After Jacob Christensen came to 1. FC Köln from FC Nordsjaelland in the summer, things got complicated for the Dane. Now he was in the starting line-up for the first time – but the 22-year-old showed patience.
Cologne’s Jacob Christensen tackles Harry Kane. IMAGO/Lackovic
German is pretty good, but Jacob Christensen prefers to give interviews in English. “It was more like grammar and vocabulary,” says the Dane about the three years he learned German at school. Christensen understands the meetings held in German quite well, and communication with the coaching team also works this way. And if in doubt, there are enough professionals in the squad who can help him in English. Which doesn’t mean that there aren’t any misunderstandings: The 0-2 loss at FC Bayern last weekend was one of those, when Christensen and Luca Waldschmidt couldn’t agree on who would clear the ball in front of Thomas Müller: in the end, the world champion scored the goal to the final score. Annoying, but not a drama.
For Christensen it was his first appearance for FC from the start. “It felt very good and was a great experience,” he said after a few days. “I’ll look back on that.” Especially since the 22-year-old finally moved into the center of the team. After Christensen moved from FC Nordsjaelland to the Rhineland in the summer, it took quite a long time before Christensen was able to show what he could do for more than a few minutes. “It was very difficult and perhaps took a little too long,” he admits. “But I was patient and ready for the right moment.”
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The coaching team always conveyed appreciation to Christensen and the midfielder was simply unlucky with a strain. “Of course it’s frustrating when you don’t play,” he says honestly. “I was already annoyed.” But it was already clear to Christensen during discussions with FC officials around sports director Christian Keller last summer that he would need time. “When I spoke to the club they said that I would need a few months before I could play in the Bundesliga. Then unfortunately I was injured for three months, which took time. But I just knew that I would need time. ”
Now Christensen wants to become a serious alternative in defensive midfield. “I think I showed in the last game what qualities I can bring to the table,” he says confidently. Christensen says about himself: “I’m a player who wants the ball. Someone who can keep balance in the game and make good passes. I’m also very disciplined in defensive work.” Which was definitely visible with the record champions – even if it was still significantly limited.
Starting eleven again for Christensen?
Christensen’s partner from last weekend, Dejan Ljubicic, was missing on Wednesday. If the sick Austrian does not get fit in time for 1. FC Cologne’s relegation final against Darmstadt on Saturday (3:30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker), Christensen could also play from the start again. Probably next to Denis Huseinbasic – a line-up with the blonde, who appeared more defensive against Munich, and Eric Martel would be a pretty defensive variant to ensure that the billy goats absolutely have to win.
“We have a lot of quality and a good level in training,” emphasizes Christensen, “but in the games we may be missing the last spark to score goals.” He himself will probably do everything to stay in the league – after all, appearances in the German upper house were once little Jacob Christensen’s dream: “When I was little, I wanted to play in one of the top five leagues like the Bundesliga. That’s what I got I dreamed and that helped me. That was a big dream of mine.” One that could end in the summer if Cologne were to be relegated.
2024-04-17 17:23:21
#Christensens #long #runup #frustrating
