After more than a year, Bochum’s Marcel Sobottka was finally back in action in the 2. Bundesliga. “There are worse games than one against Schalke to end this rough patch.”

On December 20, 2024, Marcel Sobottka made his last appearance in the second division—back then, he was still playing for Fortuna Düsseldorf.

A long period of hardship followed: He missed almost the entire second half of the season due to injuries, and his contract was not renewed. He then transferred to VfL Bochum during the winter break.

And, of all games, it was the heated derby against FC Schalke that brought his ordeal to an end. In the 70th minute, he came on as a substitute for Callum Marshall. Afterward, the midfielder helped secure the 2-0 victory.

After the match, 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 this.”

It was the seventh consecutive unbeaten game for Bochum, who climbed to eighth place thanks to the three points earned at home. After the game, Sobottka celebrated with coach Uwe Rösler. Sobottka, a former Schalke player, 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. So the coach grabbed me and pointed to our buddy.”