A turbulent year

Pentz: “Nobody asks how you’re doing”

One heart and one soul: goalkeeper Patrick Pentz with his wife Verena

(Bild: GEPA/zVg)

Goalkeeper Patrick Pentz has had a turbulent year. "In soccer, things happen one after the other, nobody asks what happened and how you're doing," says the ÖFB goalkeeper. 

First 2:0 at home in the league and 1:0 in the cup round of 16, most recently a 5:1 away in the league: Brøndby showed champions Midtjylland in Denmark three times in four weeks with Patrick Pentz in goal. "Their match plan with lots of high balls simply suits us," said Austria's No. 1, who is going through a turbulent 2024.

After a strong spring, he missed out on the league title with Brøndby with a 3:2 home defeat on the last matchday in May, while the group win at the EURO was followed by a bitter round of 16 exit against Turkey: "There were only 19 days between the last EURO match and the start of the league season, which was hard on the mind," he admits. "In soccer, things happen one after the other, nobody asks what happened and how you're doing. You just have to perform."

Team double in sight
Which the 27-year-old did flawlessly: With Brøndby, he is within touching distance of leaders Midtjylland (27) thanks to 22 points from 14 rounds, and with the national team on course to win their group in the Nations League: "Of course, next week in Kazakhstan and against Slovenia, six points are the goal, especially as we are also the favorites in both games."

A role that the team fulfilled brilliantly with the two recent victories in Linz: "We showed what sets us apart on the pitch again." Before that, Pentz faces his home league match against Nordsjaelland on Sunday evening. He and his wife Verena have come to appreciate Brøndby: "The cleanliness is impressive, the people take extreme care of their homes and the city," he says, describing the town of 40,000 inhabitants.

Cycling to training
In which cycling is a big issue: "The city center offers few parking spaces and parking fines of up to 120 euros are very expensive. That's why many people prefer to change their bikes, and some players ride to training on their racing bikes and in full kit," says the Salzburg native, who has a contract with the traditional club until 2028: "We're the best team in Denmark in terms of play. If we manage to be more composed in tricky situations, anything is possible again."