Samuel Bamba wants to establish himself in the Bundesliga at VfL Bochum. He describes his first impressions at his new club

After his move to VfL Bochum, Samuel Bamba has a highlight waiting for him early on in the season. It has been known since the fixture list was published this Thursday that he will face Borussia Dortmund on matchday five.

Bamba moved from BVB to Bochum this summer. The 19-year-old wore the jersey of the neighboring club for eleven years. He came through the youth teams, most recently played for the third division team and also made two appearances for the professionals. Bamba could then return to his former club’s stadium with VfL as an official Bundesliga player at the end of September

However, Bamba faces a very special game next weekend in the first test match of the preparations. VfL play host to Oberliga side Rot Weiss Ahlen (2 p.m., RS live ticker) – and thus in the winger’s home town and home club.

“It’s a really nice thing, I haven’t looked forward to a game this much for a long time,” explained Bamba on the sidelines of the training kick-off on Wednesday. He left Ahlen for Dortmund when he was nine years old. “I’ve never played there again since then. I’m really looking forward to the Wersestadion. “

The stadium is not the biggest, but the atmosphere is very special

Samuel Bamba about the Ruhrstadion

And, of course, to playing in Bochum’s Ruhrstadion. After the Revier club contacted the youngster in the winter, Bamba saw defeats against Freiburg and in the first leg of the relegation play-off against Düsseldorf during his visits to Castroper Straße. Nevertheless, he says: “The stadium isn’t the biggest, but the atmosphere is very special.”

The son of ex-professional Musemestre Bamba, who was once coached by VfL legend Franz-Josef Tenhagen, has already gained his first experience in front of a large crowd. During a short stint for BVB at Signal-Iduna-Park. Or in the third division match at Dynamo Dresden, where Bamba scored the winning goal shortly before the end.

Bamba not the first VfL signing from Dortmund’s U23s

Despite outstanding performances in Dortmund’s youth academy, the Ahlen native saw no prospects at BVB. VfL is confident that the speedy winger will make his breakthrough in the Bundesliga – after all, other talents from Borussia’s U23s in Bochum, such as Patrick Osterhage and Moritz Broschinski, have already achieved this.

“The club and coach have ambitious plans for me,” says Bamba, “but they fit in well with my own goals. I want to play a full part from the start and help the team.” The reunion with his youth club offers him the first chance to do so. with gp