week 14 - match preview

Royal Blues banking on "surprise effect" in Hannover

The Royal Blues are raring to go in the Bundesliga now the international break is over. And head coach Mirko Slomka has put the onus on his players, because at Hannover 96 on Saturday the Royal Blues are looking to launch a winning run that will take them through to the winter break.

Schalke have set themselves the target of winning all four remaining matches this year, something both coach and key players such Kevin Kuranyi and Fabian Ernst have been keen to emphasise in recent days. According to Slomka, however, this bold setting of objectives has not put the team under any particular pressure. On the contrary: "I'm looking forward to the game because I can see how eager the players are to play again at long last", he said.

The Schalke boss also has more alternatives than he did before the international break. But regardless of the result it is vitally important that the players find their rhythm again ahead of the Champions League trip to Valencia.

Slomka feels it is an advantage for his side that Hannover recently guested at the VELTINS Arena in the DFB Cup. "We know their team relatively well as a result and are hoping we can take them a bit by surprise", explained the 40-year-old, who was reluctant to reveal his hand as far as his tactical approach is concerned, saying only that he has "a lot of alternatives" in mind.

Instead, he ventured an analysis of Hannover's likely tactics: "Hannover have a good system that's very tight. Dieter Hecking always goes with the same formation, which is why they are a very solid team. All he does his change the type of player he picks every now and then. I'm assuming we'll face virtually the same team that played in the cup", said Slomka. Back then it was still 0-0 at the end of the 90 minutes, which was good for an away team. "But we have to concentrate on our own game", demanded Slomka. "In the cup we allowed Hannover very few chances.