After the 3-0 first leg win in Bochum, Fortuna Düsseldorf has one foot in the Bundesliga. Daniel Thioune does not want to let the starting position go to his head.
Full focus: Daniel Thioune wants to make sure he gets promoted to the Bundesliga. IMAGO/kolbert-press
Four years after their last relegation from the Bundesliga, Fortuna Düsseldorf is once again on the threshold of the top flight. Daniel Thioune’s team takes no less than a three-goal lead into the relegation second leg on Monday evening (8.30 p.m., LIVE! on kicker), before which even the coach, who always strives for objective clarity, has to admit: “Euphoria is normal after such a result.”
Thiounes circle remains clear
But Thioune wouldn’t be Thioune if he didn’t immediately add a crucial addendum to his findings. Which is why he added at the press conference before the decisive second duel with VfL Bochum: “The euphoria is building in the outer circle. The inner circle is clear.” This was also evident after the 3-0 win on Thursday evening. “It was impressive that the team was focused after the game,” praised Thoiune, “that’s how I saw them over the last two days too.”
The 49-year-old himself seems to have lost none of his cheerful demeanor despite the approaching promotion. “Euphoria is out of place and not our companion at all,” says Thioune – and he wants to set an example. On Friday, after a short night and some sport, he started to review the first leg and stressed: “There were also situations that could have turned out worse for us.” He was therefore immediately “on the lookout for solutions” – also because “we didn’t necessarily get what we expected.”
This refers to the tactical approach of Bochum’s coach Heiko Butscher. He surprised his opponent with a “swinging three-man chain” and the resulting overloading of the center. A measure that was ultimately not visible in the end, but which nevertheless had an impact on Thioune: “That will be the biggest challenge: that we don’t get what we expect, but what our colleague Butscher thinks up.” It is therefore important to “have players on the pitch who can react to tactical instructions.”
Fortuna relies on consistency – Gavory is out
Specifically, Thioune’s goal could be the identical formation from the furious away win in Castrop-Rauxel. “There’s a high probability that it’s the same eleven because they did a lot right,” suggests Thioune, but reserves the right to make spontaneous changes: “We’ll have to wait a few hours to see how the individuals have recovered. Perhaps it makes sense for someone to start from the bench.”
Full-back Nicolas Gavory will definitely not be there. The Frenchman injured himself during warm-up in the Ruhr region and suffered a “torn muscle fiber in his calf,” as his coach revealed. The season is therefore over for the left-footer, he is expected back “after the summer break” – and may then be able to call himself a Bundesliga player.
2024-05-26 12:18:40
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