VfB Stuttgart’s situation is anything but easy. And yet coach Sebastian Hoeneß does not feel any extraordinary pressure before the game at FSV Mainz, but rather “an inner conviction and inner optimism” due to positive signals from the team.
Sebastian Hoeneß and VfB Stuttgart urgently need points on Sunday in Mainz.
IMAGO/sport photo pack
Depending on how the competitors in the relegation battle from Berlin, Schalke, Bochum and Hoffenheim perform on Saturday (3.30 p.m., LIVE! at kicker), the Stuttgarters in Rheinhessen could possibly only help their own success to keep the chance of staying alive in the league . A scenario that further increases the already existing pressure that the coach and team have to withstand. With which the 41-year-old gets along well. “Of course I feel the pressure, but not because of the constellation,” explains Hoeneß. “I feel more of an inner conviction and an inner optimism because of the signals I’m getting from the team.”
Thoughts of the worst of all cases, a relegation set for Sunday, are pushed aside. “We don’t deal with these scenarios. We deal with the situation of how we can beat Mainz. The route is clear: we’re going there to win. If we get the three points, the table in the world will look completely different again out of.”
Hoeneß on the pressure in the relegation battle: “We have shown a good reaction in most cases”
Hoeneß went on to say that this type of constellation had been in the works for weeks. “There was pressure against Leverkusen too, there was pressure in every game, so we talked about it every week. In most cases we showed a good reaction to the pressure. I’m sure that will be the same on Sunday. ”
There are a few question marks in terms of personnel, but the head coach doesn’t want to rate them too highly. While the biggest problem child, Konstantinos Mavropanos, has largely recovered from his muscle membrane injury in his lower leg and completed the full training program on Friday, other players are taking the last steps in preparation for Mainz. After Florian Müller had to miss training and the game against Bayer Leverkusen last week due to an infection, Fabian Bredlow has now also been hit. Both keepers couldn’t train today.
Vagnoman trains individually: “His feedback was good”
However, this was only “a precautionary measure in order not to risk deterioration. I am confident that they can be there”. This also applies to Josha Vagnoman, who suffered a foot injury after yesterday’s unit and a painful duel. Today the right-footed player had to practice individually. “But his feedback was good,” said Hoeneß. “We’re assuming he’ll get back on board tomorrow.”
With the unexpected event that Bredlow and Müller should be absent due to illness, according to Hoeneß, there are “thought games that are not fully developed”. Regarding Florian Schock (21), the previous number 3, and U-19 talent Dennis Seimen (17). “Both Schocki and Dennis are two very, very good young goalkeepers who make a very good impression in training. If we had to react, I would have confidence that they could do it.”
2023-05-19 15:30:08
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