Birmingham City is gradually closing in on the promotion spots in the Championship. Marvin Ducksch, who was able to unleash his iconic celebration for the first time at the weekend, has played a decisive role in this.
After leaving Bremen, things have understandably quietened down for Marvin Ducksch in Germany. But the 31-year-old, who signed a three-year contract with Birmingham City last August, is making a name for himself with the Championship newcomers.
After struggling with a calf injury at the start of the season, Ducksch is really hitting his stride as the calendar year draws to a close. His name is closely linked to Birmingham’s successes: He has been in the starting lineup for five league games, four of which the Blues won, scoring 14 of their 24 goals.
Last Saturday, Ducksch also made his first appearance as a goalscorer in his new jersey. In the 4-1 home win against Norwich, he opened the scoring in the third minute. Coach Chris Davies described the combination finished by the Dortmund native as “one of our best goals this season.”
Ducksch now seems to have really arrived on the island. “We got him going and made him fit,” Davies told the club’s TV channel about Ducksch’s influence. What makes him a “game changer” at the moment? “He’s a player who always creates chances for other players around him through his interplay and intelligence,” Davies praised, adding: “But he’s a striker, and all strikers want to score goals.”
Davies raves about the offensive “chemistry”
Ducksch can now tick off this mission as well. In Birmingham, he also harmonizes beautifully with his 23-year-old strike partner Jay Stansfield, who joined the then third-division (!) club in the summer of 2024 for a staggering €18 million and also scored twice against Norwich. Davies raved about the increasingly strong “chemistry” in the Blues’ offense. In ninth place, Birmingham has 24 points, just three fewer than third-place Stoke City. Second-placed Middlesbrough (30 points) is also within striking distance. The fact that the club celebrated its 150th anniversary on Saturday and presented a design for a new 62,000-capacity stadium last week fits in with the current rosy overall picture. Just like Marvin Ducksch.
