Vitaly Janelt
BRE
Center Midfielder
Box-to-Box
May 10, 1998 (28)
Left
6'0"
174 lb
Available after suspension
Janelt is available for Saturday's Premier League clash against Nottingham Forest after serving a one-match suspension during Sunday's 1-1 draw against Hull City.
Analysis: Janelt returns to contention after missing Brentford's encounter against Hull following his dismissal for two yellow cards against Liverpool. The German midfielder had been a regular presence in Keith Andrews' midfield before his suspension, and his return provides an additional option in the center of the pitch. Mathias Jensen and Mamadou Sangare offered alternatives during his absence, while Yehor Yarmoliuk was also sidelined following a separate red card against Liverpool. Janelt could immediately compete for a place in the starting XI against Nottingham Forest now that his suspension has been served.
Sees red after double booking
Janelt was sent off for a second yellow card during Saturday's Premier League match against Liverpool, ruling him out of next Saturday's trip to Hull.
Analysis: Janelt will serve a one-match ban after collecting two bookings, leaving Brentford short in central midfield for the trip to Hull on Oct. 24. His dismissal came in the same match as Yehor Yarmoliuk's straight red, which means coach Keith Andrews loses both of the midfielders who started together at Aston Villa last week. Mikkel Damsgaard's return from his ankle problem offers a solution, and he could partner Mamadou Sangare in the middle against Hull.
Records four interceptions
Janelt recorded two crosses (one accurate) and one corner in Saturday's 2-2 draw against Aston Villa. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 75th minute.
Analysis: Janelt delivered another solid performance in central midfield, recording four interceptions to help Brentford disrupt Aston Villa's attacking play. The midfielder has now played every minute of the opening six Premier League matches, contributing two goals, five chances created, 13 crosses, including nine corners, 18 tackles and 20 interceptions. His defensive consistency and occasional involvement in attacking situations make him a key figure in Brentford's midfield, and he should remain a regular starter moving forward.
Makes Germany debut
Janelt made his senior international debut for Germany during a 2-0 win over Serbia, entering in the 88th minute, before remaining an unused substitute in the 0-0 draw with Greece, according to the club.
Analysis: Janelt earned his first senior minutes for Germany after replacing Aleksandar Pavlovic late against Serbia. The midfielder returns to Brentford having started all five Premier League matches this season, scoring twice after an injury-affected 2025/26 campaign. His regular starting role and involvement on set pieces should keep him an important part of Brentford's midfield.
Fast start to season
Janelt has recorded two goals in five appearances (five starts) this season.
Analysis: Janelt is back in his regular starting role this campaign after injuries hindered his 2025/26 season, with the midfielder starting in all five games to open the season. That said, he already has two goals, earning more than he did last season in 25 appearances despite only being five matches into the 2026/27 campaign. With his set-piece duties as well, the midfielder has found himself as a top-20 midfielder in the league in most formats early in the campaign.
Scores in draw Saturday
Janelt scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal) in Saturday's 1-1 draw versus Sunderland. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 62nd minute.
Analysis: Janelt found the back of the net in the early stages of the second half for the Bees after smashing a perfect volley from the edge of the box. Janelt has solid upside in most formats due to his two-way contributions, and the numbers back him up. Through three starts this season, Janelt has two goals, three shots, four chances created, nine crosses, seven corners, 11 tackles and 10 interceptions.
Brillant defensive outing
Janelt registered four crosses (two accurate) and three corners in Sunday's 1-1 draw against Leeds United. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 76th minute.
Analysis: Janelt made four interceptions and delivered three corners in Sunday's 1-1 draw at Leeds, providing the deep corner delivery that Nathan Collins looped back into the box for Mikkel Damsgaard's headed chance in the second half, while also delivering four crosses of which two were accurate throughout 90 minutes. He provided the defensive cover in front of Brentford's back four that allowed Mamadou Sangare to push forward with greater freedom, and his disciplined positioning helped Brentford limit Leeds' attacking threat for long stretches, ending the game with three tackles and one block to add to his interceptions. Janelt has now made eight interceptions across Brentford's opening two Premier League matches, the highest total of any Brentford player in that span.
Scores in Saturday's opener
Janelt scored one goal to go with two shots (one on goal), five crosses (four accurate) and four corners in Saturday's 3-0 victory against Tottenham Hotspur. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 78th minute.
Analysis: Janelt found the back of the net in Saturday's season opener, an unassisted strike in the 33rd minute. Despite finding the back of the net he was even more impressive from a creative perspective as he recorded four accurate crosses and created two chances on the attack. He helped his side keep a clean sheet as well, contributing four interceptions, three tackles, one clearance and one blocked shot in his full 90 minutes of action.
Ramping up fitness
Janelt is ramping up fitness as he looks to see the field this week after going unused in the last match, according to manager Keith Andrews. "Vitaly will be a little bit closer now, with another week's training under his belt. He did well to even be involved last weekend, and we wanted him to be in the squad."
Analysis: Janelt returned to the squad last week after an absence due to injury, but was not ready for play yet, instead going unused the entire 90. However, he has been training and continuing to work on his fitness levels, leaving the midfielder to possibly be an option for time Saturday. That said, the club will likely not want to push him through anything he can't manage, so a start may be held off. Either way, it looks like he should see the field, at least getting a period to test his legs.
Option off bench
Janelt (foot) is on the bench for Saturday's clash against West Ham.
Analysis: Janelt passed his late fitness assessment after manager Keith Andrews confirmed he was pretty close and that a decision would be made following Friday's session, recovering enough to earn a spot in the squad after making good progress in training following a two-month absence. The midfielder has been a regular starter when fit, but the club opted to manage his return carefully rather than throwing him straight back into the starting role after such a lengthy spell on the sidelines. His return to the XI is expected to follow in the coming fixtures as he builds his fitness back up.
