sporting director back at Wolfsburg.<\/p>\n

              Defensive Midfield: Josu\u00e9 (C)<\/h2>\n
                \n
              • Age: <\/strong>40<\/li>\n
              • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>200<\/li>\n
              • Current side: <\/strong>Retired<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                \"\"<\/p>\n

                Josu\u00e9 provided the cover for Wolfsburg’s attacking midfielders to push higher up the pitch and acted as an excellent deep-lying playmaker during the 2008\/09 season.<\/p>\n

                The Brazilian, who was made captain the summer before their glorious campaign, appeared in 33 matches during the season and went on to play 200 times before leaving in 2013 after seven years in Germany. He moved to Atl\u00e9tico Mineiro for two years before being released by the club. The midfield anchorman played for Brazil during the 2010 World Cup but his only European glory came during his time at Wolfsburg.<\/p>\n

                Centre Midfield: Zvjezdan Misimovi\u0107<\/h2>\n
                  \n
                • Age: <\/strong>37<\/li>\n
                • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>92<\/li>\n
                • Current side: <\/strong>Retired<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                  \"\"<\/p>\n

                  Before there was Kevin De Bruyne, there was Zvjezdan Misimovi\u0107, a gifted attacking midfielder who combined fantastically with Wolfsburg strikers Edin D\u017eeko and Grafite. So much so, he set a Bundesliga record by achieving the Thierry Henry-esque feat<\/a> of assisting 20 goals in a single season, five more than the next-best playmaker throughout the campaign (a certain Mesut Ozil). It would be six years before De Bruyne left Chelsea permanently for Wolfsburg and surpassed it by hitting 21.<\/p>\n

                  As for Misimovi\u0107, he came to Wolfsburg after impressing at N\u00fcrnberg the season before. Die Wolfe needed a replacement for Marcelinho and, needless to say, they nailed it. Misimovi\u0107 made 33 appearances during the 2008\/09 season and scored seven goals to go with his 20 assists.<\/p>\n

                  Despite continuing to play well the following season, he was sold to Galatasaray but barely featured and soon moved to Dynamo Moscow in March 2011. From there, he moved to Beijing Renhe (before it was all the rage) and retired altogether in January 2017, three years after representing Bosnia and Herzegovina at the World Cup in Brazil.<\/p>\n

                  Centre Midfield: Christian Gentner<\/h2>\n
                    \n
                  • Age: <\/strong>34<\/li>\n
                  • Appearances for Wolfsburg: <\/strong>129<\/li>\n
                  • Current side: <\/strong>Union Berlin<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n

                    \"\"<\/p>\n

                    Midfield enforcer Christian Gentner acted as the link between Josu\u00e9’s defensive work and Zvjezdan Misimovi\u0107’s creative play.<\/p>\n

                    He made 34 appearances during the 2008\/09 season and made 10 assists. In total, he played 129 times for the Wolves before re-joining Stuttgart in 2010 where he has gone on to make over 250 appearances and was the side’s current club captain, before joining Union Berlin. He’s still going strong to this day, if the goal below is anything to go by.<\/p>\n

                    \n

                    ? Pure power ?<\/p>\n

                    Christian Gentner with a net-breaking strike! ?<\/p>\n

                    The Union Berlin crowd loved that one too! pic.twitter.com\/TkvStibs83<\/a><\/p>\n

                    — Football on TNT Sports (@footballontnt) February 15, 2020<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote>\n