This archive report was first published on 9 August 2019.
German football is reeling from a string of scandals ahead of the 2019/20 season, which kicks off with the German Cup first round this weekend.
Bayern Munich, the reigning German Cup champions, will launch their season on Monday against fourth-tier side Energie Cottbus, but the traditional season curtain-raiser will be overshadowed by the scandals.
On Tuesday, Schalke chairman Clemens Toennies stepped down for three months following widespread outrage over comments he made about Africa during a speech last week.
Former Huddersfield Town manager David Wagner is hoping to breathe new life into crisis-stricken Schalke, but his preparations have been overshadowed by the racism scandal.
Meanwhile, third-tier side Chemnitzer sacked first-team captain Daniel Frahn over his alleged association with far-right fan groups, the latest episode in a long-running controversy over neo-Nazis in the Chemnitzer fanbase.
Second-division Hamburg are themselves engulfed in a media scandal after doubts were raised over the identity of their Gambian midfielder Bakery Jatta, who reportedly entered Germany as a refugee in 2015 under a false identity.
Bayern have been less active than Dortmund in the transfer market, and the lack of high-profile new signings prompted criticism from star striker Robert Lewandowski as the club chases Manchester City winger Leroy Sane.
On Friday, Borussia Dortmund will kick off proceedings with a visit to third-division side KFC Uerdingen, a match that reunites 2014 World Cup winner and former Dortmund fan favourite Kevin Grosskreutz with his old club.
Selected German Cup first-round fixtures include:
- KFC Uerdingen v Borussia Dortmund
- Sandhausen v Borussia Moenchengladbach
- Kaiserslautern v Mainz
- Alemannia Aachen v Bayer Leverkusen
- Magdeburg v Freiburg
- Drochtersen/Assel v Schalke
- Atlas Delmenhorst v Werder Bremen
- Waldhof Mannheim v Eintracht Frankfurt
- VfL Osnabrueck v RB Leipzig
- Germania Halberstadt v Union Berlin
- VfB Eichstatt v Hertha Berlin
- Chemnitzer FC v Hamburg
- Energie Cottbus v Bayern Munich
