The Final Season
Sabrina Wittmann and Marlon Engel will link up for one last ride as both intend to retire after the 2038-39 season.
Ingolstadt’s fairy tale is coming to an end—but not quietly.
After fourteen unforgettable seasons marked by tactical ingenuity, youth-driven revolution, and a dramatic rise from obscurity to Bundesliga dominance, the curtain is about to fall on one of football’s most unique and emotionally charged dynasties. The 2038–39 campaign will be Sabrina Wittmann’s last at the helm—and fittingly, it will also mark the long-awaited return of her prodigal captain: Marlon Engel.
Once the face of Die Schanzer’s rise, Engel was forced out under the cloud of financial scandal that rocked the club in 2037–38. Despite being one of the most in-demand free agents in Europe, the midfielder stunned the footballing world by refusing every offer. England, Spain, even Bayern came knocking. He said no to all of them.
Now, as if scripted by fate, Engel will return to the club that shaped him. He’ll don the #7 shirt once more, slip the captain’s armband back onto his sleeve, and walk out beside Wittmann one final time.
“He never really left,” Wittmann told reporters at preseason camp. “This club has always been his, and this season, it’s only right that he finishes the story with us.”
But this isn’t just a nostalgia tour. Ingolstadt are the reigning Bundesliga champions, having clinched the title last year in thrilling fashion. Yet that success came at a cost—early exits in both the DFB-Pokal and Champions League left fans and players alike with a bitter aftertaste.
This time, there’s no room for compromise. This is The Final Season, and the goals are nothing short of total domination.
A New Core, Built on Old Values
With Wittmann preparing to step away, the club is returning to its roots to prepare for the end. Several academy products have been re-integrated into the first-team squad, offering a blend of hunger and homegrown identity that has always defined the Wittmann era. While the names may be new, the philosophy remains the same: aggressive pressing, intelligent rotations, and a relentless belief in youth.
But amidst the new faces, all eyes will be on Engel. The 30-year-old turning 31 this October, has been training individually for the past year, and by all accounts, he’s returned sharper, stronger, and more focused than ever.
“He’s not just here to wave goodbye,” said assistant manager Markus Weidner. “He’s here to win. And we believe he still has the magic.”
The Goals: Everything
There are no illusions about what this season demands: Bundesliga. DFB-Pokal. Champions League. Anything less than the treble would feel unfinished.
Engel's return is more than symbolic—he brings steel to the midfield, leadership to the locker room, and a sense of closure to a narrative that has often felt larger than life. Alongside the new generation, he’ll be tasked with carrying Ingolstadt to heights it has never reached: a continental crown to go with domestic dominance.
One Last Ride
Fifteen seasons. One manager. One philosophy. Dozens of academy graduates. And now, one final mission.
Ingolstadt’s journey has always defied expectations. From the financial chaos that nearly derailed them, to the golden generation that led them to the top, to the return of their exiled captain—it’s a story that could only end one way: with everything on the line.
This is The Final Season.
And they intend to make it unforgettable.
