After more than a year, Bochum’s Marcel Sobottka was back in action in the 2. Bundesliga. There are worse games than against Schalke to end his long wait.”
On December 20, 2024, Marcel Sobottka made his last second-division appearance. At the time, he was still playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf.
A long wait followed: He missed almost the entire second half of the season due to injuries, and his contract was not renewed. In the winter, he transferred to VfL Bochum.
And his rough patch came to an end in the heated derby against FC Schalke, of all matches. In the 70th minute, he came on as a substitute for Callum Marshall. The midfielder then helped secure the 2-0 lead until the final whistle.
Afterward, the 31-year-old expressed his delight: “There are worse clubs to make your debut against, especially when you win the game. Those were three important points, and the atmosphere was outstanding. We can build on that.”
It was the seventh consecutive unbeaten game for Bochum, who climbed to eighth place thanks to the home win. After the game, Sobottka celebrated with coach Uwe Rösler. Former Schalke player Sobottka explained why the two of them walked so intimately toward a section of the stands. “It was a special situation because we had a mutual friend in the stands. That’s why the coach grabbed me and pointed to our buddy.”
VfL’s next match is on Friday in Münster (6:30 p.m.). After facing top-tier teams, they now take on a team from the bottom of the table. But the standings are so tight that you can never let your guard down, as Sobottka knows: “We’re in eighth place, just seven points ahead of last place—that shows how close it is.”
He has respect for the upcoming opponent: “In terms of play, they’re a really good team. They have the most possession in their own half. Still, we want to win there; we want to stick to our game plan.”
I’m not a fan of the subjunctive. We can only influence our performance in the game or in training. Everyone is an athlete through and through. But you don’t have to set goals for what might happen in three or four months
Marcel Sobottka
To keep the momentum going. VfL is working harder and harder to turn around the poor start to the season. And Sobottka feels that the team is definitely heading in the right direction. “You could see in the last few games that we have consistency on the field. We have a lot of young players who still have a lot to learn. I can only really judge what I’ve seen since I’ve been here. The team is on the right track.”
That said, he’s not one to rush into setting new goals. Especially since a twelve-point gap to the relegation spot is already a significant cushion. “I’m not a fan of the subjunctive. We can only influence our performance in games or training. Everyone is an athlete through and through. But you don’t have to set goals for what might happen in three or four months.” gp / cb