Darmstadt 98 with returnee Lieberknecht in Freiburg
SV Darmstadt 98 go into the Bundesliga match at SC Freiburg with a relieved Torsten Lieberknecht on the bench. The 50-year-old was last absent from the 0-0 draw against FSV Mainz 05 because his wife Simone had suffered a stroke. "She's recovering well and we're continuing to work on getting even better. What helped a lot was the huge outpouring of sympathy. We received a lot of messages and it was helpful to see who was thinking of us at times like this," said Lieberknecht, who has been training with the team again for a few days, on Thursday.
After four games without a win recently, including three defeats, the promoted side will be without the suspended Christoph Klarer, Fraser Hornby (ankle oedema) and Braydon Manu, who may need ankle surgery, in the Breisgau on Saturday (3.30 p.m./Sky). There is a question mark over the participation of Marcel Schuhen. The regular goalkeeper is in danger of being ruled out due to a horse's foot.
"The opponent will always be the favorite, with the possible exception of the games against Heidenheim. We still want to win the game in Freiburg, we have that self-confidence," said Lieberknecht on the sporting starting position.
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 childhood friends live," said Gjasula in an interview on the Lilies' homepage. "I can hardly wait and, of course, I hope that I can continue celebrating straight away."
The defensive specialist has had a turbulent time: he qualified for Euro 2024 in Germany with Albania's national team. "So far, the Bundesliga promotions have triggered the greatest emotions in my career. But this qualification is absolutely comparable," said Gjasula. "And the fact that all Albanians around the world were cheering it on perhaps makes it feel even bigger." He hopes that he can also transfer his good feeling a little to his Darmstadt teammates.
In the upcoming Bundesliga match against SC Freiburg, SV Darmstadt 98 will be missing key players such as Christoph Klarer, Fraser Hornby, and potentially Braydon Manu due to injuries and suspensions. Despite these absences, Torsten Lieberknecht, who returned to training after his wife's health improvement, maintains a positive outlook, stating, "We still want to win the game in Freiburg, we have that self-confidence." As a former Freiburg resident, Klaus Gjasula, a defensive specialist for Darmstadt 98, looks forward to the match with a special enthusiasm, hoping to bring some positivity to his teammates.
Source: www.dpa.com
