Having raised the curtain on Matchday 8 in Bielefeld on Friday evening last week, Tim Walter's charges once again kick off the weekend's action under the floodlights this Friday at the Mercedes-Benz Arena (kick-off 18:30 CEST). And they have only one thing in mind against Wiesbaden: victory. "We're fully focused and really looking forward to the game," said Walter. "We want to show why we're at the top."
At his pre-match press conference, the 43-year-old also expressed his satisfaction with his players' commitment and development already this term: "The boys are doing really well. They trust each other and are working for each other. That's the key."
Philipp Klement (ankle) and Tanguy Coulibaly (thigh) will be absent through injury, while Argentinian forward Nicolas Gonzalez is a doubt after picking up a hefty knock against Greuther Fürth. "He's been training individually, but we'll just have to wait and see," said Walter.
The VfB coach also cautioned against underestimating Friday's visitors despite their position at the foot of the standings. "They've got a bit of bite about them and up front they've got a striker who can get goals, which is always a dangerous combination," said Walter, referring to Wehen forward Manuel Schäffler, who already has six goals this season, a tally that represents over half his team's overall total of 11.
"We'll have to be patient once again on Friday and also be clinical," Walter added. The VfB fans will likewise be eager to play their part in contributing to a fifth win from as many home fixtures this term. "The atmosphere at our stadium is always really good," concluded Walter. "I hope we'll have a great turn out on Friday."