Heurelho Gomes: “I want to thank the fans”

On-loan goalkeeper Gomes has become a fan favourite at Hoffenheim in such a short space of time. But then, his season was over. Last Friday, the 32-year-old collided with Andreas Lambertz in TSG's match against Fortuna Düsseldorf, breaking his left hand. Gomes said, “I knew that it was more than a knock. I felt the pain straightaway.”

Nevertheless, the South American wanted to continue. He wanted to carry on giving everything for TSG just as he said he would in his previous interviews. Team doctor Dr. Henning Ott had to convince him to leave the pitch.

The operation on his left hand went well. “It still hurts a bit, but that will go away”, said Gomes. The premature end to his season is “not a good feeling” for him. “I was in good form and felt very settled in the squad.” When his cast is taken off at the end of the week, Gomes will travel to the Netherlands. He will undergo rehabilitation there with a physiotherapist he knows and trusts.

“The team deserves to stay up”

The 6'3'' keeper wants to keep adding to his contribution towards TSG's fight against relegation. “If I can't help on the pitch then I'll do so with words,” he said, before adding: “The team deserves to stay up and I will do everything I can in order to achieve that.”

What are his hopes for the future? “For me personally, I hope that my hand heals quickly so that I can be ready for next season. I hope that my team can play good, successful football over the next few weeks and that they can avoid relegation for both themselves and the fans.”

The Brazilian's relationship with the fans is also very important to him. “I want to thank everyone for the support I've received over the last few weeks, especially after my injury. The get-well wishes are very comforting,” explained Gomes.