Lars Unnerstall has long since found happiness in the neighboring country. In the Netherlands, the former goalkeeper of FC Schalke 04 has been very popular for years. In retrospect, saying goodbye to the Bundesliga was exactly the right thing to do.
Lars Unnerstall made his breakthrough at FC Schalke 04. Born in Münsterland, he switched from Preußen Münster to S04 in his youth and then initially only played as a regional league goalkeeper for the Royal Blues. In the 2011/12 season, the then young keeper made 21 appearances in the Bundesliga, and a year later he played in the Champions League.
However, the goalkeeper was not able to assert himself at Schalke in the long term, in January 2014 he left the Ruhr area for Aarau in Switzerland. “Schalke came too early for me,” he said in an interview with “Sport1“.
The time in royal blue was “crazy” overall: “I was only there for a year or two and suddenly I was playing in the Champions League. Because Schalke is such a big club, I got a lot of attention.” That was both “exciting” and “stressful”.
Unnerstall on Schalke 04: “A really great time”
Unnerstall had to “get used to it first” that he was recognized and spoken to everywhere. “It was extreme. I couldn’t even go out to dinner with my family in peace.”
Ultimately, however, he does not regret his six years at Schalke. “It was a really great time. There were great games, if I just think about the win in the derby in Dortmund. I played in the Champions League and Europa League with S04 and that all helps me achieve these performances now can bring at Twente.”
Unnerstall’s ascent really only really took off after he left Germany. Because even with his three-year engagement at Fortuna Düsseldorf, he was not happy. “I can’t say exactly what caused it, you would have to talk to one or the other coach again. In my time at Fortuna there were Taskin Aksay, Oliver Reck, Frank Kramer, Peter Hermann, Marco Kurz and Friedhelm Funkel.” , recalled the 31-year-old, who has been playing for Twente Enschede since last summer.
A return to FC Schalke 04 is not an issue for the veteran. “Playing for Schalke again wouldn’t be a dream. I don’t have to prove anything to anyone at Schalke or finish something there just because it didn’t go so well at the time,” said Unnerstall. “I don’t think there will be any talks either.”
