Last matchday in the Mommsenstadion: Bundesliga conclusion in the Mommsenstadion: “Finale at home” for the Tennis Borussia amputee soccer team

The final matchday of the Bundesliga for amputee football will take place on Saturday in Berlin’s Mommsenstadion. Right in the middle of it all is Tennis Borussia, a capital city club that is plagued by a lack of players and injury concerns. By Lukas Witte

Martin Febrig is looking forward to the coming Saturday a little wistfully. There is actually a big highlight coming up for the amputee footballer and his Tennis Borussia team. The final matchday of the Amputee Bundesliga will be played in Berlin’s Mommsenstadion. But Feverig will only be able to sit in the stands. At the beginning of May he broke his leg in a bicycle accident.

“I was still able to take part in the preparation for the season and was as fit as a fiddle. Then I had the accident and it quickly became clear that the season was over. That’s kind of my common thread. I’ve never been able to play in a final because I was always sick or injured. “But that doesn’t change the fact that I’m really looking forward to it,” explains the 40-year-old.

Football as Support group

Febrig has been playing for TeBe for three years. He found his way to the club through an appeal, which is the only club in the capital to have an amputee football team. “I’ve played football before. After the amputation, I was always looking for a team sport. “It was a great fit because I was able to take up my previous hobby again,” he says.

In 2018, Feverig had to have his left lower leg amputated due to cancer. After that, it took him a while to come to terms with the new situation. “Everything had turned upside down. But I quickly learned that much more is possible than I thought,” he says.

With Tennis Borussia and amputee football he found more than just a new sport. “It’s a kind of support group. We all have similar situations and are roughly the same age. We can also support each other well and exchange experiences.”

Shooting technique particularly challenging

Nevertheless, the focus is of course on sporting success. TeBe is one of five teams competing in the Bundesliga. Also taking part are Anpfiff Hoffenheim, Fortuna Düsseldorf, Hamburger SV and 1. FSV Mainz 05. The game is played for 2×20 minutes on a specially designed small field (40x20m). The teams each consist of five players (four field players, one goalkeeper) and play a total of three double match days plus one final match day.

To be able to take part, field players must have a leg amputation or a deformity. Goalkeepers are allowed to have both legs, but must have a hand or arm amputation. Analogous to the hand rule, the ball may not be touched with the crutch and there is no offside.

The sport is therefore very challenging, especially in terms of coordination. “Shooting without even having one foot on the ground was something I found particularly challenging at the beginning. “You first have to build up the body tension,” says Fiebrig. “It still happens to me again and again that I try to play the ball with my left leg, the amputated one. “I always have to laugh inside because the ball just rolls along like in a comic,” he says with a smile.

Lack of players at TeBe

However, his team’s results this season left a lot to be desired. TeBe only got a single point with a draw in the first game. Otherwise there would be defeats. According to Fiebrig, this would mainly be due to the lack of players. It is difficult for his team to find new colleagues. “It’s simply a small circle because most people in Germany who suffer an amputation are already older and therefore amputees can no longer play football,” he says.

In addition, the team is already relatively old and other players besides him have been injured. This is different for other teams in the league. For the Berliner, HSV is the biggest favorite for the title, especially because of the young squad, which, according to Fiebrig, is well put together. In fact, the talented players sometimes change clubs within the league, he explains. But you couldn’t speak of real professionalism in Germany.

Things are different abroad. In Poland and Turkey in particular, training is much more intensive and the sport is practiced with greater organizational effort, reports Fiebrig. “It is also better for the players because they are professionals in Turkey and Poland and get money for it. That’s not the case in Germany.” Up to 2,000 people would come to the stadiums there to watch the games. There would also be a lot of advertising for the sport.

A sport under the radar

Fiebrig would also like to see a little more attention for amputee football in Germany. “We are not noticed from all sides,” he says. Many clubs and associations would show little interest in supporting and further developing the sport. There are hardly any spectators either. “For the most part, family members are watching. It’s just not advertised and a lot of people don’t even know the sport,” says Fiebrig.

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At least on the upcoming final day in his own city he is hoping for a bigger crowd. Even though he can’t stand on the pitch himself, he is already excited and the anticipation for his teammates is great. “You have short travel distances and can play in a real stadium. It’s a completely different feeling. “Hopefully we can present our sport and Tennis Borussia there as best as possible,” he says.

In terms of sport, the cards will be reshuffled again on Saturday. The game is played in playoff mode and so TeBe also theoretically has a chance of winning the title. As the bottom of the table, the Berliners are playing against second-to-last Hoffenheim for a place in the semi-finals. “We are trying our best, but I won’t make any predictions. Of course it would be great to get as far as possible, especially at home. But I’m a bit hesitant about that,” saysFiebrig.

At least from the stands he will give everything for his team in the Mommsenstadion and then next year he will finally break the spell and be on the pitch for a final day.

Broadcast: rbb24, October 11, 2024, 9:45 p.m