"Unique opportunity": Rieke leaves Essen for Rome
SGS Essen is losing a key player in Annalena Rieke. The 26-year-old is joining AS Roma.
Annalena Rieke is leaving SGS Essen for Rome. IMAGO/pmk
Rieke's move to Italy was handled quickly: "For me, it's surprising that I have to say goodbye at very short notice," the midfielder is quoted as saying in the SGS press release. "I've always felt very comfortable in Essen, and I encountered a lot of understanding when it came to the move to Rome. I'm very grateful that they saw AS Roma's request as a unique opportunity for me and made this move possible."
Essen loses a top performerSGS is losing a key player: Rieke made 68 appearances for Essen in Germany's top flight, scoring ten goals. Last season, the 26-year-old was even the second-best goalscorer for the Bundesliga club, for which she has been playing since 2022. Rieke had already worn the purple and white for a year in 2018/19, then returned to the Ruhr region after a three-year stint with FC Gütersloh. Now, the 32-time U-national player is heading abroad for the first time.
I will miss the games at Hafenstrasse and the fans very much.
"I'm very grateful for the last few years, in which I learned to be patient and was able to develop enormously as an athlete," Rieke continued. "I will miss the games at Hafenstrasse and the fans very much."
Team boss Robert Augustin expressed his understanding: "Annalena and I have known each other for a very long time, and therefore I know exactly how many challenges she has had to overcome in her career to now receive this offer from a Champions League club. I have the utmost respect for what she has achieved and wish her all the best for this next, well-deserved step."
