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Ludovit Reis is back in business

HSV’s midfield maestro Ludovit Reis celebrated his long-awaited comeback in the clash against Schalke. The Dutchman is hoping to make more appearances for the Rothosen in their remaining 16 2. Bundesliga fixtures this season.

After 91 agonising days on the sidelines, Ludovit Reis was finally able to make his comeback in the clash against Schalke 04 on Saturday evening, where he was brought on in the 72nd minute. The midfielder dislocated his shoulder for the second time this season on 21st October 2023 during the home fixture against Greuther Fürth. HSV’s vice captain was welcomed onto the pitch at the Veltins-Arena with a round of applause from over 6,000 travelling fans, and was handed the captain’s armband by midfielder Jonas Meffert – “Ludo” is back in business!

It was plain to see just how much this moment meant to Reis, not just in the training camp in Sotogrande at the beginning of the year, but also in the week of training leading up to the clash against Schalke. The 23-year-old, who was in action for HSV in 65 of their 68 games in the previous two seasons, was ruthless in his tackles, vocal on the pitch, and displayed a fighting spirit throughout. During his time at the club so far, Reis not only won the hearts of the HSV fans, but also grabbed the attention of the higher-ranking sides. This made his renewed commitment to the club last summer even more meaningful, which was seen as a huge signal by fans and teammates alike. “My heart is blue,” explained the fan favourite recently. “When I’m with my family in the Netherlands and then travel back to Hamburg, I say I’m going home.”

After losing two Bundesliga promotion play-offs, Ludovit Reis is all the more determined to achieve the number one aim at his home club. “My only goal for 2024 is to get promoted to the Bundesliga with this club,” he said in a HSV.de interview during the training camp. “I intended to have an even better season than last year. That’s going to be somewhat difficult due to the injuries, but my sole focus is on this target.” He displayed the positive energy and determination that Reis embodies on and off the pitch during his recovery from injury. “Ludo” then had to remain patient after deciding to get ahead with an operation after suffering another shoulder injury. With the help of the Rothosen’s medical staff, including physiotherapist Christian Tambach (pictured above), the 23-year-old fought his way back onto the pitch bit-by-bit, completing part of his recovery in the familiar surroundings of his home country. And this bore fruit: Reis’ comeback at Schalke was one of the feel-good stories of 2024 so far. "Came for the win and brought it home" proclaimed the midfielder from his Instagram account. More appearances, minutes and victories will surely follow.