Without his playmaker Baris Atik, second-division soccer club 1. FC Magdeburg must play its home game against Karlsruher SC on Saturday (13:00/Sky). Atik had already seen his fifth yellow card in the match at 1. FC Nürnberg (0:1) in the eighth game of the season and is therefore suspended. "That Baris is a player of high value for us, we know. But we have several options in our squad for this position. Therefore, no decision has been made yet on who will replace him. We don't know yet which element - speed or creativity - we will go for. There we have some diversity in the squad," coach Christian Titz said Thursday.
Titz noted that Atik has seen three of his five cautions not by foul play. "I would have liked that one or the other card would not have come about. But I know that he is a player whose emotions belong on the pitch and they give him a certain strength. Sometimes happen then just such things that lead to yellow," said Titz.
After three winless games in a row, however, the Magdeburger against the KSC now again aim for three points. For this, the game must be controlled over the entire distance. That was recently no longer the case, said the coach and called on his players to create more chances again. But at the same time he warns his team against the offense of KSC, which is very well staffed and has interesting elements.
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