VfL Wolfsburg goalkeeper Timon Wellenreuther don declare imself fit and e go make im first competitive appearance for di club when dem host 1. FC Heidenheim on Saturday by 1pm. Di keeper bin dey di club since July, but injury and infection don stop am from playing any competitive match for di club.
Wellenreuther arrive from Feyenoord Rotterdam and sign contract wey go run until 2029. Before that, e play for Schalke. Di club bring am to replace Kamil Grabara as number one, but Grabara later move to Juventus Turin on loan at end of transfer window. Sporting director Pirmin Schwegler bin praise Wellenreuther experience for Champions League and Europa League, plus im role as captain.
But setback come end of July. Wellenreuther pick knee injury for friendly against Olympique Lyon, match wey di club lose 0-2. Coach Tobias Strobl then choose 18-year-old Jakub Zielinski and talk say di young keeper go stand in goal for di whole period wey Wellenreuther go miss.
Zielinski make im professional debut for 0-0 draw with Kaiserslautern and e show strong performance, with saves wey save di club from bad start. Since then, e don play seven games and concede 12 goals. Di club currently dey fifth position for di table.
Wellenreuther return bin look close. Two months after di injury, e train with di team again and im knee bin ready for action. But infection push am back. E miss di top game in Nuremberg, where Zielinski stand in goal and di match end 4-4, as di club equalize for stoppage time.
Now attention turn to di match against 1. FC Heidenheim. Na meeting between two relegated teams, and na di game wey Wellenreuther go make im competitive debut for di club shirt. Di keeper report imself fit during di week for di coming game.
For Zielinski, dis no be demotion. Di young goalkeeper don establish imself as reliable alternative. For Wellenreuther, after di long wait, di target na to make di defense solid. Im competitive debut for Schalke happen in 2015 when e be 19 for Champions League, so e sabi how to start cold.
