Velimirovic returns to Rapid Vienna – a green and white dream comes true!

Velimirovic returns to Rapid Vienna – a green and white dream comes true!

After a long absence, Dalibor Velimirovic is returning to his home club, SK Rapid Wien. The 24-year-old midfielder, who recently arrived from SV Horn on a free transfer, will strengthen the second team and has signed a contract until the summer of 2027. This return is not only a sporting but also an emotional journey for the player, who was once trained at Rapid's academy and previously played for Rapid II and eight times for the professional team. Velimirovic expressed great joy about his return and emphasized how important it is for him to wear the green and white jersey, as fan.at reports.

Dalibor Velimirovic, known as a defensive midfielder, has struggled with serious knee injuries in the past. From August 2020 to August 2021 he was out for more than a year. He made his debut in the Rapid team on September 1, 2019 in the Vienna derby against Austria. However, in the three and a half years that he was active for Rapid, he only played eight competitive games. The player then moved to Vienna, where he was required to be patient. There he completed a total of seven league appearances and is optimistic that he will be able to be in the starting line-up more often in the future. He has his sights firmly set on returning to the Bundesliga, as reported by laola1.at.

The challenges of the last few years

Returning to professional sport was an emotional rollercoaster for Velimirovic, marked by injuries and the fight for playing minutes. In addition, Vienna, where he last played, is currently unable to meet the necessary license requirements for the Bundesliga, which makes promotion more difficult. Despite these obstacles, the ambitious player remains optimistic. “I don’t want to look back, I want to look forward,” says Velimirovic, who played in two of the last three games and thereby gained match practice.

The injury situation generally seems to be a critical issue in the Bundesliga. According to the major injury table for the 2022/23 season published by fussballtrauma.com, the thigh is the most common cause of injury, followed by knee and ankle injuries. Professional public relations and similar training methods mean that teams are often close to each other on the injury chart. It is essential for Velimirovic to avoid this issue in order to realize his return to the Bundesliga and secure a permanent place in the team.

The return to Rapid Vienna is eagerly awaited - both by the fans and by Velimirovic himself. This “green-white” journey is not only a new beginning in sport, but also a story of patience, fighting spirit and hope for a successful future.