The GAK starts the year 2024 with the first test match on Saturday in Fürstenfeld (15) – in which promotion to the Bundesliga is to be achieved in the summer. The fans hope – the injury to top scorer Daniel Maderner hit many fans like a hammer. The “Krone” wanted to find out how the GAK is reacting and whether a striker will be brought in immediately.
The shock is deep among the fans! Knee arthroscopy with Daniel Maderner, resulting in a break of up to six weeks. And the GAK at the start of the Bundesliga mission without its twelve-point man! With eight goals and four assists in 16 games, the 1.90 m bomber put his Reds on the promotion path. The fact that the fans and especially the fans of the promotion rivals (Ried!) now sense a chance in the title race leaves sports director Didi Elsneg cold . “We are not set up like other clubs when it comes to the breadth of the squad; we will always feel the loss of a key player. And Maderner’s injury hurts. But we have a strong team structure! When Maderner was missing against Horn in the fall, we still celebrated a dirty win.” The club wasn’t completely surprised by the striker’s injury. “Daniel has had an operated knee, so the meniscus has been an issue before. But it was never a problem and we would have introduced him slowly in preparation.”Keep the risk lowAfter the acute operation and the removal of a part of the joint in the top scorer’s knee, the Red Jackets are missing the tip of the spear at the start of the mission “Return to the Bundesliga”. Elsneg puts on his poker face when asked whether supplies will be brought to the front line immediately. “We are having intensive discussions about what the best solution is.” Addendum: “But we are trying to keep any possible risk to a successful spring as low as possible.” Which probably translated means that the GAK has long been looking for a new one is a striker. The plan to give Atsushi Zaizen a loan remains intact for the time being despite Maderner’s outing.
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