Back to Hamburg: goalkeeper switch in the cup | OneFootball

Alex Meyer is returning to his old home as BVB’s goalkeeper: the keeper will start between the posts for Gregor Kobel in the first round against HEBC. BVB coach Niko Kovac has already announced this. For Meyer, the trip to Hamburg will be a special one: the goalkeeper was born in Bad Oldesloe, around 30 km away as the crow flies, and played for Hamburger SV’s youth teams and reserve side between 2005 and 2012. He was a ball boy at the Volksparkstadion, but never played there for the senior team.

Kovac has generally announced rotation for the cup match: “We’ll see how the lads who played at the weekend are feeling.” That will determine who starts. One or two changes in the starting eleven beyond the goalkeeper position are already planned.

Ramy Bensebaini has been suspended for two DFB-Pokal matches after his red card in the Supercup and will miss the game against HEBC, as will long-term absentees Emre Can and Nico Schlotterbeck.

Konstantelias undergoing rehab in Dortmund

A player who also will not feature took up a large part of the pre-match press conference: Giannis Konstantelias tore his ACL in his first Bundesliga game against HSV after an impressive first half and his first goal for BVB, and will be out for an indefinite period. Kovac did not want to give a precise prognosis: “We first have to wait for the operation, and then we’ll see exactly what was done there.”

The coach remembers the situation in the second half: “Of course, it was a shock for all of us. It affected my team, but also our fans. You could feel it in the stadium.” He describes Konstantelias as “composed, disappointed, very emotional. He’ll come back stronger—that’s what he believes, that’s what we believe, and we’ll help him.” The Greek will complete his rehab in Dortmund. On the one hand because of the medical care, on the other to maintain contact with his teammates: “It’s also about supporting him.”Christina Reinke

This article was translated into English by Artificial Intelligence. You can read the original version in 🇩🇪 here.