Noel Futkeu used SV Elversberg’s 3-2 friendly win over Hoffenheim to press his case for a first Bundesliga start. The 23-year-old striker scored in the test match and could be in contention for Saturday’s trip to Union Berlin, with Fisnik Asllani? No—Mokwa remains a doubt because of an Achilles problem.
Key takeaways
- Elversberg beat Hoffenheim 3-2 in a friendly during the international break.
- Futkeu, Lasse Günther and Maurice Krattenmacher scored for the Saarland club.
- Futkeu has made three brief Bundesliga appearances and registered one assist.
- The forward arrived on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt late in the transfer window.
- Elversberg had six players away on international duty and four players carrying injuries.
Futkeu working towards a bigger role
Futkeu joined Elversberg after scoring 19 goals for Greuther Fürth last season, finishing as the second division’s leading scorer. He had not featured with Frankfurt’s senior side and maintained fitness with the club’s reserve team before moving to Elversberg.
That late arrival left him behind the group physically and tactically. Vincent Wagner has used him only in short spells so far, but the coach believes the break has given the striker valuable competitive work.
“There is nothing more important than match practice,” Wagner said. “It cannot be replaced.”
Wagner did not attach too much importance to the Hoffenheim result, with the visitors also missing a number of regular players. Elversberg were without Keidel, Petkov, Campbell, Mickelson, Onyeka and Darvich because of international call-ups. Pinckert, Mokwa, Gyamerah and Schnellbacher were also unavailable through fitness concerns.
Union Berlin offers a possible opening
Wagner wants Futkeu to absorb the team’s pressing patterns and attacking movements. The coach said Elversberg’s core principles remain in place even when many usual training partners are absent on international duty.
“He can now learn the movements, the pressing mechanisms and where he must run with the ball,” Wagner said.
Futkeu has already shown flashes of his quality, including his first Bundesliga assist. Wagner sees him close to the side, while stressing that the centre-forward role demands more than finishing.
“Playing as a number nine for us is special and has a higher requirement profile,” Wagner said. “That needs a little time. But Noel is on a very good path and we are happy with him.”
Schnellbacher, Pinckert and Gyamerah are expected to return to training soon. Mokwa’s Achilles issue may take longer, however, and that could open the door for Futkeu to make his first Bundesliga start away to Union.
