By Rich

Justin Heekeren is a 21-year-old goalkeeper for FC Schalke 04. Heekeren was born on November 27, 2000 in Alpen-Veen, Germany, and spent his youth career playing for SSV Rheintreu Lüttingen, VfB Homberg, Borussia Mönchengladbach, and Rot-Weiß Oberhausen. His senior career continued at Oberhausen, where he made 53 appearances and even scored 1 goal between 2019 and 2022. On June 9, 2022, he agreed to join FC Schalke 04, signing a 3-year contract, with an option for an additional year. He has already made 1 appearance for Schalke II in the Regionalliga West.

By Rich

​Sadio Mane scored in his Bundesliga debut on Friday in a 6:1 victory over visiting Eintracht Frankfurt in the opening fixture of the 2022-2023 Bundesliga season. The scoring began early on Friday when Joshua Kimmich found the net off a free kick just 5 minutes into the match. His goal was followed by goals from Benjamin Pavard in the 11th minute, Sadio Mane in the 29th minute, Jamal Musiala in the 35th minute, and Serge Gnabry in the 43rd minute. The visitors finally scored a goal when substitute Randal Kolo Muani capitalized on a mistake by Bayern goalkeeper Manuel Neuer, which allowed Muani to prod the goal into an empty net. It was Bayern, however, who scored the final goal in the 83rd minute, when Musiala picked up a brace, having collected a pass from Leroy Sane and slid the ball past Frankfurt goalkeeper Kevin Trapp. Bayern have not lost a Matchday 1 fixture in the past 11 years. Saturday’s competition will open with one of the biggest derbies in the league this season, when Union Berlin host Hertha Berlin. Set to make his Bundesliga debut is Union arrival and US international Jordan Siebatcheu, who was brought in to replace top scorer Taiwo Awoniyi, who is now with Nottingham Forest. Siebatcheu scored 22 goals in 32 Swiss Super League outings, and already made his Union debut in a DFB Pokal win over Chemnitz. Hertha barely avoided relegation at the end of last season, and are now coached by former Mainz head coach Sandro Schwarz. Union lead the overall head-to-head against Hertha by 5 wins to Hertha’s 3, and Union are on the longest unbeaten streak of any Bundesliga club, with 7. Bremen are making their return to the top flight on Saturday when they travel to Wolfsburg. Bremen finished 2nd last season behind Schalke, and have already made their way to the DFB Pokal’s second round, having defeated Energie Cottbus. Former Bremen player Max Kruse is now playing for Wolfsburg and has scored 7 times in 14 league outings in the 2nd half of last season. Making their return to the top flight on Sunday are FC Schalke 04, who will be traveling to nearby Cologne. Schalke’s 1st-place finish in the 2. Bundesliga last season was powered by the scoring ability of Simon Terodde, but he may be sidelined on Sunday by a muscular problem. Schalke will have to contend with a rejuvenated 1. FC Köln, whose striker Anthony Modeste had the 2nd-best goal season of his career last season with 20, including 10 goals from headers, more headers than any other player in Europe’s top 5 leagues.