An undefeated season, the top spot in the Bundesliga, the local game against Mönchengladbach that the fans have been waiting for. The captain is left on the bench.
Leverkusen’s successful keeper Lukas Hradecky got into a strange situation on Saturday. The Finn has only been on the bench once in the Bundesliga when he was healthy during his six years at Leverkusen. Even then, it was a no-stakes final game of the season.
The head coach Xabi Alonso justified his choice with the German Cup match to be played next week. Second guard Matej Kovar this season has played Cup and Europa League matches as agreed in advance. Alonso wanted to give Kovar a feel for the game with the Cup in mind.
Hradecky’s benching caused consternation over the weekend, but Urheilu’s expert Antti Pohja I don’t see anything strange about it.
– Leverkusen’s situation is great. They have one of the best goalkeepers in Europe and, on top of that, a challenger who is ten years younger than that, who can throw a huge impact on the goal in a league game, says Pohja.
– For the club, it is a very small risk, which provides insurance if something happens to Hradecky. Of course, Hradecky still has the status of the number one goalkeeper.
The bottom reminds that for Hradecky a little Huili is only a good thing. Especially when the Finn recently had his first child.
– He must have been sleeping on the sofa for the last few weeks with a baby bottle in hand. Maybe even this kind of thing can have an effect on the matter, maybe he himself has asked for help if the eyes have been crossed.
Leverkusen remained in a goalless draw in the match despite clear control. The goalkeeper playing on it had no effect. Bayern Munich won their own match and narrowed Leverkusen’s league lead to one point.
Alonso confirmed immediately after the match that Hradecky will play Saturday’s league match as a guest of Darmstadt.
2) Matti Peltola’s direction is the United States
The January transfer window closes on Wednesday. For Finns, perhaps the most interesting move was left to the last moments. The HJK midfielder who broke through in Huuhkaj Matti Peltola is continuing his career To the North American MLS series in the ranks of DC United.
According to media reports, there has been interest in Peltola at least in France and Sweden, but like many other national team players, he ended up in North America. As a difference, for example Teemu Pukki Peltola goes behind the bat as a young, 21-year-old player.
Antti Pohja finds the choice surprising.
– The move raises several questions. The game performances would certainly have been enough for tough series in Europe already. Washington is certainly in some ways a step forward in the career, but it is not as well exposed there as in Europe. Usually, people have gone to the United States at a later age, when the European series have already been played, says Pohja.
Last fall, the MLS players’ long journeys and the stress of the time difference were the talk of the Huuhkajie. Once the transfer is confirmed, Peltola will become the eighth Finnish player in MLS.
– Of course, a young player always recovers faster, but traveling does bring its own strain. The game reasons for choosing MLS are the most interesting to me. Looking at the player, a tough European series would objectively have been a more logical choice at this point, Pohja states.
The Washington Post according to Peltola will move to DC United with a so-called designated player contract. Under the clause known as the Beckham rule, MLS clubs can waive a maximum of three players who are outside the salary cap.
Among the Finns, Teemu Pukki (Minnesota) and Alexander Ring (Austin). DP players take up salary cap space only at the maximum salary (about $650,000) regardless of how much they are actually paid. At the age of 21, Peltola is subject to the young DP player rule, so his contract will take the salary cap just a slice of $200,000.
3) Sanni Franssi’s finish line
Marko Saloranta replaced Anna Signeulin As the head coach of Helmareit a year and a half ago, the team has seen the desired change. Young players have come to the fore, partly due to the decisions of experienced players to quit.
One of Signeul’s more experienced credit players has recently been left with less responsibility. Despite that San Francisco has played strongly in the Spanish league, which belongs to the world’s top leagues, in the shirt of Real Sociedad.
Franssi, who is in good form, has already scored four times this year, although the goal streak was broken in the weekend’s 1-1 draw against Madrid CF.
Last weekend, the WhoScored statistics service selected the English Super League to the team of the week chosen by Leicester Jutta Rantala played in the Nations League mainly in the opening by Linda Sällström the top couple. For Franssi, the total amount of minutes accumulated was only about two matches. Franssi and Rantala both scored two goals in the Nations League. Sällström hit four times.
Sports expert Hanna Ruohomaa feels that Franssi deserves more playing time also in the national team. In the tough A-League EC qualifiers starting in April, the picture of the matches will change from the autumn Nations League matches. It can open up more opportunities for Franssi.
– Franssi is a different player than other attackers. His strengths could be utilized more. In the A-league, there is less space to run behind the line and that means more one-on-one situations where Franssi is good, says Ruohomaa.
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