For the three East German third-division clubs, the new season begins with explosive opening matches. After narrowly missing out on promotion, Energie Cottbus will host 1. FC Saarbrücken on the first matchday on August 2 or 3.
The Saarland side snatched third place from the Lusatians last season, but then failed to beat Eintracht Braunschweig in the relegation play-off. Now it's time for an early showdown between the two top teams at the Stadion der Freundschaft.
Erzgebirge Aue and Hansa Rostock will kick off the new season on the first weekend in August with an eastern clash in Saxony. This is according to the fixture list published by the DFB. The exact fixtures are to follow in the coming week.
Further East duels in the first half of the season have been scheduled by the DFB for midweek fixtures. Energie Cottbus will host Aue on matchday 6 on September 16 or 17. The team of Energie coach Claus-Dieter Wollitz will face Hansa Rostock two weeks later (September 30/October 1).
The 3rd division season will take a winter break after the 19th matchday and the end of the first half of the season on December 21 until January 17. The 38th and final matchday will take place on May 16. Energie Cottbus will then face Jahn Regensburg. Aue must travel to 1. FC Schweinfurt 05 and Rostock to 1. FC Saarbrücken.
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