Kaiserslautern 0-0 in Friendly, Coach Praises New Signing Kanaté

Sterzing (South Tyrol) – At the conclusion of their week-long training camp, 1. FC Kaiserslautern played to a 0-0 draw against Italian second-division side FC Südtirol in front of 2,000 spectators in Sterzing. Despite the goalless result, coach Torsten Lieberknecht (52) praised his team's attitude—and singled out one new signing for particular recognition.

The demanding training sessions clearly took their toll on the Red Devils, resulting in a combative but uneventful match. Center-back Jacob Rasmussen (29) summed it up aptly: "What went really well: We didn't concede a goal. What went badly: We didn't score any goals." Nonetheless, the Dane noted clear progress in the team's play.

What Lieberknecht appreciated: "The attitude, the intensity, and the defensive work were superb." His only criticism was the poor conversion of chances and a lack of courage at times to find solutions through the center.

Precautionary Measure for Ritter

Marlon Ritter (31) was substituted as a pure precaution after minor issues. Lieberknecht brought on eight new players at halftime, and one in particular caught the eye: new signing Ibrahim Kanaté (19). The left winger from Mali livened up the attacking play.

His coach praised: "With Ibrahim, it's clear that he stands out in one-on-one situations. But he also distinguishes himself by immediately going into counter-pressing and winning the ball back." At the same time, Lieberknecht tempered expectations for the youngster: "He still needs to learn to manage his energy properly."

Lautern new signing Ibrahim Kanaté (19, front). Photo: picture alliance/foto2press

Next Steps

After a final team evening, the squad returns home, followed by two days off for recovery. Attention then turns to a real test: against FC Metz on August 1 at 2:00 PM at Stade Yvan Tépus in Homécourt. The match will feature 3 x 45-minute periods—and Lieberknecht expects to see his players on the pitch for over 70 minutes.