The talents have impressed, the mix is right, and the conditions were “outstanding.” Now VfL Bochum just has to hope that two key players are not bought away. The VfL has brought back a lot of positive insights, but also some that need to be worked on in the coming weeks before the start of the second division season. “It was hot, the team was exhausted, and it was clear that the test shouldn’t be overrated. The guys worked hard and had some intense test matches. In the end, everyone was happy to go home for a few days. That’s how we have to view the test. It was an intense session, which we can now tick off.”

The question remains: How does Dufner assess the days in Austria? After all, VfL has a major upheaval to cope with. Did the days spent together help? “Everyone is asking themselves where they stand in their preparations for the final third of the season. Many things are satisfactory; we’ve worked very well on fitness. You can see that the young players are able to keep up in training. Some of them are even clearly invigorating elements, which is an important insight. The mix is right, we still have a few problems in the final third, as always, and we need to work on that.“

Dufner also praised the conditions in Austria as ”outstanding,“ saying that the entire staff had used the time to become a unit on a personal level as well. His conclusion: ”The work has been excellent, the coach is extremely satisfied. We can therefore draw a very positive conclusion.”

Now those responsible just have to wait and see if there are any more departures. Matus Bero and Ibrahima Sissoko are considered candidates who would like to play in the Bundesliga.

Dufner has already stated that VfL will have to sell if a certain offer is made. He now said: “The question now is whether anyone will leave us and whether we will react to that. That’s the unknown factor. Now we’ll wait and see what the last two weeks bring.” cb / gp