Lukas Hradecky He was close to the German Bundes League record in successive unprofitable matches, but the surprise loss to Werder Bremen cut off the tube on Saturday.
Hradecky was standing between the Leverkusen posts for almost two years and 54 Bundesliga matches in the tube without any loss. Only the Bayern München defender has been able to get better Jerome Boatengwhose loss -free tube was once stretched to 56 games.
– Yes it did on Saturday. I was aware of the record and moved in that a pretty long tube was gone. It has been nice not to feel like a loss of loss, Hradecky tells Sports.
Indeed, the feelings of loss in Leverkusen have been rare. Last season, the team won the double championship without losing in Germany. The only defeat came in the European League Final, where there was a Czech Republic in the fight Matej kovar.
Right now the team is Xabi Alonson In the worst Alho of the head coaching season. Last week, there were two in a row without any goals scored.
The biggest disappointment was Wednesday’s 0-3 guest loss for Archituten Bayern Munich in the first part of the Champions League’s quarterfinals. Captain Hradecky followed the match from the exchange bench while Kovar played.
– It was a bit tougher blow. Of course I was expecting I would have been in that game in the “oven”, so it was difficult, Hradecky times.
Alonso recycled goalkeepers last season. Hradecky played in the Bundes League and Kovar Cup competitions, except for the German Cup finals, where the Finn fought for victory.
This season, recycling has been even stronger. In the Champions League, Hradecky has played three times, Kovar six times.
– In group phase games, of course, rotation is understandable from time to time, and I have not been disappointed with it.
At the time of the interview on Monday, before the finishing exercises, Hradecky did not yet know which one would reject the second match on Tuesday. Kovar received a lot of criticism after the Bayern match. He dropped an easy concentration ball from his fingers, leading to Bayern’s second goal.
– Kovar is a good goalkeeper and a good guy. It was bad for him that such a mistake happened. You can’t choose it in which games it will come. That mistake didn’t overthrew us, we were all behind. It would have been nice to be helping the team. Let’s see which solution Xabi will end up tomorrow, Hradecky says.
Players’ strain speaks in locker rooms
Leverkusen’s goalkeeper situation is talked about in German media. Kovar, 24, is planned to follow a full-time follower of 35-year-old Hradecky, but the mistakes that occur this season have aroused question marks.
Few top teams are just as strongly recycled by goalkeepers, but Hradecky sees XABI Alonson in practice also benefits.
– Sometimes it’s not a bad thing to be able to rest and focus on mental and physical preparation. I’m not the youngest column anymore anymore. It has not been a harsh at all that I sometimes have a respite, says Hradecky.
– Perhaps this is the near future and we are in the tactics of two milling tags. After all, there are so many matches in the hockey NHL that there is more to share the responsibility of the goalkeepers. Perhaps this is a sign of something future that football is moving in the same direction.
The increase in players’ strain is increasingly raising reactions among players. The best clubs suffer from the increasing number of matches. In the Champions League, the number of matches was increased this season, and for the first time in the United States, a one-month-old club team tournament will be played in the United States.
From Hradecky’s colleagues to increase the number of matches has been criticized For example, Liverpool’s goalkeeper Alisson. Hradecky says that players are dissatisfied in Germany.
– I have been in contact with the German Player Association. Probably 95 % of the captains think that now is enough. We are really pleased with Leverkusen that we do not have to go to America in the summer.
The German clubs in the World Cup are Bayern Munich and Dortmund. Hradecky believes that this may have an impact on next season’s Bundesliga.
– At what point do they have a vacation? This can be a good thing for us at first an eye. After all, they are in the finals, with those World Cup after the season. After two weeks, it will start preparing for the new season. That’s a week, and the Bundesliga starts, says Hradecky.
– Now this is starting to go over. TV rights and money speaks. At some point, you have to make a more severe intervention. This is no longer healthy for players.
The miracle rise is required
On Tuesday evening, Leverkusen is in front of his nearly impossible task in front of three goals against Bayern Munich. The situation is made more difficult by the team’s number one Florian Wirtzin Ankle injury on Saturday, that keeps her in the sidelines for weeks.
Behind three or more goals, the Champions League’s two -piece playoffs have only risen four times. For Hradecky, the semi -final between Liverpool and Barcelona is the top of these.
A little hope for Leverkusen brings that in the past, the trick has been successful in front of the home audience.
– After all, the Xabi will give them questions at the meeting today that you remember the guys. Yes, we believe. At first, one goal and the other in the second period, so suddenly it is to chase. I strongly believe that at least we do the goal.
If anyone has personal experience with the miracles of the Champions League, then Alonso. He scored a handicap when Liverpool rose three goals to win in the final against AC Milan 20 years ago.
Listen to the full interview and Hradecky’s thoughts on the Huuhkajan World Cup qualifying and the new head coach Jacob Fries at the 11 Friends podcast on Wednesday! Previous episodes can be listened to at this link.