According to VfB head coach Sebastian Hoeneß, one thing matters above all else when VfB travel to SC Paderborn in the DFB Cup second round on Wednesday 28 October (kick-off 18:00 CET). “We want to show a reaction after our last Bundesliga game against Borussia Mönchengladbach and turn over a new leaf,” said the 44-year-old at Monday’s pre-match press conference.
Head coach Sebastian Hoeneß:
We have to raise our game and demand more from ourselves if we want to win games.
“We have to raise our game and demand more from ourselves if we want to win games,” Hoeneß continued, ahead of what is guaranteed to be a tough challenge against the newly promoted side. Stuttgart may have come out on top in all three of their previous DFB Cup meetings with Paderborn, but they were facing lower-league opposition on each occasion.
This time, they take on one of their Bundesliga rivals at the Home Deluxe Arena. VfB were given a taste of what to expect on Wednesday when they travelled to Paderborn in the Bundesliga earlier this month. Hoeneß’s charges triumphed 2-0 on that occasion, but the VfB boss is aware of the difficult task facing his side in the cup.
‘It’ll come down to who can adapt better’
“We expect it to be another tight game,” said Hoeneß, adding that his players have learned valuable lessons from the teams’ recent league meeting. “Paderborn beat Hamburger SV last time out and were in front for most of their game at Bremen the weekend before. We need to make sure we prepare well for the tie. It’ll come down to who can adapt their game better.”
Hoeneß expects to have the same set of players at his disposal as against Gladbach on Friday. Nikolas Nartey and Josha Vagnoman (both muscular issues) are still sidelined, while Tiago Tomás, Justin Diehl and Dan-Axel Zagadou are working their way back from injuries.
Fabian Bredlow, meanwhile, is set to start in goal, with Dennis Seimen – who made his competitive VfB debut in Paderborn in the league – on the bench. “Dennis has had his first taste of playing three times in a week, so we made the decision [to start Bredlow] last week,” Hoeneß explained.