In fine thread, as is customary in the Champions League, Florian Kohfeldt set off on Monday morning for his first away game in the premier class.
As the still unbeaten coach of VfL Wolfsburg, the 39-year-old boarded the plane at Braunschweig Airport that took him and the VfL Wolfsburg entourage to Andalusia, Spain, where on Tuesday evening (9 p.m. in the FAZ live ticker for the Champions League and on Amazon Prime) Sevilla FC is the opponent.
If Kohfeldt returns to Lower Saxony on Wednesday as the undefeated successor to Mark van Bommel, the chances are very good that Wolfsburg will reach the knockout round in the Champions League. But even in the event of his first defeat as coach of Wolfsburg, VfL would still have the chance to finalize progress on the last matchday at home against OSC Lille.
"We don't have the best starting position, but a good one," said Kohfeldt, now in a tracksuit, in Seville on Monday evening. “If we want to overwinter in the Champions League, then we should take something with us tomorrow.” None of the eight groups in the preliminary round are as close as those of VfL Wolfsburg. Kohfeldt's predecessor van Bommel had already predicted this immediately after the draw. “There are certainly groups that are more difficult. But the three other clubs know that too, ”said the Dutchman. “In a group with Lille, Seville, Salzburg and us, anyone can beat anyone. That is what makes it so dangerous. This group is very balanced. "
And in fact, in Group G, everything is still open two game days before the end.
Above all, the surprising victory of Lille in Seville three weeks ago worsened the starting position again.
Salzburg (7 points), Lille (5), Wolfsburg (5) and Sevilla (3) - everyone in this quartet still has the chance to reach the round of 16.
The Wolfsburg will have to improve significantly compared to the 2-2 at Arminia Bielefeld on Saturday.
“The first lesson was not good,” Kohfeldt admitted frankly.
“But the last half an hour was in many ways football, for which people like to come to the stadium and which, in terms of pace, was much closer to what we had imagined.
After all, Wout Weghorst and Lukas Nmecha ensured a draw with their two goals and made it clear that the storm duo under Kohfeldt is getting better and better together. Weghorst ended his dry spell with his goal, national player Nmecha has scored in every game under Kohfeldt so far. "We're finding our way around better and better," said Nmecha, who flew to Seville with confidence. "I think we have a team that is good enough to score points," said the 22-year-old.
Josuha Guilavogui can also help.
The defender got over his calf injury in time and is available in the atmospheric Estadio Ramón Sánchez Pizjuán.
Paulo Otavio, who was replaced early on Saturday in Bielefeld, will definitely be in the squad.
On the other hand, goalkeeper Koen Casteels, who tested positive for the corona virus, will be missing.
Pavao Pervan will be in goal for the Belgian.