Hoeneß ahead of Supercup decider: “This time we want to lift the trophy”

Here’s what the Swabians’ head coach had to say ahead of their Supercup showdown with Bayern.

In the build up to their Franz Beckenbauer Supercup clash with Bayern Munich, VfB Stuttgart coach Sebastian Hoeneß answered questions at his press conference. 

The 43-year-old discussed his team’s pre-season preparations, their opponents Bayern and a couple of both positive and negative updates in terms of personnel for Saturday. 

“We’ve come through this well and are in good physical shape. We’re still working on the finer details, but that’s normal. Now we have games that matter, and we’re working hard for that.

“Bayern is one of the best teams in Europe. But it’s a game, and it’s taking place in our living room. We had a taste of the Supercup title last year and came very close. This time we want to lift the trophy.

“It’s encouraging that Leonidas Stergiou is back on the pitch and on the ball after his surgery. Alexander Nübel unfortunately can’t play on Saturday. Angelo Stiller is fit, and we’re waiting for the final training session,” he added.

Hoeneß went on to sing the praises of centre-half Luca Jaquez, but feels the trio of Andrés Chema, Lazar Jovanovic und Noah Darvich need more time to integrate into the squad. 

“He’s [Jaquez] a very athletic player who can build on both feet. He’s a young player who can still develop. We want to get the best out of him, and we’re working hard on that.

“All three players have a lot of talent, but they’re also still very young. The boys still have to adapt to the new culture, and they should be given that time,” Hoeneß explained.