For many players, the end of the Bundesliga season means a well-earned break. Not so for Leon Goretzka of FC Bayern Munich, who has decided to use his time off from football in a different way.
Instead of going on holiday, Goretzka showed his support for his youth club VfL Bochum in the first leg of the relegation play-off against Fortuna Düsseldorf. The FC Bayern midfielder was spotted in the packed Ruhrstadion in Bochum, where Goretzka got his start in football. He eagerly cheered on the home team while wearing an old VfL jersey.
Goretzka’s connection to Bochum is deeply rooted. He came through the ranks of VfL as a youngster and later made a name for himself with the professionals. He joined Bochum’s youth team at the age of 6 and made his professional debut in 2012. He played a total of 42 games for the first team of the traditional club from Bochum before moving to FC Schalke for €4.5 million in 2013. Five years later, he moved to FC Bayern on a free transfer.
Is Goretzka at risk of another disappointment?
Despite a personally mediocre season and the huge disappointment of not being called up for the upcoming European Championship at home, Goretzka is impressively showing his loyalty to his former club. For Bochum, meanwhile, it’s all about the all-important fight to stay in the league after a weak end to the season saw them slip to the relegation places in the Bundesliga.
While the first leg ended in a clear 3-0 defeat, Bochum face the difficult task of turning the result around in the second leg against Düsseldorf. On Monday, 27 May at 20:30, Leon Goretzka will once again be cheering them on – whether in front of the TV or in the Merkur-Spielarena in Düsseldorf. Bochum’s relegation would be another bitter disappointment for the FC Bayern midfielder.
