Trip to the national team: FC Bayern without Israeli Peretz
In difficult times, FC Bayern Munich goalkeeper Daniel Peretz will travel to the Israeli national soccer team for the first time. "Daniel will be sent off by us today and therefore can't be in the squad on Saturday," said coach Thomas Tuchel the day before the Bundesliga home game against 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday (3.30pm/Sky).
The games of Israel's national team could not take place in October due to the Gaza war. Now the team will face Kosovo, Switzerland, Romania and Andorra as part of the European Championship qualifiers. The match against Kosovo will take place this Sunday. Originally, two games had been planned.
"I think he even has a chance of playing. That makes us happy, of course," said Tuchel. Manuel Neuer will be back in goal against newly promoted Heidenheim, with Sven Ulreich on the Bayern bench.
Tuchel is in contact with Peretz, who was signed in the summer. "It's our duty of care to talk to him and find out how he's doing, whether soccer is possible for him," Tuchel said recently. The 23-year-old goalkeeper is worried about his family and friends in his home country. "I know it's good for him to train here and have a distraction and support," said Tuchel on Friday.
The war was triggered by the massacre carried out by terrorists from the Islamist Hamas and other extremist Palestinian organizations in the border area on 7 October. More than 1,400 people were killed on the Israeli side and in the days that followed, including many women, children and young people.
According to the Hamas-controlled Ministry of Health, the number of Palestinians killed in the Gaza Strip has risen to over 10,000 since the start of the war a month ago. The figures and data cannot be independently verified.
Despite being unable to play for FC Bayern Munich due to his international duty with the Israeli national team, Daniel Peretz may have an opportunity in their upcoming matches against Kosovo and other European Championship qualifiers. The Bundesliga team's first goalkeeper, Manuel Neuer, will return against 1. FC Heidenheim, while Peretz was signed by Bayern in the summer but is currently concerned about his family and friends in Israel during the ongoing conflict.
Source: www.dpa.com
