Frederik Rönnow’s impressive stats and new energy

The keeper was frustrated at not being able to get involved over the past few weeks. “When you’re injured it’s always difficult. You want to play and support your team on the pitch, but you can’t,” says Frederik Rönnow, who tried on multiple occasions to train at full intensity again in January and February, but the pains and discomfort continued in the grin and adductors. However, the keeper says that the problems have now subsided.

New tactical direction

Rönnow wants to achieve a positive result in Wolfsburg on Saturday (13th March) with a performance similarly convincing to his recent performance against Mainz. The Dane knows, however, that this will be anything but easy against the team currently third in the Bundesliga table. Despite the recent unsatisfactory results, the goalkeeper believes that the Royal Blues still have what it takes to stay up. “The new coach has brought new life into the team,” explains Rönnow. “We want to only look forwards. It doesn’t help to go over the past time and time again. What I’m saying sounds cliché, but we have to take it game by game and believe in ourselves.”

Rönnow has saved a solid 73% of shots on his goal during his eight appearances this season, which can only be topped by Koen Casteels (74%), the goalkeeper of the upcoming opponents. Rönnow says that the team are all working hard and completely focused on the job during training. Dimitrios Grammozis has also honed down on the tactical direction recently; the Royal Blues faced Mainz with three or five at the back. Rönnow does not reveal whether or not the Knappen will continue to use this formation.

Goalkeepers supporting each other

On the question of who will stand between the sticks once Ralf Fährmann has overcome his rib injury, the Dane says: “The coach will decide that when the time comes.” Rönnow says that it is important that everyone gives their full effort each and every day: “Just as with every position on the pitch, there is also an internal battle between the keepers. Everybody wants to play, but only one of us can start each match. Ralle, Michi and I all support each other and push the players who the trainer has selected each match, because we are all team players.”

Rönnow cannot say what his next steps will be after the end of the current season. He is currently on loan from Eintracht Frankfurt and what happens a few months from now has not been decided, as he says: “My focus at the moment is 100% on the challenges facing Schalke and the next match.”