FC Erzgebirge Aue has regained its strength in home games. The victory against Waldhof Mannheim also confirms the run of the violets.
Oh – The notorious home strength seemed to that FC Erzgebirge Aue to have been lost over the last few seasons. In the new year, Pavel Dotchev’s (57) team is preparing to restore the Erzgebirgsstadion fortress to its former glory with two wins and a draw.
In the first half of the season, Aue scored points in their own stadium, now the Erzgebirge stadium is becoming a fortress again – also thanks to the fans. © picture point/Sven Sonntag
After the hard-fought 2-1 win against Waldhof Mannheim, the violet pros were beaming with the floodlight masts. It was the third home win and after the 4-0 win over Bayreuth the second in 2023.
Marco Schikora (28), who switched from FSV Zwickau up the Mulde in the summer, only knew the home reputation from hearsay: “We’ve often been told that we have to become a home power again and we seem to be on the best way to get there be.”
A lot depends on the sparks spreading from the pitch to the stands and then really crackling. Schikora delivered such a scene in the first half. In his own penalty area he energetically grabbed the leather away, got up and screamed passionately with a clenched fist in the direction of the fans, who were loudly involved.
Will Aue do better against Wiesbaden than in the first leg? Thiel: “We’re in a much better mood now!”
“We’ve noticed that the fans have more faith in us and we want to show that with our body language,” said the defensive midfielder. The violets generally seem more mentally stable than in the first half of the season, where a game like that against Mannheim might have taken a different turn after Erik Majetschak’s (22) crooked own goal.
Midfielder Schikora: “We know we can play football”
Marco Schikora (28, 2nd from left) chases Mannheim’s Dominik Martinovic (25, r.). The 28-year-old is now the heart of Auer’s midfield. © imago/eibner
“Maybe an own goal would have been scored then,” jokes Schikora: “No, seriously. I think we’re more stable at the moment, so a stupid own goal like that wouldn’t throw us off course. But things could have burned out again in the first half of the season.”
It doesn’t anymore because the team under Dotchev is defensively more stable, as Schikora thinks: “Defending compactly as a unit, starting with Antonio Jonjic and ending with Martin Männel makes us strong.”
In addition, deficits were worked up under the 57-year-old Bulgarian during the winter break. “During the pre-season you noticed what Pavel is all about. There were more intensive units where we had to go beyond the point. That was still missing in the first half of the season.”
Au Monument: Will Männel remain a violet beyond 2024?
“We know that we can play football, but maybe we were a bit lacking in fitness. The coach also gives us a lot of courage to believe in ourselves and that is reflected,” said Schikora.
