Newly promoted Darmstadt 98 has had to put up with a lot recently. Head coach Lieberknecht is touched by his solidarity with his sick wife.
Darmstadt – With a relieved Torsten Lieberknecht in the dugout, SV Darmstadt 98 goes into the Bundesliga game against SC Freiburg. The 50-year-old was missing from the 0-0 draw against FSV Mainz 05 because his wife Simone suffered a stroke. “She is recovering well and we are continuing to work to make it even better. What helped a lot was the great sympathy. We received a lot of letters and it was helpful to see who was thinking of us in moments like this,” said Lieberknecht, who has been training with the team again for a few days, on Thursday.
After the last four games without a win, including three defeats, the promoted team will have to do without the suspended Christoph Klarer, Fraser Hornby (edema in the ankle) and Braydon Manu, who may need to have an operation on his ankle, on Saturday (3.30 p.m./Sky) in Breisgau. There is a question mark behind the use of Marcel shoes. The regular goalkeeper threatens to miss out because of a horse kiss.
“The opponent will always be the favorite, with the exception perhaps of the games against Heidenheim. We still want to win the game in Freiburg, we have that self-confidence,” said Lieberknecht about the sporting situation.
It is a “special game” for veteran Klaus Gjasula. For the 33-year-old, Freiburg is the city “where I grew up and where my family and my childhood friends live,” said Gjasula in an interview on the Lilien homepage. “I can hardly wait and of course I hope that I can continue celebrating straight away.”
The defensive specialist has had turbulent days behind him: he qualified for the 2024 European Championships in Germany with Albania’s national team. “To date, the promotions to the Bundesliga have triggered the greatest emotions in my career. But these qualifications are absolutely comparable,” said Gjasula. “And because all the Albanians around the world were excited, it maybe even feels a little bigger.” He hopes that he can pass on his good feeling to his teammates in Darmstadt. dpa
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