Women's Bundesliga: Leverkusen on the right path

Bayer Leverkusen finally on the right path

The women's Bundesliga table isn't always the most surprising; most of the time, it's the same teams in the title race.

But this week, it's a little different, with Bayer Leverkusen sitting fourth with 23 points after 14 games. This weekend, the team secured a dominant and impressive 4-2 victory over Turbine Potsdam, thanks in part to a hat trick from top scorer Milena Nikolic, who now has 10 goals in 13 games.

Bayer Leverkusen may be a big name in men's football, but the women's team has often failed to unleash its full potential in the past. Introduced back in 2008 after taking over nearby sports club TuS Köln, it has only been established in the Bundesliga since 2018, albeit usually in a relegation battle rather than challenging at the top.

But they are aiming higher now, with coach Achim Feifel stating recently that their goal is sixth place. So, what's changed?

First, most of their key players have remained at the club, meaning they haven't had to compensate for a loss in quality. Instead, they were able to bring in experience with players like Verena Wieder, Nina Brüggemann and Victoria Pinther, who know the league from their previous clubs.

Kristin Kögel, who joined from Bayern Munich's second team, is a promising talent and has adapted quickly, demonstrating the mix of experience and talent within the squad.

Secondly, Leverkusen have invested in athletic and conditional training by employing a full-time athletics coach. "That's really paying off now," coach Feifel said on the club's homepage, adding: "The development in the technical-tactical area and in the variability is the next step. We have already shown that we also want to play with a lot of possession moving forward. But that also means that we need to be in a certain physical condition."

That will be certainly be put to the test away at second-place Wolfsburg next weekend.

Michelle Obama congratulates US players

US stars Alex Morgan and Sydney Leroux and Wolfsburg goalkeeper Almuth Schult are just three current examples that show that becoming a mother and continuing a professional soccer career can work out.

In 1994, Germany head coach Martina Voss-Tecklenburg had a child at the height of her footballing career, becoming the first professional player in Germany to do so. She quickly made her comeback, reaching the 1995 World Cup final and winning the 1995 and 1997 European Championships.

Now, the former first lady of the United States, Michelle Obama, has congratulated the Orlando Pride soccer team and US national team players Ali Krieger and Ashlyn Harris, who welcomed their daughter in February.

"I want to thank you for living your life out loud," Obama told the couple on Instagram. "You are expanding the definition of what it means to be a woman and girl in this world, what it means to be loved, what a family looks like. Thank you for being those role models for us, being strong, smart, caring women."

Combining motherhood with a professional football career has been a taboo subject in the past, with financial support not guaranteed and players fearing that they wouldn't be able to return to the pitch or make living. Female players have long been forced to choose between their career and starting a family.

In November 2020, FIFA announced what they described as "landmark reforms" for female players and coaches, including a minimum of 14 weeks paid maternity leave and various other job protection measures. 

"It's a very good decision on a worldwide scale," said Almuth Schult in a recent DW interview. "But again, we have to ask ourselves: Is maternity leave even the issue here, or is it perhaps that players don't earn enough money to raise a child? We're still a long way from having every female feel safe playing at the highest level in every country. But it's a step in the right direction, and a sign that FIFA is finally taking things seriously."

Ewa Pajor scores first league goal in 267 days

After a long lay-off following knee surgery in September, Wolfsburg's Ewa Pajor finally got back on the scoresheet against Meppen on Sunday — her first Bundesliga goal in 267 days.

Pajor joined Wolfsburg as an 18-year-old back in 2015 and quickly developed into one of their most important players and, indeed, one of the best strikers in the world, scoring 67 goals in 109 games. But injury threatened to halt her career.

The Polish international returned against Norwegian side LSK Kvinner in the Champions League last-16 in midweek, but had to wait until this weekend's 4-0 win over Meppen to find the net.

Pajor's comeback looks set to be vital for Wolfsburg, who lost star striker Pernille Harder to Chelsea in September and now find themselves second in the league behind Bayern Munich — who thrashed Freiburg 5-1 to remain five points clear.

It's going to take a miracle for champions Wolfsburg to defend their crown, but having a clinical striker like Pajor back in the squad will be crucial for the rest of the season.