Levan Kobiashvili hold the anniversary 350th match in Bundesliga. From today’s perspective, it’s fairly visible, but a lot of work and devotion are put in this case.
Kobiashvili is a standard of all those properties, which is needed for a professional player – hard work, desire, humility, modesty, giving an example to young players. Is this too much praise? Then, let’s believe Otto Rehagel, who said that he has never met such professional player as Kobiashvili in his life.
“Kobi” hold the first match of Bundesliga on September 12, 1998, when “Freiburg” hosted “Bayern” Munich. Levan was playing with No.10 t-shirt for “Freiburg”, was an engine of the team and along with bitterness (knockout from bundesliga) has experienced the joy (making through to the UEFA Cup).
Then was “Schalke” – the best period in Kobiashvili’s career. Hat-trick against PSV (3:0) at Champions League, beautiful goal scored in the goal of Oliver Kahn, but there also was bitterness: in 2010 “Schalke” almost was champion, but in the last rounds miraculously gave “Bayern” opportunity to surpass.
Being a champion of Bundesliga, not playing at the big tournaments of Georgian national team – these two things remained as unfulfilled dream. In the team’s history, he is the author of the most boisterous and joyful goal, scored in the match between Georgia – Croatia. “Kobi” is a record-holder by his number of team matches and is the only Georgian, who collected 100 matches.
Levan hold the 350th Bundesliga match in Leverkusen, where his “Hertha” lost 1:2. Georgian central defender was in lineup and was substituted at the 57th minute.
Four rounds are remained in Germany and Levan will end his career. He will have the last match against “Dortmund” at home. To that “Dortmund”, against whom he hold the brilliant match and neutralized Robert Lewandowski. “Hertha” won this meeting 2:1.
He is 36-year-old and several months ago decided that this season would be the final in his professional career. “Kobi” is leaving the field, but will remain in the service of the Georgian football, but what the status will be, is not known yet.
Even now, when he plays in Bundesliga, does not forget to help. Through “Kobi and Friends, Georgian team of any school, born in 2001, will leave for European Cup in Berlin.
By the number of matches, held in Bundesliga, Kobiashvili is in the second place among the legionaries of all time. He could not surpass only Claudio Pizzaro of “Bayern”.
Ilia Nanobashvili
