Sportfreunde Baumberg still have almost three weeks to prepare for their first competitive match in the league. In the cup, however, the action starts in just a few days.

Sportfreunde Baumberg have strengthened their squad with a new striker. As announced by the Oberliga Niederrhein leaders, Leonard Bajraktari is moving from TSV Meerbusch to Sandstraße in Monheim in the Baumberg district.

“In Leonard, we have acquired a good attacking winger. We’ve been in contact for years. I’m delighted that it has now worked out. We reacted due to our absences and injuries,” says Baumberg’s first chairman Jürgen Schick.

Head coach Salah El Halimi adds: “Leonard is a versatile player in offense who, in addition to speed and dribbling, also brings a certain physicality that we lack. We’ve known him for a while and are delighted that he wanted to join us after his contract was terminated in Meerbusch and other more lucrative offers and that it worked out.”

Baumberg’s league campaign continues on February 18 (Sunday, 3 p.m.) against TSV Meerbusch – Bajraktari’s former club.

On Tuesday (6 February, 7.30 pm), however, a big cup match is already on the agenda. In the Lower Rhine Cup quarter-finals, Oberliga leaders Baumberg will host Regionalliga West leaders 1. FC Bocholt. The winner of this match will be rewarded with a semi-final home game against Rot-Weiß Oberhausen.

Baumberg and RWO: There was something, wasn’t there? Exactly: In the 2012/2013 season, Baumberg brought the Lower Rhine Cup to Monheim with a 1:0 win at Rot-Weiß Oberhausen and qualified for the first DFB Cup main round