Having made his VfB debut in Saturday’s 3-1 Bundesliga defeat at SC Freiburg, summer signing Bilal El Khannouss is determined to claim his first win for the Cannstatt side on Friday evening.
Hi Bilal, congratulations on making your VfB debut. What are your thoughts on that match?
Bilal: “There’s a lot of quality in our team, and we were able to show that in certain periods. We had the opportunity to take three points back to Stuttgart after taking the lead, but unfortunately we began to lose control as the game progressed, which frustrated us. That said, it was a great feeling to wear the VfB shirt for the first time. I’m very happy to be here.”
Did you get a warm welcome from the team and the staff?
Bilal: “My new team-mates, the coaching team and the staff gave me a very warm welcome. I’m very happy at VfB. It’s like a family, which is making it easy for me to settle into the group.”
You play St. Pauli at home in the Bundesliga on Friday. What are you looking forward to most on your first appearance at the MHP Arena?
Bilal: “I’m looking forward to many different things, including the atmosphere and, of course, giving my all alongside my team-mates to ensure we emerge victorious. I’m expecting a tough game, but we’re desperate to get the win with the support of our fans.”
Finally, let’s have a quick look back at your recent success with Morocco, who qualified for the 2026 World Cup during the last international window. How much does that mean to you?
Bilal: “It means a lot to me. I’m proud to play for Morocco and to have played my part in helping them qualify for the World Cup. Football is coming on leaps and bounds in Morocco. We have big objectives as a team, and we want to make people happy and show what we can do. My country is co-hosting the World Cup in 2030 [along with Portugal and Spain, with games also taking place in Uruguay, Argentina and Paraguay]. The 2026 World Cup will be a very important step in Morocco’s development, allowing us to gain experience at the highest level. I want to put myself in contention for a place in the squad for the 2026 tournament by playing well for VfB.”
