Returning without any nostalgia

After his successful Bundesliga debut for the Foals, Ko Itakura will be reunited with his former club FC Schalke 04 on Saturday evening (18:30 CEST).

Following the final whistle of the opening game of the season against TSG Hoffenheim, Ko Itakura was beaming from ear to ear. “It was a fantastic atmosphere and I’m so happy that we won our first game,” said the 25-year-old after his successful Bundesliga debut. Together with Nico Elvedi, Itakura formed the other half of an alert central defensive partnership. The Japanese defender had 106 touches – the most of any player on the pitch – and tirelessly initiated attacking plays from the backline. “Our opponents defended very deep because they went down to ten men very early in the game. Therefore, it was difficult to break them down and score, but we played calmly until the final whistle,” explained Itakura.

At the start of July, the defender signed a contract with the Foals until 2026 and has, since then, played in every friendly and in both competitive games so far for his new club, sometimes in central defence, sometimes as a defensive midfielder. “I couldn’t say which one I prefer. I just want to play as much as possible, and I think that I can help the team out in both positions,” noted Itakura. “The main thing is that he brings steadiness and stability. Where he brings it on the pitch doesn’t really matter,” added Roland Virkus, Borussia’s sporting director, who values Itakura’s discipline and structured style of play.

“An asset for any dressing room”

Itakura, capped 12 times by Japan, brought this stability and firmness to Schalke last season. The Royal Blues brought him in on loan from Manchester City for their ambitions of gaining promotion – the plan was a success. Itakura, within such a short time, developed into a leader of the defence and even scored four times for Schalke. Sporting director Rouven Schröder made it no secret that it was difficult for Schalke to let him go: “Ko is a fantastic person, an asset for any dressing room. On the way to getting promoted and becoming second division champions, he was an essential component and an outstanding player.”

In the first away game of the season, he will be reunited with his former club. The headline game of matchday 2 sees the Foals travel to the Veltins-Arena on Saturday evening. Itakura, however, doesn’t want to attach too much importance to the game and is returning to his old stadium without much nostalgia. “I had a good time at Schalke, but now I am a Borussia player. I am looking forward to the challenge and will do everything to win there,” explained Itakura.