Hoeneß admits frustration with El Khannouss performance

Sebastian Hoeneß did not hide his frustration with Bilal El Khannouss following VfB Stuttgart’s defeat to St. Pauli, openly criticising the midfielder’s display.

El Khannouss has struggled to rediscover his best form since returning from the Africa Cup of Nations, where Morocco fell to Senegal at the final hurdle. The 21-year-old has yet to register a goal or assist in his five appearances since rejoining the Stuttgart squad.

Despite that dip, Hoeneß handed the attacking midfielder a starting role against St. Pauli, backing him to play his way out of his slump. However, the faith was short-lived. El Khannouss was withdrawn at half-time after an ineffective opening 45 minutes, with Stuttgart trailing at the interval, and replaced by Jamie Leweling.

“I wasn’t satisfied with his performance,” Hoeneß told BILD after the match. “We felt we needed to inject some fresh impetus in that position, and that was the reason for the change.”

The Stuttgart head coach also confirmed that no immediate explanation was offered to the player. “I didn’t explain it to him. That wasn’t necessary. We’ll discuss it calmly,” the 43-year-old added.

El Khannouss is currently on loan from Championship side Leicester City, with reports suggesting the agreement is likely to trigger an obligation to buy. Despite his recent struggles, the Moroccan international has made 25 appearances in all competitions this season, contributing six goals and four assists.