Regional league side SSVg Velbert visit Wuppertaler SV on Saturday. Forecasting spoke to Felix Herzenbruch ahead of the game.
Things are currently hotting up in the Regionalliga West basement. The last five teams all scored points on the last matchday. SSVg Velbert, SV Lippstadt, Wegberg-Beeck and Borussia Mönchengladbach II each celebrated a three-pointer, while RW Ahlen, who are bottom of the table, drew 1-1 at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen.
There are just six points between 14th and 18th place, and Velbert, who are bottom of the table, still have a catch-up game up their sleeve and could reduce the gap to three points. The recent 2:1 victory over 1. FC Düren was therefore all the more important for SSVg Velbert.
Veteran Felix Herzenbruch knows that too. “The win was of course very important. But we would have liked the three-pointer to bring us closer to the non-relegation places. Because the other teams have all won, the win was all the more important so that we don’t lose touch. If we still only had 17 points in our account, things would obviously look different. Of course, this three-pointer was also good for our self-confidence. We showed that we can win against a team from the top third of the table,” explained Herzenbruch in the interview.
The former Rot-Weiss Essen fan favorite, who was officially unveiled at Bahnhofstraße on January 19, has been on the pitch from the first to the last second in all seven Regionalliga games since his transfer. Of these seven games, the team at the bottom of the table has won three – a solid record.
Herzenbruch talks about his start in Velbert: “Personally, I think I’m back in the swing of things and have played relatively decent games in the left-back position within my capabilities. The start in Velbert wasn’t quite so easy. The change from professional to after-work soccer is a bit bigger. It’s also a bit cooler on the hill in Velbert. I’ve had the rain in my face from all directions over the last few weeks (laughs). But I still have to say that the move was the right decision and that I’ve finally arrived in Velbert.”
A very special match awaits the 31-year-old veteran next Saturday (March 16, 2 p.m.): The Wuppertal native, who is moving back to his hometown in the summer, will be a guest with Velbert at Wuppertaler SV. Even though the Spielvereinigung are the clear underdogs, Herzenbruch brings good odds to the game
That’s a good statistic, of course. But I’ve heard another interesting statistic, which says that Wuppertal have only picked up three points out of 15 against teams in the bottom third this season. The teams at the bottom don’t seem to suit Wuppertal.
Felix Herzenbruch
Because: He has won all five duels against WSV in the Regionalliga West. If “Herze” has his way, then this record should be extended: “That’s a good statistic, of course. But I’ve heard another interesting statistic, which says that Wuppertal have only picked up three points out of 15 against teams in the bottom third this season. The teams at the bottom don’t seem to suit Wuppertal. I hope that we can get something there too.”
When asked how much faith he has in staying in the league with ten games remaining, the 74-time third division professional replied: “The belief is still there. In general, you probably need 30 points plus X to stay in the league at all. We have to win our games somehow, get the points to finish above the line. “