Defending champion VfB Stuttgart has to play Holstein Kiel in the DFB Cup quarter-finals. The Swabians are the clear favorites against the second division team, but coach Sebastian Hoeneß warns his team.
Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß has warned his team urgently about second division club Holstein Kiel. “Holstein Kiel has nothing to lose, the history in the cup has shown that we have to approach the game with the greatest possible respect,” said Hoeneß before the quarter-finals in the DFB Cup on Wednesday (8:45 p.m.) in Kiel.
Kiel as Favorite fright in the cup season so far
In any case, the cup has “its own laws,” emphasized the VfB coach and reminded his team that Kiel “has already thrown out a Bundesliga team twice this season and is coping very well with the underdog role. It will be very demanding.”
In the second round, the storks won 1-0 at VfL Wolfsburg. In the round of 16, Kiel eliminated northern rivals Hamburger SV 4:2 iE (1:1 nV) in their stadium. Holstein will also remember January 13, 2021, when the then second division team knocked the big FC Bayern out of the cup in the second round (6:5 iE/2:2 nV).
Mixed record for VfB Stuttgart
VfB doesn’t exactly have the best record against Kiel either. In six competitive games so far there have only been two wins, three defeats and one draw. That happened almost a year ago in the Bundesliga duel (2:2). “The game wasn’t good, but that’s not really on your mind,” said Hoeneß.
The game will probably be played in freezing cold. “There is a stiff breeze up here and we can easily reach wintry temperatures in the double-digit minus range,” said a spokesman for the second division club.
The Swabians will have to do without Niko Nartey at short notice, who will be on Sunday in the 1-0 win against Freiburg was replaced when damaged. The game comes too early for Dan-Axel Zagadou and Tiago Tomas. There is still a question mark behind substitute keeper Fabian Bredlow.
