Brentford star Vitaly Janelt has insisted that previous controversies are now behind him as he looks to take his chance with Germany with both hands.
10 years go this year, the Brentford man – then an U19 talent at RB Leipzig – found himself mired in controversy due to an ill-advised use of a Shisha pipe.
He was taking part in European Championship qualifiers in Albania when he was caught using the pipe with teammate Idrissa Toure.
Germany consequences
The pair had been using hookah in their hotel room. While they were out training, a hotel employee noticed smoke coming from the room and, naturally, raised the alarm. The pipe was discovered and the pair were on the hook.
The DFB did not waste time doling out punishment. The pair were sent home from team quarters. U19 coach Frank Kramer insisted that they had been left with no alternative.
As a result, his international hopes were ended. And despite a subsequent move to England with Brentford and a starring role in the Premier League, he’s yet to appear back on the scene for Germany.
| Vitaly Janelt — Brentford stats | 2025/26 | 2026/27 so far |
|---|---|---|
| Appearances | 30 | 6 |
| Minutes played | 1,730 | 521 |
| Goals | 1 | 2 |
| Assists | 4 | 0 |
| Goal contributions | 5 | 2 |
| Minutes per goal | 1,730 | 261 |
Second chance
Until now, that is. He’s now a part of Jurgen Klopp’s extended list for this international break.
And the 28-year-old is keen to push the controversy of the past firmly into the shadows as he believes this is now last chance saloon for him.
“At the end of the day, I’m ten years older now than I was back then, and I have a young daughter,” he told Sky Germany.
“Everyone grows up eventually. I don’t really need to say much about it. Especially guys—women are calmer when it comes to messing up,”
“Everyone has to learn their lessons from it. I realised that quickly and am happy about it. What’s done is done. This is one of the last chances for me to take part in a major tournament or two.”
