On Sunday (1.30 p.m.) the Badnerlied will be played in the wildlife park for the last time in the 21/22 season when KSC Dynamo Dresden welcomes them. It is also Philipp Hofmann’s farewell to the Karlsruhe fans. Among other things, KSC coach Christian Eichner comments at the press conference before the game on Friday.
For several players, the second division encounter between Karlsruher SC and Dynamo Dresden on Sunday will be the last home game in a KSC jersey: Philipp Hofmann, Robin Bormuth, Marc Lorenz, Markus Kuster, Paul Löhr, Niklas Heeger, Ricardo van Rhijn and Jannis Rabold will be officially adopted on Sunday before kick-off.
Eight KSC players are out against Dresden
In addition to the certainly emotional part of Sunday, the players also want to say goodbye to their own fans with a sense of sporting achievement. Lucas Cueto, Marco Thiede, Marius Gersbeck and Daniel O’Shaughnessy are still unable to help alongside long-term injuries Sebastian Jung, Paul Löhr and Leon Jensen. Benjamin Goller is also absent due to illness. As in the 2-0 defeat in Hanover last weekend, Heeger will replace Gersbeck in the KSC goal.
Philipp Hofmann (KSC 33) and Fabian Schleusener (KSC 24) shot the KSC against Aue to victory. | Image: Carmele/TMC Photography
At the press conference on Friday, KSC coach Christian Eichner said, looking at the 18,000 tickets sold so far: “I hope we can still fill the hut. We want to play the last home game successfully and still have some catching up to do in terms of points.”
“Do well to get a decent degree”
Eichner, on the other hand, didn’t want to know anything about a lack of tension. “For us it’s still about table places and TV money. We would do well to get a sensible conclusion after a very decent year.”
With a view to Dresden, who have to go into the relegation relegation regardless of the last two games, Eichner says: “I don’t have control over what my colleague does in Dresden. I assume with difficulty that they want to use the games to to tighten certain things and solidify certain processes. But I can also imagine them throwing in one or the other player to test him for relegation.”
“Dresden is one of the top three opponents”
In the first half of the season there was nothing to gain for KSC at 1: 3 in Dresden. In the calendar year 2022, however, Dynamo has not yet won a game. For Eichner, that shows that “it’s difficult to count on anything in this league. Dresden was one of the top three opponents in terms of intensity and dynamic in the first leg and deservedly won the game in the second half “.
Finally, the KSC trainer comments on Marc Lorenz, who would have liked to have stayed longer at KSC. “It’s perfectly normal for a player to be disappointed when he’s felt very comfortable here. Marc is a good example of how, as a club, we try to think in the medium term and add freshness to the squad in certain positions from time to time – a new face or the age structure. Then there are sometimes very tough decisions.”
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