Trio around Hajou takes over
Bundesliga promoted SV Darmstadt 98 will have to make do without head coach Torsten Lieberknecht at the weekend against FSV Mainz 05 (Saturday, 3:30 p.m.). The Hessians announced this on Thursday. The 50-year-old has been staying with his family near Düsseldorf since his wife’s stroke a few days ago. “Simone Lieberknecht is on the mend and has already been released from the hospital,” said a Lilien spokesman at the press conference.
However, it can be assumed that “Torsten will not be there again next week.” Due to the international break, the promoted team will not start playing again until November 25th, when the Hessians play against SC Freiburg after this weekend. The assistant coach now responsible, Ovid Hajou, is in close contact with Lieberknecht.
“I don’t do anything alone,” said the 39-year-old. Everything is discussed within the team, which also includes Kai Peter Schmitz and goalkeeping coach Dimo Wache. “We do video conferences, he takes part in all the decisions as always, and we even film the training sessions, he watches them, and then we talk on the phone again in the evening,” said Hajou. How Lieberknecht will be involved on match day has not yet been clarified. At Darmstadt, captain Fabian Holland, Matej Maglica and Klaus Gjasula are suspended for the clash.
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