Hütter: “We want to play good football that brings us success at the same time”

Head coach Adi Hütter and sporting director Max Eberl speak ahead of the home game on Saturday evening (18:30 CEST) against VfB Stuttgart.

Adi Hütter on...

...player availability: Christoph Kramer unfortunately picked up a muscle injury in training. It turned out to be a severe strain and we’ll be without him for the time being. All the players who were away with their national teams have returned safely. Ramy Bensebaini has been set back by injuries since preseason and so he lacks rhythm, but this week he could train with us partially. We have to plan his schedule carefully so that he gets back to full fitness as quickly as possible and can perform at his best.

...the upcoming match against VfB Stuttgart: We want to pick up from where we left off before the international break. Stuttgart are a tough team to play against. Even though they have a few players out injured, we will be playing a side that is quick, dynamic and strong. VfB are one of the best teams in the league at winning individual battles and the game will definitely be aggressive and lively all over the pitch. It’s going to be a challenge to deal with that but we are coming in off the back of wins against two very good teams. We won’t speculate as to who will play for them. We are focused on ourselves.

...style of play: We had 70 percent possession against Augsburg and dominated the game without creating chances to score. On the other hand, we did create chances against Dortmund and Wolfsburg and played a positive, effective brand of football. What we want to do is to play good football and successful football at the same time.

...three at the back: When you try out certain things and they work, that makes me happy as a coach. If it’s working then there is no reason to change anything. There are a few things that are looking good and becoming instinctive. It is natural, therefore, that we’d carry on playing that formation.

...competition for places in midfield: Many things are important in football - The technique and vision of Florian Neuhaus but also the aggression and work-rate of Denis Zakaria. It’s all about having a mixture. Everyone has opportunities in this team. The important thing is that this competition is accepted and embraced.

...Breel Embolo: Breel played very well against Dortmund and Wolfsburg. He livened up our game and continued his form with his national team, scoring twice and assisting twice as well. He’s in a good place but we also have to be a bit careful. The most important thing now is that he is healthy and stays fit and that on Saturday he can help us with his drive, skill and agility.

...conversations with Germany coach Hansi Flick: We have spoken on the phone a few times. He is very eager to communicate and I think the way he liaises with the club coaches is great.

Sporting director Max Eberl on...

...Ramy Bensebaini joining up with his national team: Ramy was injured, so we were all hoping that he could stay here. However, the Algerian Football Federation said he had to travel. As a club, there is nothing we can do about that. Even so, he was able to return before the second match. We weren’t happy about it though.

...the current situation of the team: The table is important, but we don’t need to talk about the standings every week. We deservedly won the last two games and we want to continue the winning run against our next opponents. I hope that the team continues to show what they can do and then we’ll be able to pick up points. After seven matches, it’s still early to be assessing our position in the table. Where we are at the end of the season is what matters.

...Yvandro Borges Sanches: It’s nice that we have such a talent in our squad. In preseason he showed his ability with the first team and we were very happy that he was called up to the Luxembourg senior team. We will proceed carefully with him and discuss what’s best for him with Roland Virkus.