Without Steinhart against Saarbrücken - Greilinger should replace him on the left back

Created: 04/03/2022Updated: 04/03/2022 16:12

By: Uli Kellner

Back in the starting XI with a new contract: Steinhart replacement Fabian Greilinger.

© Imago

After Marco Hiller, Phillipp Steinhart is now out for the groundbreaking duel with Saarbrücken.

Köllner remains calm and probably relies on Greilinger.

In the meantime, Michael Köllner has a certain routine in putting away bad news - and so he reported this personal setback without any recognizable emotion.

"Phillip Steinhart can't do it," said the 1860 coach before the important home game against Saarbrücken (Saturday, 2 p.m./BR): "He's had shoulder problems since Mannheim.

And he recently lost a few pounds due to a gastrointestinal issue.”

After goalkeeper Marco Hiller (Corona), the last player left from the successful promotion relegation against the Saarlanders is now out.

Steinhart of all people, whom Köllner always describes as an "absolute key player".

But: It doesn't help.

Instead of lamenting the prominent absence list, the coach preferred to think about how he could replace the irreplaceable left back.

When asked, Köllner confirmed that he is flirting with a return to the defensive 3-4-1-2 that gave the team security after the Mölders exit (four wins in a row).

It was only replaced by the more active 4-1-4-1 when Köllner thought he had to set new stimuli before the "final" against Kaiserslautern.

A similarly groundbreaking duel is now imminent - and Köllner says: "Philipp Steinhart is an important player for us.

If he fails, you can think about something like that.

We can do that. Let's be surprised.” One thing is certain: Fabian Greilinger, 21, will move into the team after his contract has been extended and try to replace Steinhart at the back left.

Meanwhile, Stephan Salger, who stopped training on Wednesday (ankle), was given the green light.

And the man at the back is set: Tom Kretzschmar, who Köllner hopes will replace Hiller as well as he did last time in Aubstadt: "He had a good presence - and apart from a technical error, he made a really good game."