“The situation is clear – there’s no point beating about the bush,” said VfB head coach Sebastian Hoeneß ahead of the UEFA Champions League clash with Young Boys at the Arena Stuttgart on Wednesday (kick-off 21:00 CET). “We want to show we’re determined to win the game from the get-go. It’s a very important game for us.”
Hoeneß was referring to VfB’s current position in the league phase table, where they have collected only four points from their five encounters so far. They are going to need a few more to secure a place among the top 24 teams and a spot in the knockout phase play-offs, but that remains their goal ahead of Matchday 6.
“YB are direct and get the ball forward quickly”
“We obviously want to play those two additional matches and stay in the competition,” continued the 42-year-old, who says his players will need to show intensity, determination and hunger to overcome a Young Boys side who have dominated Swiss football in recent years, winning six of the past seven league titles. “They are facing a few challenges in the league this season, but that doesn’t change their general approach. They play direct and get the ball forward quickly, and they are very active without the ball too.”
Positive injury news: Ameen Al-Dakhil returns to squad
How does that affect Stuttgart’s approach? According to Hoeneß, VfB’s plan is clear: “We need to combine good positioning with the corresponding energy levels.”
It goes without saying that VfB are eager to put their opponents under pressure in front of their own fans. After all, Young Boys have yet to register a point in the Champions League this season, conceding 36 goals in the process – the second-most in the competition so far.
On the injury front, Hoeneß has Ameen Al-Dakhil at his disposal again after his recovery from an infection. The defender will be included in the matchday squad, but Jamie Leweling is still in light training and unavailable for Wednesday’s clash. El Bilal, Deniz Undav and Dan-Axel Zagadou also remain sidelined due to injury.