Domenico Tedesco expects it to get heated in Stuttgart’s cauldron

Stuttgart’s fortress

Getting three points on the board will not be easy in Stuttgart with the hosts picking up 19 of their 20 points this season in front of their own fans. Hannes Wolf’s side also started their Rückrunde with a 1-0 home win against Hertha BSC.

“At home, Stuttgart can give anyone a game,” emphasised Domenico Tedesco. Only Bayer Leverkusen and Bayern Munich have left the Mercedes-Benz Arena with three points this season. “Even Bayern only won as they scored a penalty in the closing stages.” Schalke’s head coach awaits a “heated clash in a witch’s cauldron. We’re going to give our all to take something from the game.”

Giving everything is the bare minimum the Royal Blues need to do and the 32-year-old knows that: “We’re facing an opponent with very good players both going forward and at the back.” Tedesco forewarned his team “VfB are unbelievably strong at home. It’s hard to take a game by the scriff of the neck against them. They’ll demand us to give our all.”

Harit fit but McKennie out for six weeks

Even if S04’s recent results haven’t been the best, the team from Gelsenkirchen head to Stuttgart feeling optimistic. “Results are one thing but the means in which we perform is another all together,” said Tedesco. “We can’t lose our focus. When you work hard and play well, the results will follow.”

With the aim of getting improved results, Tedesco has almost a full squad to call upon. There was a moment of worry in the Royal Blue camp when Amine Harit left training early on Wednesday after an ankle knock. However, Domenico Tedesco quelled the fears of Schalke fans. “Amine has no more niggles” clarified the Schalke boss. “It was mainly a precautionary measure.” So, aside from Pablo Insua and Weston McKennie, the entire squad is available. Weston’s injury which he picked up against Hannover has ruled him out for the next six weeks.