Mats Hummels has led Dortmund into the new season already, with their victories over Wolfsberger AC setting them up for the play-off round of the Europa League - © © gettyimages / Koepsel
Mats Hummels has led Dortmund into the new season already, with their victories over Wolfsberger AC setting them up for the play-off round of the Europa League - © © gettyimages / Koepsel

2015/16: Day 38 of pre-season

xwhatsappmailcopy-link

Cologne – The wait is over, or at least it is if you are a fan of SV Darmstadt 98 or FC Augsburg

The first round of the DFB Cup is here and those two Bundesliga sides are in action tonight to kick off their seasons. For the rest, it's only a matter of hours before the first competitive game of the 2015/16 campaign, and just a week before the Bundesliga gets back into business.

As always, bundesliga.com will keep you updated on all the activity around the Bundesliga clubs as the summer break draws to a close.

Cupset averted

That brings an end to our live updates service for today. Join us again tomorrow for your daily fill of Bundesliga goodness, with plenty more DFB Cup action on the cards, including the likes of FC Schalke 04 and Bayer 04 Leverkusen. Well done to Darmstadt 98 and Augsburg anyway. The first competitive outing of the season is never easy. Gute Nacht!

Augsburg survive

Hats off to Elversberg, but it's the Bundesliga's very own FC Augsburg who go into the pot for the second round - 3-1 after extra time.

Mölders to the rescue

Two more substitutes combine as Tobias Werner tees up Sascha Mölders, who puts Augsburg ahead for the first time!

Extra time!

1-1 after 90 minutes, but Elversberg had a man sent off towards the end of the second half so it's advantage FC Augsburg, or is it...?

Augsburg level!

FC Augsburg substitute Raul Bobadilla grabs a late equaliser - at last!

Cupset on the cards

Time's running out for FC Augsburg as Tim Matavz has a header cleared off the line. Regional minnows SV 07 Elversberg still lead 1-0 in that one...

Five-star Darmstadt 98

Newly promoted Bundesliga side SV Darmstadt 98 march into the second round of the DFB Cup courtesy of a dominant 5-0 win over Regionalliga West representatives TuS Erndtebrück, the goals coming from Dominik-Stroh Engel (2), Marco Sailer, Marcel Heller and Konstantin Rausch.

Lilies in control

Darmstadt 98 lead Erndtebrück 2-0 at half time thanks to a quick one-two from Dominik Stroh-Engel and Marco Sailer, reads this tweet...

Augsburg mean business

Here's the FC Augsburg line-up for tonight's DFB Cup tie with SV 07 Elversberg. A place in the second round awaits the winner...

Baking conditions

Midway through the first half and it's time for a drinks break in Erndtebrück, where SV Darmstadt lead 2-0 in the first round of the DFB Cup. 35°C at this time!

Florida calls

FC Schalke 04 have announced they will contest the Florida Cup along with Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Brazilian clubs Corinthians and Fluminense in January.

Lilies ready for action

The SV Darmstadt 98 players are out getting a feel for the pitch at TuS Erndtebrück. That one kicks off in just over an hour's time.

Labbadia on the Cup

"Every game in the Cup is a final," says Hamburger SV head coach Bruno Labbadia ahead of Sunday's trip to FC Carl Zeiss Jena.

Cup debutant

VfB Stuttgart new boy Emiliano Insua is looking forward to his first slice of the DFB Cup pie against a Holstein Kiel side that missed out on promotion to Bundesliga 2 in the play-offs last term.

Zambrano pens new Eintracht deal

Peru international defender Carlos Zambrano has inked a new deal at Eintracht Frankfurt. The 26-year-old has spent his entire professional club career in Germany, joining the Eagles from FC Schalke 04 in 2012.

Fine tuning

FC Schalke 04 will be desperate to avoid the ignominy of being knocked out of the first round of the DFB Cup by lower league oppositon when they take on MSV Duisburg tomorrow. The Royal Blues fell at the first hurdle against SG Dynamo Dresden last summer.

Wolves hit the road

DFB Cup holders VfL Wolfsburg are on their way to Baden-Württemberg for tomorrow's first-round clash with third-tier outfit Stuttgarter Kickers.

Leaders in the making

With Bastian Schweinsteiger no longer at the club, FC Bayern sporting director Matthias Sammer has confirmed that Manuel Neuer is now vice-captain, followed by Thomas Müller.

Mlapa moves on

Peniel Mlapa has joined Bundesliga 2 side VfL Bochum 1848 following three years at Gladbach.

Be my guest

Dortmund and Odd are both looking forward to some exemplary hospitality during their Europa League play-off tie.

Sun, selfies and signings

Gladbach summarise their week's training in a YouTube video.

All aboard!

After getting the boots clean and shiny, it was off to the railway station to catch a train to the first round of the DFB-Cup at Würzburg!

Boot camp

Cool down

In today's temperatures across Germany, Daniel Caligiuri certainly has a good idea...

Translation: 'Daniel Caligiuri keeping everybody cool - it even makes you envious! Final training has commenced.'

Sammer in Guardiola's shoes

Bayern's sporting director Matthias Sammer gave coach Pep Guardiola a breather at a press conference on Friday, answering the media's questions instead of the Catalan.

Meanwhile, back in Bremen

Odd tie for Dortmund

Odd being the name of the Norwegian club, not the draw in itself!

Trip to Rome

Leverkusen are not the first Bundesliga side to travel to Rome. The last was FC Bayern for a crushing 7-1 Champions League win over AS Roma, while Lazio's last German rivals were VfB Stuttgart. Before them, Borussia Mönchengladbach fans enjoyed a day out in the Italian capital, even if both Bundesliga sides lost to the Aquile in the 2012/13 Europa League. As the below Tweet shows, Gladbach's fans certainly enjoyed the occasion all the same...

Tricky tie

Bayer 04 Leverkusen will face SS Lazio in the play-off for the UEFA Champions League. 'Is it a good draw?' asks this Tweet from Die Werkself.

Braving the heat

The mercury could reach the 40-degree mark on Friday in some parts of Germany, but that has not put Arjen Robben off from putting in an extra shift to boost his fitness.

Early deal

It may still be early in the day, but Frankfurt have already made a new signing...

Moving for a reason

Clubs are out and about starting the first important trips of the new season, with the DFB Cup looming large.

European draws

Coming up from lunchtime, Bayer 04 Leverkusen and Borussia Dortmund will discover what hurdles they must cross to reach the group stage of the UEFA Champions League and UEFA Europa League respectively.