Lars and Sven Bender are back in their old homeland.
After the end of their career, the ex-professionals made their comeback in the district class for TSV Brannenburg on Sunday.
Brannenburg
- Last Sunday, TSV Brannenburg also started the new season after a long break.
At the start of the league game, the team in the district class Inn / Salzach 1 went in a derby against local rivals ASV Flintsbach.
So far, so unspectacular.
Completely surprising, however, were the two ex-professionals Lars and Sven Bender in the TSV jersey.
Very few of the 450 spectators present had expected such prominent guests.
Lars and Sven Bender return to the youth club TSV Brannenburg after 21 years
TSV Brannenburg is of course not just any club for the Bender twins. The 32-year-olds played for Brannenburg from 1993 to 1999. Via SpVgg Unterhaching, the twins went to TSV 1860 Munich, where they began their professional careers. After last season in the Bayer 04 Leverkusen * jersey - Lars and Sven had been playing there again since 2017 - they both put an end to professional business. Their record of more than 250 Bundesliga games is more than impressive. The Bender twins also play in the jersey of the German national team *.
Again and again there were loose rumors about a return of the former Bundesliga * stars to TSV Brannenburg.
But neither the club nor the Bender twins gave anything prematurely to the outside world.
“It was still unclear whether they would really be there,” explains Brannenburg's trainer Hans Nietzold, adding: “It's not our and yours to make the whole thing public at an early stage.” The comeback took place last Sunday then perfect.
In the 5-2 derby win against ASV Flintsbach, Sven Bender played for the full 90 minutes, twin brother Lars was replaced when the score was 4: 1.
TSV Brannenburg receives nationwide attention - "This dimension is unbelievable"
The quake was correspondingly large when the general public heard of the comeback of the benders - and that "across Germany", as Brannenburg's sporting director Marc Wolf affirmed.
“We got calls from Cologne and Frankfurt.
This extent is unbelievable, ”reports Wolf.
But how did the comeback of the Bender twins come about?
“They wanted to go back to their old homeland and help the club.
They just want to play football, ”said Wolf when asked by our newspaper.
“They help in the cabin service and carry the gates from the square.
You don't put yourself in the foreground. "
TSV Brannenburg trainer Hans Nietzold on everyday training with Lars and Sven Bender.
“It had been an idea of theirs for a long time.
They were always in contact with the club, ”explains coach Hans Nietzold.
“You love football.
Here they can play again with their best guys from the F and E youth. ”So the Benders seem to be real football romantics.
In any case, the ex-professionals do not show star-like attitudes.
In training, the twins present themselves to be down-to-earth.
“They help in the cabin service and carry the gates from the square.
You don't put yourself in the foreground.
After the game against Flintsbach, we sat for a long time at the club house with a beer or two, ”explains Nietzold, and accordingly comes to the following conclusion:“ The integration has been very successful. ”
TSV Brannenburg: Bender twins form new midfield axis - season goal remains "modest"
Few of them knew that the Benders were returning to TSV Brannenburg. The ex-national players have been active for the club for some time. “Sven has been with us for five to six weeks and has been involved in the entire preparation. It's now almost two weeks for Lars after his knee injury, ”reports the coach of the regional classist. However, the club has not adjusted the season's goals after the two top new signings. "We're starting the new season modestly," said coach Hans Nietzold, dampening the high expectations. “We want to be successful with young players and promote solidarity. The sporting goals then arise in the course of the season. "
It is still clear that Lars and Sven Bender play an important role.
The twins are to form the new midfield axis of TSV Brannenburg.
And that really on every match day, as coach Nietzold emphasizes.
“You intend to play normally, as far as physically possible.
Just like any other player. ”The twins should also help the young team develop.
That works quite well, the coach reports: "They help the club in the youth field and give tips over and over again, and the young players listen." It is also a privilege for the trainer, something that probably very few trainers in the district class do is granted.
“You intend to play normally, as far as physically possible.
Just like any other player. "
Hans Nietzold has a firm plan with the Bender twins.
The Benders themselves have been keeping a low profile since they retired and no longer give interviews. In her last media
talk,
however
, Sven Bender
already
announced to the
kicker
: “First of all, we're heading towards our Bavarian homeland. Throughout our careers we have looked outside the box and built something alongside football. But we won't comment on that because our private life has nothing to do with football. We always kept that to ourselves. ”They have now actually implemented this announcement and given the comeback in the amateur field. To the great joy of TSV Brannenburg. (Vinzent Fischer)
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