Team
19.01.24
Heyer: Fond memories of Gelsenkirchen
In his last trip to Gelsenkirchen in 2011, Moritz Heyer scored a dramatic winner for HSV as they defeated Schalke 04. 912 days later, the versatile defender is ready to play an important role once again.
Moritz Heyer has fond memories of playing against Schalke. On 23rd July 2021, he scored a decisive goal in the 86th minute of the first game of the 2021/22 2.Bundesliga season to make the score 2-1. The late winner sent the crowd wild, before Bakery Jatta’s goal a few minutes later sealed the turnaround. On Saturday evening, Heyer, Jatta and Co. will return to Gelsenkirchen, 912 days after those incredible scenes. In 2021, COVID-19 restrictions meant that only 19,770 fans experienced the spectacular comeback in person but, this time around, a crowd of around 60,000 is expected to watch the clash between two of Germany’s historic clubs at the Veltins-Arena. “We’re really looking forward to getting the second half of the season underway. It doesn’t get much better than an 8:30pm kick-off against Schalke,” said Moritz Heyer.
An incredibly significant historic clash
The glittering reputation of this match, which has played out 100 times in the Bundesliga, has in no way diminished, despite the fact that both sides now find themselves in the second tier of German football. The Rothosen and the Royal Blues played out an epic encounter in front of a sold-out crowd at the Volksparkstadion at the start of the season, with HSV sealing a dramatic 5-3 win in the end. The game will carry just as much meaning this weekend. While HSV currently sit third in the table behind FC St. Pauli and Holstein Kiel and are in the hunt for automatic promotion to the Bundesliga, S04 will be aiming to win as many games as possible to create a bigger gap to the relegation zone and avoid a second successive relegation. “Schalke certainly won’t be happy with how their season has gone so far,” stated Heyer. “The pressure is on them, but that doesn’t concern us. We want to play our own game and win the match.”
HSV managed to do exactly that on nine occasions in the first half of the season, with only league leaders Kiel (11) winning more games than the Rothosen. Despite only drawing four times and suffering four defeats in the league this season, it’s clear that Heyer isn’t entirely satisfied with the team’s points tally at this stage of the campaign. “We should’ve picked up more points before Christmas. The important thing now is to keep working and put things right over the course of the second half of the season. The first game back after the winter break is always important if you want to start the second half of the campaign well,” explained Heyer. The defender went on to explain that he believes his teammates are in a good place ahead of the restart. “We’re extremely fit. The training camp in Sotogrande definitely benefited us.”
115 HSV appearances for Heyer
The team held their winter training camp in the south of Spain for the third time, and it was also the third time that Moritz Heyer was a part of proceedings. Out of the current squad, only Bakery Jatta (191) and Daniel Heuer Fernandes (121) can boast more appearances than Heyer’s 115. The 28-year-old’s role has changed over the course of the current campaign. Having been a starter since arriving at the club, he has mostly been utilised as a back-up and has only been named in the starting XI on four occasions so far this season. “It took a bit of getting used to at first,” admitted Heyer. “As a professional athlete, you always want to play. That being said, I’ve tried to make the most of the situation. I’ve been working hard on myself and giving it my all in training to make the decision as hard as possible for the coach.”
“Mo” was suspended for HSV’s last game before the winter break – a 2-0 win over 1. FC Nürnberg – but could start at the weekend, as Miro Muheim is serving a one-match ban. The defender stated that it’s an eventuality that he’s always prepared for, so that he can be ready for action and play to the best of his ability. Even if he doesn’t start, Heyer can take comfort in the fact that he came off the bench when he scored the winner in his last clash with the Royal Blues.