Schaaf on 50th Bundesliga season

The Bundesliga kicks off its 50th season on Friday night with the opening match between Borussia Dortmund and Werder Bremen with plenty of emotion, adrenaline and passion promised. And the new season will start just like the league began on 24 August 1963 - with a showdown between SV Werder Bremen and Borussia Dortmund. "This is a present. The club is being offered a great stage. In Dortmund, a super stadium, great fans and a classy atmosphere. There is nothing better," said a happy Aaron Hunt, Werder's longest-serving player.

Werder's current head coach Thomas Schaaf was just two years old when Werder and Dortmund chimed in the new football era at Weser Stadium on 24 August 1963. And the first goal scorer in Bundesliga history was Timo Konietzka and Werder won the game 3-2. Another of the goal scorers on the scoring sheet was Werder honorary captain Arnold "Pico" Schütz.

Schaaf breathed his first Bundesliga air as a child. "I used to watch the Bundesliga live in the stadium as a young boy. That was the first time I came into contact with football. What has impressed me most since then is that the fascination has remained. Football was alive back then and it still lives on today. That excites me," said the Werder coach about the development of the Bundesliga.

Much has happened in the last half-century - also for the teams who will square off on Friday. Werder have played 1,628 matches in the Bundesliga, the second most in league history. They are also second on the All-Time table. Dortmund meanwhile have played 46 years in Germany's top flight with 640 victories. The teams have faced off 94 times with Werder winning 41 times. Game number 95 will follow on Friday. "This is a wonderful stage. I don't think there is nothing better. This atmosphere in front of 83,000 spectators, 76,000 of them rooting against you. You can't get more attention than that," said Schaaf looking forward to the season opener at Signal Iduna Park.

Nils Petersen meanwhile has not been able to gain much experience in Germany's top league. That makes it all the more meaningful for the 23-year-old. "This is a huge platform and very meaningful to us as players. We will be playing at the double winners, and all eyes will be on this game," said Petersen.