DFB.de previews a player for the Germany national side, who is set to feature at the weekend. Today: Mario Gomez, who is set to make his long-awaited comeback from injury for AC Fiorentina in Serie A after five weeks on the treatment table.
A goal scored but defeated nonetheless. Mario Gomez would remember this day as a really special derby. 1999 was the year, the regional championship final with the E-Youth team, Munderkingen took on Unlingen. An in-form goalscorer appeared for SV Unlingen that day, who was tipped as a hot prospect. This Mario Gomez then promptly scored, but it wouldn’t suffice. Munderkingen went on to win 2-1. An ambitious Mario was furious, losing was never his thing.
The memory of that defeat in the derby has followed Gomez to Italy in the form of Felix Schelkle. The boss of VfL Munderkingen was invited by Gomez’s club ACF to Florence as a thank you for the annual Munderkingen U13 tournament, in which the Italian club regularly take part. Much to Schelkle’s surprise, a reunion with Mario Gomez was on the cards in Florence. The Germany international hadn’t changed all that much and found himself behind Schelkle: “He just came in flip-flops too. No arrogance, no flashy gear, just a nice guy,” he said to the local newspaper. There was another aspect in which Gomez hadn’t changed: he still wasn’t used to defeat.
Gomez has been plagued by injuries. He had to miss seven months of the last campaign alone through a knee injury. More visits to the physio are on the cards this term too, after making just three Serie A appearances, one Europa League and one appearance for the national side last season. His thigh injury has been cured in the meantime following six weeks on the treatment table and sessions in the gym, with Gomez returning to team training this Thursday. He even made his comeback in the Fiorentina squad on Wednesday evening in their surprise 3-0 win over Udinese, with an appearance from the bench coming just too soon for the German. But Sampdoria await on Sunday, where Gomez could feature. Gomez’s comeback is imminent, were the words of manager Vincenzo Montella in sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
A win would potentially lift Fiorentina into the upper reaches of the Italian top-flight table, with Sampdoria following Udinese as their next opponents in the Europa League places. Then Napoli await them, with Fiorentina hosting PAOK in the Europa League in between. ACF could use some goals from Gomez in the coming weeks and indeed Gomez himself would benefit from them. He may be enjoying a superb relationship with the fans, who have taken to him so well in this corner of Italy and have stuck by him despite the setbacks, but the Germany striker will be keen to repay the fans’ faith with goals. He’s scored four times since joining Fiorentina, and an appearance this weekend would be his 20th for AC.
Former Germany international Marko Marin is not only waiting for his first goal for Fiorentina, but also his first Serie A appearance, after only featuring briefly for ACF in the Europa League away to PAOK. He was in the squad against Udinese alongside Gomez, but wasn’t handed a substitute appearance. Sunday could be the day for both of them.
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DFB.de previews a player for the Germany national side, who is set to feature at the weekend. Today: Mario Gomez, who is set to make his long-awaited comeback from injury for AC Fiorentina in Serie A after five weeks on the treatment table.
A goal scored but defeated nonetheless. Mario Gomez would remember this day as a really special derby. 1999 was the year, the regional championship final with the E-Youth team, Munderkingen took on Unlingen. An in-form goalscorer appeared for SV Unlingen that day, who was tipped as a hot prospect. This Mario Gomez then promptly scored, but it wouldn’t suffice. Munderkingen went on to win 2-1. An ambitious Mario was furious, losing was never his thing.
The memory of that defeat in the derby has followed Gomez to Italy in the form of Felix Schelkle. The boss of VfL Munderkingen was invited by Gomez’s club ACF to Florence as a thank you for the annual Munderkingen U13 tournament, in which the Italian club regularly take part. Much to Schelkle’s surprise, a reunion with Mario Gomez was on the cards in Florence. The Germany international hadn’t changed all that much and found himself behind Schelkle: “He just came in flip-flops too. No arrogance, no flashy gear, just a nice guy,” he said to the local newspaper. There was another aspect in which Gomez hadn’t changed: he still wasn’t used to defeat.
Gomez has been plagued by injuries. He had to miss seven months of the last campaign alone through a knee injury. More visits to the physio are on the cards this term too, after making just three Serie A appearances, one Europa League and one appearance for the national side last season. His thigh injury has been cured in the meantime following six weeks on the treatment table and sessions in the gym, with Gomez returning to team training this Thursday. He even made his comeback in the Fiorentina squad on Wednesday evening in their surprise 3-0 win over Udinese, with an appearance from the bench coming just too soon for the German. But Sampdoria await on Sunday, where Gomez could feature. Gomez’s comeback is imminent, were the words of manager Vincenzo Montella in sports newspaper Gazzetta dello Sport.
A win would potentially lift Fiorentina into the upper reaches of the Italian top-flight table, with Sampdoria following Udinese as their next opponents in the Europa League places. Then Napoli await them, with Fiorentina hosting PAOK in the Europa League in between. ACF could use some goals from Gomez in the coming weeks and indeed Gomez himself would benefit from them. He may be enjoying a superb relationship with the fans, who have taken to him so well in this corner of Italy and have stuck by him despite the setbacks, but the Germany striker will be keen to repay the fans’ faith with goals. He’s scored four times since joining Fiorentina, and an appearance this weekend would be his 20th for AC.
Former Germany international Marko Marin is not only waiting for his first goal for Fiorentina, but also his first Serie A appearance, after only featuring briefly for ACF in the Europa League away to PAOK. He was in the squad against Udinese alongside Gomez, but wasn’t handed a substitute appearance. Sunday could be the day for both of them.
