The generation of intense emotions is one of the most important success factors of the newcomer VfL Bochum.

Enormous forces can arise in the wonderful stadium on Castroper Straße, and the football professionals regularly transform the energies of this place into great football passion.

"At the moment we have a lot of spectacle here, to which the spectators contribute a lot," said coach Thomas Reis after the 2-0 win against TSG Hoffenheim.

In the 75th minute, however, this great strength of the club almost became a problem.

It was 1-0 and there was a penalty for Bochum, Milos Pantovic and Eduard Löwen wanted to take the penalty. "But suddenly the whole stadium calls Manuel Riemann," said Reis, describing these memorable moments later. The goalkeeper had become a celebrated hero the week before in the penalty shoot-out in the DFB Cup match against FC Augsburg because he pocketed the decisive ball. So the coaches decided to respond to the fans' request.

Riemann's shot flew well over the goal and became the eleventh penalty missed by a goalkeeper in Bundesliga history, and the first since 2010, when Hans-Jörg Butt missed a penalty for Bayern.

“I'll take it on my own head,” said Reis later, the coach was annoyed that he and his assistants “weren't even clearer about that” and “let the fans drift”.

He saved 26 of 73 penalties

Hoffenheim's Christoph Baumgartner speculated after the final whistle that in the event of success everyone would have said, "What a cool guy, the Riemann", now the goalkeeper might be "as an arrogant idiot". In truth, however, it was more the Hoffenheim team who, after their poor performance, are suspected of being arrogant. Or at least unable to combine one's own footballing superiority with the necessary dedication.

The 33-year-old Riemann, who moved to VfL in 2015 after years in the second and third division at Burghausen, Osnabrück and Sandhausen and has only now arrived in the Bundesliga, can be celebrated as a "cool guy" regardless of his missed shot. Because no colleague in the league has not conceded a goal more often on the first eleven match days. And because of all active professional goalkeepers he has the best rate when it comes to saving penalties. He saved 26 of 73 penalties.

That is why he came on in the cup against Augsburg in the 118th minute shortly before the penalty shoot-out, where substitute Michael Esser had previously received match practice.

Riemann didn't hold a ball there, but finally scored to win.

This type of anecdote suits this professional who keeps coming into the limelight with his tendency to be unconventional.

During the season, Riemann criticized teammates several times in front of the cameras, which caused a lot of unrest.

“We know how Manu is.

He's a winner.

Sometimes something slips out of him in the interview, but that is not meant badly, ”said captain Anthony Losilla at the time.

The coach, too, had a confidential conversation with the goalkeeper and said: Riemann is a "player who also polarizes".

Reis isn't the first soccer teacher to rub himself against this professional. “It stole your nerve, even in training. He always knew everything better, "said Riemann's former Burghausen trainer Ingo Anderbrügge once about the native Upper Bavaria and predicted:" He will eventually come across a trainer who turns him a rope. " to deal with the special character of this player who has matured in the meantime.

At the moment, precisely because of his peculiarities, he can contribute to the stubborn character of this team, which has become a competitive Bundesliga player without any outstanding individual players.

The team has won three of the last four Bundesliga games, plus the success in the DFB Cup.

"If we play with an attitude like that, we can achieve a lot," said Reis on Saturday.

In any case, the VfL Bochum looked much more lively than the dull Hoffenheim, who could use a riot like Riemann in their so far downright staid season.