They are considered the new dream couple of the Stuttgart offensive. And yet Deniz Undav and Ermedin Demirovic are not always allowed to start together. Coach Sebastian Hoeneß explains why and gives Undav a guarantee against Prague.
The new Stuttgart dream couple: Ermedin Demirovic and Deniz Undav.
IMAGO/Press photo Baumann
The performance density in the Stuttgart offensive is great. Patience is the motto for those who haven’t been able to start so often yet. For El Bilal Touré, Nick Woltemade, Chris Führich or Fabian Rieder and others. Also because the performances shown and the results achieved currently speak for the colleagues who are currently ahead. It can hardly be assumed that there will be any major changes in the first home game in the Champions League since the 1-1 draw against FC Barcelona in the first leg of the round of 16 against Sparta Prague on February 23, 2010. “I won’t give too much insight now,” says Sebastian Hoeneß. “But this time too it will be the case that we cannot assume that we will change very many players.”
Stuttgart wants to minimize the risk of injury
The Swabians’ head coach wants to take a little more time and then decide who he will send onto the field at kick-off. He and his coaching team are in close contact with the team regarding their physical and mental condition. He himself would “listen to the players and watch them to get a feeling,” which makes the choice easier for him. After the 2-2 draw with ten men at VfL Wolfsburg, he didn’t receive any worrying signals. “Despite being outnumbered, the feedback was that they handled the game well.”
However, the 42-year-old has already made a decision: Deniz Undav will start again. The 28-year-old came off the bench in Wolfsburg. The reason is simple: it’s about “stress control. As is well known, Deniz is also a national player, has also played there, and has now played many games in a very short space of time despite very short preparation.” That’s why consideration must be given to the attacker, who has scored in five competitive games in a row for the first time in his professional career, with a total of six goals. After all, with the 26 million euro record signing, which now has 36 scorer points in 41 competitive games for the traditional club from 1893, they want to keep the risk of injury to a minimum.
Hoeneß on Prague: “That’s a board”
Hoeneß leaves it open what this means for Ermedin Demirovic. The new signing from FC Augsburg also had to sit on the bench at Real Madrid and hopes that this unpleasant experience will not be repeated. In addition to the Bosnian, this also applies to Führich, who recently lost his status as first choice, and Rieder, who has higher demands as a Swiss national player. It is quite possible that this time Jamie Leweling, who plays a very intense and strenuous style of play, will have to watch at kick-off unlike last time.
Against a team that started the premier class with success. “Sparta is doing a very good job. The team plays good football, very intense, very well organized,” says Hoeneß about the Czech double winners. “They won their first home game in the Champions League 3-0 against RB Salzburg. That’s a score.” That doesn’t mean much to many players in the VfB jersey. They tried to “prepare the boys in a short amount of time.” The traditional club from the capital should not be underestimated. Especially not with the thought in mind that they also kept up well at Real Madrid.
VfB wants to “develop force” at home
The Czechs stand for fast, straightforward switching play. “A bit of a simple way of playing,” said Hoeneß. “They are very straight forward, intensive in their approach, they try to disrupt things early, try to win the ball high, and then when they win these balls, they quickly play towards the goal again. They also have the players who are very, very fast and… are massive in their ranks.” The Swabians see the home advantage as a plus. “We know that we can develop real power at home. But we have to do something about that. As always, that only comes through absolute willingness and the attitude to play a good game.”
