Dolphing noise during training: Ex-Brauschweiger Khelifi about his adventure in Venezuela

Ex-brushing branches in an interview

The adventure is waiting outside the comfort zone. According to this motto, Salim Khelifi fell into a special adventure. The midfielder, who ran for Eintracht Braunschweig for years and became Swiss champion with FC Zurich, joined the Venezuelan first division team Academia Puerto Cabello at the beginning of the year. At the transfer market, Khelifi talks about his decision to go to Venezuela, a duel with Philippe Coutinho and looks back on his time at BTSV.

The origin of his current great adventure lies in a supposedly smaller adventure in 2022. After his contract had expired in Zurich, he took the step to Australia. He played for two years in Down Under for Perth Glory and Melbourne Victory – during this time he was sparkling with the thirst for adventure.

“I became a master with FC Zurich, unfortunately I played little because of a foot injury that was at the time. After that, I questioned a lot, for example what I would like to experience in my career. One of my best friends, Léo Lacroix, played time in Australia and raved about the country, people and football. This enthusiasm packed me so much: If I went back after a few months, I fly back after a few months. If it is going well, I have been a season.

Exactly this thirst for adventure now led him to Venezuela. His club is a relatively young club that was only founded in 2014 and is located in the port city of Puerto Cabello. The step of wanting to move to South America did not exactly make his family at the beginning. “When I told about the idea came first: you never change there, it is dangerous, only drug bosses. I could understand the worries of my family, but I had many positive conversations with those responsible. With Neftali Manzambi, a Swiss also played in the club, which also told me a lot about the country and the people. I wanted to go into this adventure and I can say in an exotic country. I feel very well in Venezuela.

He has been a nature lover since early childhood, but this place on the north coast of Venezuela is something very special: “If you can use the word paradise, it fits this place and this country. On the one hand, you are in the mountains, the sea or in the jungle within a few hours. I definitely want to make a road tour through the country in summer.”

Academia Puerto Cabello has a top location right by the sea

Top opportunities at Puerto Cabello-Khelifi recommend Scouts two teammates

From a sporting point of view, the midfielder with the signature was also aware that he must be free of prejudice and demands, because of course the conditions in Venezuela cannot be compared to those in Europe. “Football in Venezuela does not have this great importance, such as in Argentina or Brazil. Here the number one is clearly baseball. In an away game, I clearly became clear that I also got involved in an adventure. The cabin consisted of a few wooden benches that were getting old, the electricity was unusual and the shower was only with cold water. A player said to me: ‘ Venezuela ‘and we both had to laugh, ”he still says amused.

For example, while we train flanks, you can hear dolphing noise in the background.

His club, on the other hand, is the complete opposite, because it is one of the financially strongest clubs in the country. “The club can easily compete with all Swiss first division teams from the sporting infrastructure. Each player has their own room on the training area, where they can rest after training. Whether fitness room, training places, regeneration options, you can clearly see here that our owner has invested a lot of money. you hear dolphing noise in the background. “

The training places from Academia Puerto Cabello

While most Venezuelans absolutely want to take the step to Europe, Khelifi took the opposite way and had to listen to some questions accordingly. “I think almost all players only understood why I went to Venezuela after I have explained my intention for the change. Because of my experience, I also see the boys.

Khelifi about hard gait in training and duel against Philippe Coutinho

Khelifi also found some differences in the training design compared to Germany. “Due to the temperatures and the high humidity, we are training in the early morning. At the latest at 8 a.m., the training begins, it is otherwise not a way. We recently had a trophy game in Peru. That was also worth an experience. Due to the altitude, many fellow players already complained about headache, ear pain, some even had problems in Veneische, that is in general. I notice in training in my first week.

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The league consists of 14 clubs and a game system that, like in Mexico, for example, is divided into two independent half -year competitions – Apertura and Clausura. The national champion is then determined in a playoff game from the winner of the Apertura and Clausura.

The engagement is also attractive because his club on Copa Sudamericana, which is comparable to the Europa League, is allowed to take part and the native Lausanner in this way enjoys visiting other countries to compete in terms of sport. So his team led to Rio de Janeiro to Vasco da Gama a few weeks ago. Khelifi’s team not only dealt with eleven motivated opponents, but also with around 30,000 enthusiastic spectators who were acoustically noticeable from minute one.

“The stadium is very old and very tight, in fact I felt like I was an actor in the Gladiator film. Every passport was acknowledged with whistles, whereas any successful action by Vasco da Gama was celebrated frenetically in the stadium. World class. “

Khelifi about BTSV and other adventures: “Asia or Africa would irritate me”

When we want to address him to the football culture in Venezuela, he also has to briefly think of the most atmospheric fans he experienced in his career – the fans of Eintracht Braunschweig. Kelifi had the best time in the German champion from 1967. He ran in the blue-yellow jersey for over four years, collecting 23 scorer points in 86 games.

“I am proud and grateful at the same time that I was able to gain this beautiful experience at Eintracht Braunschweig. Especially these passionate fans who support you unconditionally, whether you are up at the top or at the bottom, are very rare in my view. If you want to experience passion and emotions, you should look at a home game in the Eintracht Stadium,” says Khelifi, who immediately pushes in with the BTSV:

“The derbies against 95+1 were extremely emotional and energetic and mostly had a lot of fun. In general, I have the time in Braunschweig in very good memory. What disturbs me to this day is the 0: 6 defeat against Bielefeld, which cost us the Bundesliga promotion. But that’s how football is at the top and tomorrow.

Salim Khelifi in the jersey of Eintracht Braunschweig

Football in Venezuela also offers great emotions and passion. “Football is played here with the heart. The players and the fans love football, you notice that 100 percent. Every player lets his complete emotion flow into the game. With the result that it sometimes goes very heated. Almost every game a player flies from the square due to a matter of assault or a foul. describes Khelifi.

By the end of the year, his contract is still running, where it will be ended, is still in the stars. “I can imagine extending my contract at Academia, but I can just as well imagine switching to another continent. Asia or Africa would be very irritable. Until then, I want to play a successful season with Academia and slide forward as far as possible in the table.”

Interview and text by Henrik Stadnischenko