Due to a Corona wave, VfB Stuttgart will probably have to improvise in Gladbach on Saturday – especially in goal. Sporting director Sven Mislintat nevertheless remains courageous.
A breather during the international break? There was no question of that for VfB Stuttgart this time. “We thought we’d send a few to national games and see how they do and try to train intensively,” Sven Mislintat said on Tuesday. “Things usually turn out differently than you think.”
A fresh spate of corona cases – Waldemar Anton, Erik Thommy, Fabian Bredlow, Roberto Massimo and Florian Muller – has massively affected preparations for the upcoming Bundesliga match at Borussia Mönchengladbach.
Mislintat: “We still have a powerful team “
Mislintat reported on the club’s own TV channel about “significantly tightened testing beyond the already very strict hygiene measures”. Some of the players changed clothes in the open air. “We did a good job of that, too.” In any case, no sixth infected person came on Tuesday and the morning training went according to plan.
“We still have a powerful team,” Mislintat does not want to create a bad mood despite the circumstances. Dealing with Corona” is also part of everyday football life. “We take it as it comes – as a task, and try to solve it as best we can.” Just like with the many injuries at the beginning of the season.
VfB also have no alternatives: according to DFL statutes, a match cancellation can only become an issue if 15 or fewer players are eligible to play. VfB is far from that mark. The biggest bottleneck threatens coach Pellegrino Matarazzo in goal, because with Müller and Bredlow the number 1 and 2 are ill with Corona.
Shock: Baptism of fire for new number 3?
Before matchday 4, 20-year-old Florian Schock had been named the new number 3. The 1.99 metre tall homegrown (with VfB since 2016) had won the internal duel with his VfB II goalkeeper colleague Sebastian Hornung of the same age. Will Schock, whose wealth of experience is limited to 24 Regionalliga appearances so far, make his Bundesliga debut on Saturday? On Tuesday, U-19 keeper Tobias Werdich (18) also trained with the professionals.
Mislintat feels “total anticipation” for the Gladbach game, despite the many imponderables. “Playing at 6.30 p.m. is special,” he says and expects a “hot game”: “Last year we played them three times and always sold well.” In the end, the score was even: 2:2 at home, 2:1 away – and 1:2 in the DFB Cup round of 16.
Although Borussia, who got off to a weak start, picked up momentum with two wins before the international break, Mislintat remains courageous: “Of course Gladbach are favourites,” but “we can take three points there. “
