Preparations for the 2008-2009 season got underway at VfL Wolfsburg on Thursday.
First up at the Volkswagen Arena was the unveiling to the press of the club's six new signings: Daniel Adlung, Rodrigo Alvim, Alexander Esswein, Zvjezdan Misimovic, Mahir Saglik and Cristian Zaccardo.
Fitness coach Werner Leuthard got proceedings underway with some stretching exercises. “The squad is pretty much complete. I'm very pleased that we're already at this stage in terms of personnel before the season begins”, coach Felix Magath said, adding: “I'm optimistic that our labours will bear fruit and that we'll play well from the very start this time.”
Zaccardo and Alvim impressed
New “wolf” Cristian Zaccardo (26) was immediately impressed by his future home turf: “This is my first time in the Vokswagen Arena. It's a great stadium”, was the verdict of the Italian 2006 World Cup winner, who also noted, “I'd heard in Italy that most of the stadiums in Germany are very good.”
Rodrigo Alvem, signed from Portuguese first division side CF Belenenses, is also looking forward to life in the Bundesliga: “I'm happy to be here at last. The first contact was made a year ago, but it's only worked out now. I'll have to adapt a bit, but I want to be a pack wolf and have success at Wolfsburg”, said the 24-year-old, who played together with Grafite in Brazil.
Wolfsburg's seventh new signing, Andrea Barzagli, was in action for Italy at EURO 2008 and subsequently underwent arthroscopic surgery on his knee. he will join the rest of the squad when they return from their training camp in Usedom (27.06. until 04.07.)
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