There’s just no getting away from Manuel Riemann at VfL Bochum. Either he shines with his performances or stands out with bloopers and emotional outbursts.
It was the excitement of the weekend. Manuel Riemann got into an argument with a fan after VfL Bochum’s bitter 2:3 defeat. He had previously been violently insulted by the spectator. Another low point in a season with light and shade for the keeper – a look back.
In June 2022, everything was still relaxed. Riemann had played a major role in Bochum’s class preservation with his performances and extended his contract at VfL until 2025. “I believe that the club is satisfied with me, moreover, I feel right at home here,” he said at the time. This feeling was at least put to the test in the course of the season.
Riemann made his first appearance as a tragic hero on Matchday 4 against SC Freiburg (0:1). Despite a bearish performance, a moment of inattention was enough. The 34-year-old caused a penalty, initially held it, but was beaten in the second follow-up shot. “Dear fans, I take this defeat on my head,” Riemann later wrote on Instagram.
Freakouts in training, slip-ups in derbies
As the series of defeats continued, the pressure at Castroper Straße continued to grow. At the beginning of September, this pressure was unleashed on Riemann during training. He got into it with teammates, calling them “freaks. It was the week of the district derby with FC Schalke.
Riemann apologized in an Instagram video, but the house is in a bad way. The derby was lost, coach Thomas Reis was fired. Despite all the criticism, interim coach Heiko Butscher and later Thomas Letsch backed the number one – with success.
The knot burst against Frankfurt (3:0) on Matchday 9. For the first time, Riemann played to a zero and showed the qualities that distinguish him as a goalkeeper in the game. Two weeks later, he was the penalty killer in a 2-1 home win over then leaders Union Berlin and played a key role in VfL’s home strength.
But the ups followed the downs. A week later, his blunder in Dortmund (0:3) meant that the game was already decided before the interval whistle. Riemann also took center stage against BVB in the round of 16 of the DFB Cup in early 2023. He ruined a strong first half for VfL with his buck shortly before halftime.
In the league, Bochum lost four games in a row with a total of 0:10 goals. The last game of these was the 0:2 at home in the derby against Schalke. Riemann took to the pitch as captain and once again played a decisive role with his own goal. Afterwards, he was the first to head towards the fans, stood against the gang and did not retreat despite fierce abuse and indecent gestures.
“Mentality monster” Riemann
VfL was back at the bottom of the table. But Letsch kept betting on him – and was rewarded. In the 2-0 away win, Riemann kept the nil at the back and stood in front of the celebrating fans with tears in his eyes afterwards. “The way he reacted to that deserves my utmost respect,” Letsch said afterwards.
Riemann also showed against RB Leipzig that he can still be one of the best keepers in the league. With numerous saves, he saved the 1-0 home win, was celebrated with chants and standing ovations, only to have said éclat with the fan in the next home game after a failed performance.
There are still seven games to go. Then the VfL would like to be above the line and celebrate the class preservation. For that, it needs a Riemann in top form. In Bochum, they shouldn’t really be worried about that. Because if this season has shown anything, it’s that every down is followed by an up.