VfL on the way to victory, VfL outnumbered and behind, VfL still saves one point: The 2: 2 (1: 1) of the Wolfsburg Bundesliga club on Saturday at Union Berlin was a game with a few twists and turns. Renato Steffen scored the first goal of the game, Wout Weghorst scored the last with a penalty. In between were the Union hits from Sheraldo Becker and Robert Andrich, a red emergency brake for Maximilian Arnold and the question: What about Marin Pongracic?
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The bad pass with which Pongracic introduced the Union goal to 1: 1 could be dismissed as a common defender blunder. “We had been discussing all week that we wanted to avoid such actions,” said VfL coach Oliver Glasner about the imprecise pass in the center of his own half. With Pongracic, however, was more in the wrong, the Croatian revealed for 45 minutes stamina and concentration problems that call into question his ability to compete. “He already had major problems with his air in the first half,” said Glasner, “and had both hands on his knees after just 15 minutes. You usually know that from extensions. He is simply not in a one hundred percent fit condition. “
The reasons lie in Pongracic’s medical history. Last year, he was absent for over two months due to glandular fever, then had his first longer appearances in the Croatian national team and brought with him a Covid infection from there. In mid-December he was allowed to play again in the VfL jersey and has always been in the starting line-up since the 2-1 draw at Bayern. Glasner had already emphasized before the Union game that a sensible structure looks different after a long break.
In particular, the consequences of Covid infections are apparently still difficult to predict. This is also shown by a second case in the VfL squad: Maxence Lacroix was on the field in the last quarter of an hour after his Corona break at the game in Dortmund, a few days later the VfL doctors pulled him out of circulation – another reason why Pongracic had to ran on Saturday in Berlin. Glasner: “We all don’t know how the corona infection will affect itself in months.” In relation to the current situation, this means: A player may be healthy and Covid-free again, but this may not mean that he is suitable for competitive sports. And possible long-term consequences are unexplored.
“We are very sensitive to the issue,” assures VfL sporting director Marcel Schäfer – and refers in the Pongracic case to the previous burden of glandular fever: “Marin was not there for three months, that is often forgotten.” That he was still there despite his missions is not at 100 percent, was also visible on Saturday at Union. And it is obvious that it was a mistake from a purely sporting point of view to even field it. But more important: “We are following these things consistently, the health of the players is paramount,” said Schäfer.
That is why Jerome Roussillon, for example, who survived his corona infection, will be checked completely again on Monday before he can fully return to training. Substitute keeper Pavao Pervan, who was back in training last week after the Corona break, was not part of the squad on Saturday to be on the safe side: “There is simply too little experience here. We take the topic very seriously and are in regular contact with our doctors, but also with the doctors of the DFL and the DFB, in order to gain further knowledge. “
VfL is one of the Bundesliga clubs most affected by Covid cases. In addition to Pongracic, Lacroix, Roussillon and Pervan, Maximilian Arnold, William, Kevin Mbabu, Renato Steffen and Josip Brekalo had to pause because of an infection.
