The Foals began preparations for the 2021/22 season on Saturday morning as new head coach Adi Hütter led the team out for their first session at BORUSSIA-PARK. Around 1,300 spectators watched the players from the stands.
Cheers and applause at BORUSSIA-PARK. Sounds our players have missed for almost the entire last year. On Saturday they were back, obviously nowhere near comparable with the sound of a goal celebration on matchdays, but a special moment nonetheless, as some 1,300 spectators made themselves heard during Borussia’s opening pre-season training session. "It was a great feeling," said captain Lars Stindl. Adi Hütter concurred: "It was incredible to have some kind of atmosphere in the stadium again."
Eberl: "Here’s to a good season"
Before training began under the supervision of our new head coach, it was sporting director Max Eberl who greeted the fans at BORUSSIA-PARK with a little welcome speech and rounded it off with a "enjoy yourselves, and here’s to a good season."
Led by Christoph Kramer and Patrick Herrmann, the team took to the pitch at 10:37. After a warm-up drill, including a 5v2 game scenario, Hütter split the team into two groups and had them play against each other on a pitch with four small goals. Alongside new signing Kouadio Koné, loanees Andreas Poulsen, Keanan Bennetts and Moritz Nicolas were all present at training. Several academy players were also given the chance to shine in Saturday’s pre-season session. "It’s important to me that I get to now the younger players as well now. They did well," said Hütter.
Internationals not back at training yet
Over the course of next week and later, after each player’s respective holidays, the Foals on international duty will begin to rejoin Borussia training. The last of these was our Swiss quartet of Yann Sommer, Nico Elvedi, Breel Embolo and Denis Zakaria, who were eliminated after a penalty shootout against Spain on Friday evening.
To round off his first trianing session in charge, Hütter initiated a game over half of the pitch. Koné tapped in from close range to become our first training game goalscorer of the season. With a number of nice moves and goals, the players gave the fans in the stand something to cheer about on several occasions. Players and spectators alike will be hoping for more of the same on Sunday morning, with the 10:30 session also being held inside the stadium.
