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The 24-year-old missed almost all of last season. Now he’s getting started – and is being rewarded with a national team squad.
Patrick Fischer’s call comes in the middle of the SRF interview: The Nati coach tells Marco Lehmann that he will call him up for the A-Nati for the first time. The first leg of the Euro Hockey Tour is coming up in Tampere, Finland.
“That causes extreme joy,” said the in-form SC Bern striker. «It has been my goal for a long time. I was hoping for it, but during the intense season it slipped into the back of my mind.”
Only Kahun in front of Lehmann
There is no doubt: the call-up is deserved. Lehmann, who calls New York Rangers striker Patrick Kane as his role model, is currently SCB’s second best scorer behind Dominik Kahun. He has scored 5 goals in the 18 games of the season so far and provided 8 assists.
«I didn’t set out to do too much, I just wanted to get back to my game. “Fortunately, I managed to do that quickly,” says the Kloten-trained striker about his peak in form. He also gets along very well with his line partners Tristan Scherwey and center Benjamin Baumgartner.
Long period of suffering
Despite his recognized enormous talent: Lehmann’s rise cannot be taken for granted. Because in the summer of 2022 he caught a stubborn viral illness that put him out of action for almost a year.
Lehmann had difficulties with digestion and, according to his own statements, lost 10 kg of weight. He only got fit again after this year’s summer training. «During this time I learned to value health. She is the most important thing.” And if something in life doesn’t go as desired, “then you just have to stick with it. At some point this time will pass.”