When 1. FC Bocholt travel to Wuppertal (Saturday, November 18, 2 p.m.) for the top match, it will be a trip down memory lane for three Bocholt players.
Isaak Akritidis, Jan Holldack and Noah Salau play for 1. FC Bocholt and once wore the jersey of Wuppertaler SV. Gino Windmüller, who will be out for months due to injury, and Bocholt’s successful manager Christopher Schorch, who once played for WSV, could also join them.
It will be a very special game for Salau in particular, who earned his living as a professional at WSV for four years and previously played for the Bergisch club’s youth team, when 1. FC Bocholt visit the Stadion am Zoo on Saturday.
“Of course I know a lot of people in Wuppertal. WSV was my first professional club and will always be a special club for me,” explained the 27-year-old, who played 124 competitive matches for the red and blue side.
To date, he has played five competitive matches for the “Schwatten” from Bocholt. Salau, who is captain of the current Regionalliga West leaders, was out for several weeks due to a torn ankle ligament. “That was bitter, of course. But the boys did a great job and of course I’m delighted with this outstanding run and our lead in the table,” said Salau.
They want to move up. That’s clear. They’ll do everything they can to get closer to us again. It will definitely be a hot game
Noah Salau
The Bocholters have been playing extremely well for weeks and Salau will probably only have a place on the bench when he returns to the Stadion am Zoo. “We’ll see what the coach decides. I’m definitely ready and looking forward to the game,” he emphasized.
Bocholt are currently six points ahead of WSV. With a win, FC 1 could shake off Wuppertal for the time being. Salau: “I’m not thinking about that for now. We just want to continue our run and play a good game. If we then win and it’s nine points clear of Wuppertal, that would be even better.”
But, of course, Salau is also aware of WSV’s strengths. “They want to get promoted. That’s clear. They’ll do everything they can to get closer to us again. It will definitely be a hot game,” says the defender