Duisburg

History is not on Duisburg's side. The last time the Zebras were promoted, they finished dead last and went straight back down to the second division.

Their uniforms may be garishly striped, but Duisburg are usually one of German soccer's more faceless teams. To change that, they've brought in eccentric Brazilian striker Ailton, a former Bundesliga top goal-getter who led Werder Bremen to the league title in the 2003-4 season.

But since then, the 34-year-old striker has played for five different clubs in four countries, and it remains to be seen whether he can remain motivated when the goal is avoiding relegation, not winning a title.

"We're no longer a grey little church mouse," Duisburg President Walter Hellmich has said.

But they'll have to prove that this season, before skeptics are convinced.

Coach: Rudi Bommer

Acquisitions: Michael Lamey (PSV Eindhoven), Manasseh Ishiaku (Brugge), Fernando Santos (Flamengo Rio de Janeiro), Marcel Herzog (Schaffhausen), Maicon (Madureira EC), Sascha Mölders, Simon Terodde (both Duisburg amateurs), Ailton, Blagoy Georgiev (both Red Star Belgrade), Alexander Meyer (Bayer Leverkusen), Tom Starke (Paderborn), Christian Tiffert (Red Bull Salzburg)

Departures: Alexander Bugera (Kaiserslautern), Marco Caligiuri (returns from loan to Stuttgart), Kai Koitka (Eintracht Braunschweig), Georg Koch (Dinamo Zagreb), Carsten Wolters (retired), Quido Lanzaat (ZSKA Sofia)