BERLIN - Wolfsburg lifted the club's first ever German Cup on Saturday while Chinese footballer Zhang Xizhe still waits for his debut in the Bundesliga.
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VfL Wolfsburg's coach Dieter Hecking celebrates with the trophy after their German Cup (DFB Pokal) final soccer match against Borussia Dortmund in Berlin, Germany, May 30, 2015. [Photo/Agencies] |
Wolfsburg turned the tides to shock Dortmund with a 3-1 comeback victory within 16 minutes, capping up a successful season where they had a runners-up finish in the first division league and a direct qualification for next season's European Champions League.
However, it was not a satisfactory season for Zhang, who has yet to make his Bundesliga debut since signing with Wolfsburg in December last year.
"The season is finally over. Let's see what happens next season. I must work hard in the summer break because it is very important for me," the 24-year-old was quoted by China's sports newspaper Titan Weekly.
For Zhang, sitting out the season was something he had not expected.
"I understood that I must be adapted to the team but I did not expect I have to wait for so long," he said.
It was not a surprise that Zhang was not given a chance on the field as Wolfsburg have begun the year in the Bundesliga with three wins and a draw and first team players were in excellent form.
It looks now the 2012 Chinese Young Player of the Year need to have more patience in his Bundesliga club.
Zhang was the fourth Chinese to have played in Germany's top flight, following in the Bundesliga footsteps of Yang Chen, Shao Jiayi and Hao Junmin.
However, he was the first Chinese player to join top European league club in three years after Hao Junmin returned from Shalk 04 to Chinese Super League in 2011.