FCA: Onyeka fit for action despite horror trip

According to coach Jess Thorup, the Nigerian is “fully focused”. However, Augsburg will have to do without Vargas and Schlotterbeck.

Augsburg – Augsburg coach Jess Thorup can use Nigeria’s national player Frank Onyeka at SC Freiburg on Saturday (3:30 p.m./Sky) – despite his adventurous international trip. “He said it was crazy, 14, 16 hours without food or drink. He came back on Thursday morning. Everything is okay. “He’s fully focused on Freiburg,” said Thorup about his professional’s horror trip.

Onyeka was detained for 24 hours with the Nigerian national team at the airport in the Libyan city of Al-Abraq. The Super Eagles around Onyeka and Leverkusen’s Victor Boniface then boycotted the qualifying game for the Africa Cup of Nations against Libya.

However, FCA will have to do without defender Keven Schlotterbeck, who injured his thigh in the 2-1 win against Gladbach before the international break. According to Thorup, “we won’t take any risks”. In addition, Ruben Vargas, Robert Gumny and Mads Pedersen are not yet fit to play.

Thorup demands the first point away. This is “very important. We have to perform better.” FCA had lost the previous two away games in Heidenheim and Leipzig 4-0. “I hope that we take the self-confidence with us from the Gladbach game,” said the Dane.

Thorup has been Augsburg’s coach for a year. The 54-year-old said about his historic time at FCA that he was “satisfied with most things,” but of course “won’t sit back.” This season “more points were possible. That was okay, but not anymore. We have to take a few steps forward.”

Photo: © AFP/SID/INA FASSBENDER