Could return Saturday
Janelt (foot) is a late call for Saturday's match against West Ham, according to manager Keith Andrews. "Vitaly is pretty close, so we'll make a decision on that tomorrow, but he's made good progress."
Analysis: Janelt has been training a bit, and that has led him to being a late call for Saturday, potentially making the team sheet if he can see a slight boost. He will then face some testing to see if he can play, potentially saved for another match after two months out. He has been a starter when fit, so the true question is whether he could see the start immediately after the long absence if deemed fit.
Back on grass
Janelt (foot) has started to train on grass, according to manager Keith Andrews. "They're doing well. I've just walked past all three of them, they've been doing a session separate from the group. They're back on the grass and making good progress. They've all got slightly different timeframes as to when they'll be back, but they won't be available for Monday."
Analysis: Janelt is back in training this week, although it is still limited, working with a group on injured players on grass. This does give hope that a return is nearing, but he still needs to return to team training, leaving a return date up in the air. The hope will be to recover him for the last few matches of the season, a starting midfielder when he is fit.
Still in need of time
Janelt (foot) is hopeful to return this season but is still weeks away, according to manager Keith Andrews. "Vitaly just isn't ready right now, we'll see... we've got five or six weeks left of the season, and hopefully [he] can play a part."
Analysis: Janelt is still working on a return and is not yet an option, with the midfielder seemingly trending towards a return in May. Unfortunately for the club, this continues a rough absence for them, as they have been without a starting midfielder for over a month, trending towards two. More should come in the next few weeks on his status, likely to eye a return near the start of May.
Weeks away from return
Janelt (foot) is likely to miss a few more weeks of action, according to manager Keith Andrews. "Vitaly will probably be a bit further away. It's a different type of injury and a different length. I don't know exactly how many weeks... but it'll be a good few weeks away, I imagine."
Analysis: Janelt was already likely to miss further time, and that is coming to fruition, as the midfielder is now expected to miss a few more weeks. Unfortunately, this is a rough loss for the club as they lose a starter for more time after already missing the past five games with little follow-up on the stage of his injury. His loss will continue to force a change for the time being, with Jordan Henderson and Mathias Jensen likely to serve as starting defensive midfielders while he is out.
Likely to miss time
Janelt suffered a metatarsal injury during the game against Brighton and is set to miss some time to recover, the club announced.
Analysis: Janelt picked up a metatarsal injury during last week's clash against Brighton and has already begun his rehab process, but he is expected to miss time. This is a major setback for the Bees, as the midfielder has been a steady presence in the engine room all season and his absence now forces a reshuffle in the starting XI, with Yehor Yarmolyuk and Jordan Henderson emerging as the leading candidates to step into his role.
Misses due to injury
Janelt (undisclosed) is ruled out for Saturday's clash against Burnley due to injury, coach Keith Andrews confirmed to the media.
Analysis: Janelt won't be available for Saturday's showdown with the Clarets after picking up an injury in the last match against Brighton. The midfielder is set to be evaluated early next week to determine whether he can make it back in time for Tuesday's clash with Bournemouth. In the meantime, Yehor Yarmolyuk steps into the midfield Saturday and is in line to take on an expanded role while Janelt remains on the shelf.
Scores header in win
Janelt scored one goal to go with one shot (one on goal), one cross (zero accurate) and one corner in Saturday's 3-2 win against Newcastle United. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 91st minute.
Analysis: Janelt put forth a man of the match performance Saturday as he decisively headed home Brentford's opening goal and cleared a Newcastle shot off of the goal-line in a 3-2 road victory. Across his 90 minutes of play, the holding-midfielder made two tackles (two won), one interception and one block. Janelt was shown a yellow card for the fourth time in his last five league appearances (five starts).
Notches three crosses
Janelt had three crosses (zero accurate) and one corner in Sunday's 1-0 win over Aston Villa. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 93rd minute.
Analysis: Janelt would start in the defensive part of the midfield for a third straight match Sunday, a 10th start in 19 appearances for the midfielder this season. He would record three crosses as his best part of the day, still without a goal contribution in his past three games. He is yet to bag a goal this season, although he does have four assists.
Inks contract extension
Janelt signed a contract extension with Brentford until 2030, the club announced. "I'm delighted to get it done. Vitaly is a vital cog. He's so important to the way we play, and he's an influential figure in the dressing room and in the club. He's been an immense player for us for numerous years, so I'm really pleased to secure Vitaly's future. He's going to be a big player for us for many years to come, said head coach Keith Andrews.
Analysis: Janelt turned professional at RB Leipzig before moving to Bochum and signing for Brentford in October 2020, quickly becoming a key figure in the club's promotion to the Premier League and playing a central role in the play-off run. He established himself as a regular in the top flight, scoring twice against Chelsea in 2022, captaining the side for the first time later that year, and remaining ever-present during the injury-hit 2023/24 campaign, when he was named Players' Player of the Season. Despite missing the end of last season due to heel surgery, Janelt has remained influential this term, featuring regularly and contributing three assists in the last two Premier League games.
Provides new assist in victory
Janelt assisted once to go with four crosses (zero accurate) and four corners in Wednesday's 3-0 win over Sunderland. In addition, he was given a yellow card in the 63rd minute.
Analysis: Janelt's work in midfield directly produced the breakthrough, as he won possession and threaded the through ball that sent Igor Thiago clear for the 30th minute opener. He then stayed disciplined in the double pivot, screening counters and helping Brentford manage the game once they took the lead. His contribution was the type that shifts matches, and he was valuable on set pieces as well, contributing four crosses and four corners to go with his defensive solidity, highlighted by two tackles, two interceptions, and one clearance against the Black Cats.
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