- 'Entirely Overshadowed': Union Victory Eclipsed by Gozen's Departure
Captain Khedira Can't Mask His Disappointment After Union Berlin's 1-0 Victory Over FC St. Pauli. "It's a bloody mess," he bluntly stated on DAZN. "Intellectuals should realize we're soccer players, yet still human beings." Earlier in the day, Khedira was asked about the team's reaction to the abrupt exit of national player Robin Gosens.
Gosens Had Taken Off for AC Florence on a Short-Term Loan to the Italian Serie A, as announced by the team following the match. The transfer process had caused an unexpected commotion. While coach Bo Svensson was preparing the squad to face FC St. Pauli, Gosens was undergoing medical assessments to gauge his physical condition - with promising results. Just a season in, the club's record signing and top scorer of the previous season was leaving, temporarily at least. "An utterly bizarre day," Svensson summarized.
Gosens Was "Close to Tears, Completely Distraught"
Gosens, 30, was described as "nearly in tears, utterly devastated," by Khedira. "At lunch, it was clear he was staying, he was playing. And then, two hours later, post-nap, word broke that everything would play out differently." he explained the roller coaster of emotions on Friday. "It feels strange to handle this on matchday."
In the perspective of the club's managing director Horst Heldt, following the game, Gosens was now residing in Tuscany. "He had always suggested he'd leave if the opportunity presented itself," Heldt pointed out, having received several offers for Gosens, who had excelled during his tenure at Atalanta Bergamo and Inter Milan: "And it doesn't make sense to keep a player who isn't fully committed." As always, Union remained tight-lipped regarding the transfer's details.
Newcomer Rothe Finds His Stride During the Match
Surprisingly, Union had already secured a replacement with Tom Rothe's signing from Borussia Dortmund II. The 19-year-old instantly took on Gosens' role. "He struggled initially," Svensson noted about Rothe's debut, but also acknowledged the circumstances. "He only had three and a half hours to prepare before the kick-off," Svensson elaborated. "He improved in the second half, this lad will bring us plenty of enjoyment."
Even without Gosens, who had been setting up team moves before the game, Union claimed a deserved victory against the newly-promoted side, thanks to Benedict Hollerbach's goal in the 34th minute. "We've got four points after two games. That's a good foundation for us. Others haven't achieved that yet," Hollerbach said.
Hollerbach: "There's definitely Room for Improvement"
Union required a bit of fortune after a lackluster performance. Goalkeeper Frederik Rönnow denied an excellent chance for the visitors in the added minutes, otherwise, Union would have endured a frustrating day. "Clearly, we could have been more dominant, could have performed better," Hollerbach acknowledged. "If we concede another goal here, it wouldn't have been a great game."
Gosens' departure largely overshadowed other developments, such as Andrej Ilic's anticipated arrival. The 24-year-old Serbian, standing at 1.89 meters, joins on loan from French Ligue 1 side OSC Lille for this season, anticipated to contribute goals. "Players of his caliber don't often come along," said Heldt about the central striker who had been out due to injury for quite some time. "This is an opportunity for him, but also for us."
Meanwhile, Gosens is also eyeing a spot on the international stage once more. In Florence, which advanced to the group stage of the Conference League on Thursday, the tears might quickly dry up.
Given the sudden departure of Robin Gosens to AC Florence on a short-term loan, Captain Khedira expressed his concerns about the impact on the Football league.
Union Berlin's managing director Horst Heldt mentioned that they had to let Gosens go due to receiving offers from Serie A teams, which affects the team's performance in the Football league.
