Centre-back from now on? Remberg shares his thoughts on his new role | OneFootball

Merlin Polzin surprised on Sunday in Cologne by moving Nicolai Remberg back into the back three. Afterwards, both spoke about the tactical decision.

In the cup match in Heidenheim, Merlin Polzin compensated for the absence of Nicolás Capaldo—whom he had only recently retrained as a central defender—by using Jordan Torunarigha. Torunarigha was also available for the away game at 1. FC Köln, but was not allowed to start. Instead, the coach shifted Nicolai Remberg from central midfield to the right half position in the back three.

As a result, the technically skilled duo of Albert Sambi Lokonga and Fábio Vieira—much desired by many fans—started together in midfield for the first time. Ball-winner Remberg, who had performed very well in recent weeks, took on an unfamiliar role. “I put myself at the service of the team, even though that’s not my preferred position,” he emphasized after the match (via Abendblatt).

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Remberg set to return to midfield

Despite an early yellow card, he held his own, but could not prevent the 1:4 defeat. “The tasks are different than in the number six role, where I naturally feel more comfortable. You first have to get a feel for when to step out and shift over,” explained the 25-year-old. He sees his strengths more in “plugging gaps.” His absence was noticeable, as Vieira and Lokonga at times offered the Cologne team plenty of space in the center.

The former will miss next Saturday’s game against Dortmund due to his yellow-red card. Remberg could therefore return to his usual position. Even though Polzin praised him for his versatility: “Rambo is very strong in terms of game strategy. He always manages to bring his teammates into play well.” These skills are needed alongside Lokonga so that the latter has cover when HSV is in possession. In addition, Capaldo’s comeback is on the horizon, so from the coach’s perspective, the right center-back position is satisfactorily filled.

Photo: Getty Images

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