They were thrilled with the outcome of December’s draw, and at 14:00 CET on 11 February the long wait is finally over for VfB’s Under-19 side as they host Liverpool FC in the UEFA Youth League round of 32. The game at the GAZi-Stadion auf der Waldau not only promises to feature two high-quality youth sides but a great deal of excitement. With no return leg in store, the losers will be eliminated from the competition and the winners will advance to the round of 16, which will take place on 4 and 5 March.
VfB secured home advantage in the round of 32 thanks to their magnificent league phase showing, with four wins, a draw and only one defeat earning them 13 points and a fifth-place finish on their tournament debut. Liverpool, by contrast, only clinched a knockout berth on the final matchday of the league phase, when they drew 2-2 at FC Girona to finish 19th on eight points. Barry Lewtas’ charges also beat Bologna (2-1) and Bayer Leverkusen (4-1), lost to Real Madrid (0-1) and RB Leipzig (1-3), and draw with AC Milan (0-0).
“This game makes every footballer’s heart beat a little faster – mine in particular. The lads did brilliantly to earn themselves a tie like this,” said Under-19 coach Nico Willig, who sees VfB’s upcoming opponents as an unknown quantity. “Liverpool have very dynamic players in their ranks, with wingers who are difficult to keep in check. You never know exactly what players Liverpool will bring in, though, so we’re focusing on ourselves.
“We want to be bold with the ball again and combine quickly with one another, but also find the right moments to be aggressive and not let our opponents settle into their game. Those are the keys in big games. We have to use those keys.”