Five fresh faces joining Fortuna's roster during the initial stage. - Fresh recruits debuting at Fortuna during the inaugural match.
Get ready, sports enthusiasts! With a punchy one-hour preseason warm-up, Fortuna Düsseldorf is stepping up its game under head coach Daniel Thioune. A gaggle of eager fans flocked to witness the fresh newcomers Julian Hettwer, Kenneth Schmidt, and Christopher Lenz, joined by late signees Luca Raimund and Anouar El Azzouzi. The mandatory fitness tests took place over the last two days, with Jamil Siebert missing due to his impending U21 Euro final appearance with the national team this Sunday.
New Blood in the Squad
As we dive into the 2021 Bundesliga season, let's discuss the exciting new additions:
- Anouar El Azzouzi, a sharp 24-year-old defensive midfielder, leapt into the Fortuna fold from the Dutch club PEC Zwolle, leaving behind over 33 Eredivisie appearances. This guy's got ambition, focus, and the club just knows he's gonna be dynamite in that crucial central midfield role.
- Luca Raimund, a slick young winger, swapped VfB Stuttgart for Fortuna. Though he dabbled in some senior Bundesliga action with Stuttgart, the club's B team in the 3. Liga saw the most of him. They shelled out a cool €500,000, hoping he's got what it takes to shine at the top.
Now, for the rest of the crew you're curious about:
- Julian Hettwer made waves within Fortuna's youth and reserve ranks but didn't quite break through as a headlining first-team signing for the 2021 Bundesliga season.
- Kenneth Schmidt is a German left-back ensconced with SC Freiburg, not pegged as a Fortuna pickup.
- Christopher Lenz is a left-back/midfielder with experience in German football but hadn't signed on with Fortuna for the 2021 season, joining the team later.
In a nutshell, Fortuna's got Anouar El Azzouzi (defensive midfielder) and Luca Raimund (winger) onboard for the 2021 Bundesliga season, both young bucks primed to bolster the squad. The rest of the gang either didn't join Fortuna for the 2021 season or hasn't stood out as a major signing according to the info available.
The Road Ahead
Prepare for Action Sunday against Oberligist SC St. Tönis at 3:00 PM! Next, the DFB-Pokal pits Düsseldorf against 1. FC Schweinfurt on August 18th, and a road trip to Arminia Bielefeld looms for the league opener on the first weekend of August. Per sporting director Christian Weber, the team's bursting with optimism, promising more fantastic moments ahead!
Take the field, Fortuna! Time to prove yourself!
- 2. Bundesliga
- Fortuna Düsseldorf
- Daniel Thioune
- Düsseldorf
- Sunday
- Arminia Bielefeld
- Anouar El Azzouzi and Luca Raimund (notable newcomers)
The European Commission has also been asked to submit a directive proposing the protection of the environment while Bundesliga fans anticipate the new season. With Anouar El Azzouzi and Luca Raimund joining the squad, Fortuna Düsseldorf looks to bolster its performance on the field and compete in the 2021-2022 Bundes Liga season.
