Andreas Hohlenburger was injured, injured for a long time.
That hurt SE Freising, because the former Unterbrucker is, so to speak, the goal guarantee of the national league team.
Freising
- When Andreas Hohlenburger was asked about Robert Lewandowski's 41-goal record, the 29-year-old had to smile first.
As a die-hard Löwen fanatic, Freising's top striker doesn't really hold out against the reds.
But, and that shows a little how the sports world deals with the break of this seemingly endless record by football god Gerd Müller, Hohlenburger, who has been an avid goal collector himself for years, could not completely ignore it.
"That's something remarkable," says the 29-year-old, "although as a lion fan I shouldn't really say that."
Tribute from the lion fan
Like many of his fellow attackers, Hohlenburger grew up believing that a record would last forever. The legendary Gerd Müller scored 40 goals in the 1971/72 season, generations of football fans thought that something was meant to last forever. Until those two Saturdays in May, when Lewandowski first scored his 40th goal of the season, then even scored the 41st, and thus began a new eternity. And Andreas Hohlenburger is committed: "Nobody will imitate it that quickly - if at all, then Lewandowski himself."
But what makes Robert Lewandowski so unique, probably the best striker of his generation, today's Gerd Müller?
Hohlenburger, who is considered one of the best of his craft in the local amateur field, doesn't have to think twice.
“The overall package fits him,” the 29-year-old sums up, “he can shoot with right and left, hits with his head, has certainly converted penalties and at some point the free kicks were added.” So difficult to copy?
Much is definitely a predisposition, "however," continues Hohlenburger, "he has worked for it." Lewandowski is considered a sports basketball, focuses everything on success, trains like a fool, has a body like a Greek model athlete.
“That doesn't just happen to you,” acknowledges Hohlenburger.
Hit almost every game
Hohlenburger remembers the fact that he was almost before this 40-goal record once, but also admits that at that time - in the 2018/2019 season - the eternal Gerd Müller was never an issue. Freising's striker scored 34 goals at the time (and 28 the year before), took the top scorer's crown in the southeast relay and was also the best shooter of all national leagues. "Back then I almost hit every game, sometimes even twice," recalls Hohlenburger, "that was already outstanding for me."
His full concentration is on the here and now. Because the incidences in the district are consistently low, the Lerchenfelder footballers were allowed to train fully again on Monday (maximum 25 men). For Hohlenburger, a long period of suffering finally came to an end. It was in the summer of 2019 when the SEF striker's pubic bone ached for the first time, he ran from doctor to doctor, there was no improvement for a long time, and the question was even asked whether he would be able to play at the highest level again. Now, almost two years later, everything is healed and Hohlenburger is fully operational. "Even if that sounds stupid," explains the 29-year-old, "the injury came at the right time."
Corona forced everyone to take a football break, so Hohlenburger's foot had enough time.
Not only that, the striker used the compulsory break to keep himself fit, the whole team switched to the B42 app at some point.
That's why Hohlenburger is scratching his feet that the game can finally start again, with a hopefully regular 2021/2022 season.
Will it be Lewandowski's 42 goals?
Hohlenburger has to smile again.
First of all, stay fit and injury-free is the motto.
What comes next would show in the first few weeks.
"I always went into a season with the aim of scoring double-digit, and this is also the case this time."
Worked hard on my own fitness
If you expect that Hohlenburger will first need a run-up to get through 90 minutes, the first since the match against Hauzenberg since September 2019, the 29-year-old will certainly teach you better.
Hohlenburger has trained a lot in the last few weeks and months, but has also rediscovered mountain biking for himself, and he is even planning to cross the Alps with his specialists.
So how will Andi Hohlenburger experience the next few weeks as Robert Lewandowski or Sascha Mölders, who has meanwhile become known as "Giesing's Wampe"?
Hohlenburger, the die-hard fan of the lion, has to laugh out loud.
“Then probably more than Lewandowski.” Even if the 41 goals will endure in the end.
