Five games and only one win: Spielvereinigung Schonnebeck had imagined a different start to the season in the Oberliga Niederrhein. Now the Essen team has gone one better.

Spielvereinigung Essen-Schonnebeck has signed another player for the defence. The 19-year-old Luca Nikolai will provide further competition in the defence with immediate effect.

Nikolai most recently played for the MSV Duisburg U19 team. Before that, Borussia Mönchengladbach, among others, trained him up to the U17 level. In the past season, he played in twelve games for MSV’s U19s.

Christian Leben, sporting director of the Essen club, says about the newcomer: “Luca is a great talent and a top reinforcement for us. For a variety of reasons, he was really unlucky not to have found a place at the higher level this summer. We are very happy that he has now decided to join us. Luca gives us even more quality in the squad, which is now well enough positioned to react flexibly to absences and to leave the lower part of the table as soon as possible.

Sinclair and Cetin also strengthen Schonnebeck

After the failed start to the season, the Schonnebeck side made two further additions to their squad. Kingsley Sinclair came to Schetters Busch from Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and Veli Cetin from the U19s of Rot-Weiss Essen.

After defeats against Union Nettetal (2:5), SC St. Tönis (1:2), KFC Uerdingen (1:2) and SSVg Velbert (0:1), the Schonnebeck side celebrated their first win on the last matchday. They won 5:3 at TSV Meerbusch. On Sunday (4 September, 2 p.m.), regional league relegated VfB Homberg will come to Essen-Schonnebeck. Then the youngest addition Luca Nikolai will also be there.