St. Pauli's Hürzeler praises Hannover's Halstenberg
Marcel Halstenberg was once under contract at FC St. Pauli, now the top star of Hannover 96 is coming back to the Millerntor and the Kiez club is on the lookout. According to coach Fabian Hürzeler, the defender is "actually too good for the league", as the Hamburg coach said ahead of the sold-out top match against Hannover 96 on Friday (18:30/Sky). The 96ers come to the league leaders in third place in the table with the momentum of their 2-0 derby win over Braunschweig.
Halstenberg played for the Kiez club from summer 2013 to summer 2015. Hürzeler praised the 32-year-old's understanding of the game, who joined the club from Champions League participants RB Leipzig before the season. However, the 30-year-old coach said that Hannover should not just be reduced to Halstenberg. "A top team awaits us in Hannover, who have also been unlucky to lose their last few away games," he added. According to Hürzeler, 96's pressing can "generate enormous power".
All of St. Pauli's regulars are ready to play. However, captain Jackson Irvine is missing due to his yellow card suspension. Things are going well for Hamburg at the moment. They are the only team not to have conceded a defeat so far this season. Hürzeler wants to keep his team grounded above all by "not talking about it too much". "That will be the decisive factor, not resting on our laurels and always investing one more step," he added.
Despite his past with FC St. Pauli in Bundesliga 2, Marcel Halstenberg has significantly elevated his game at Hannover 96. St. Pauli fans will undoubtedly be reminiscing about his time at the Millerntor during this Friday's sold-out game against Hannover.
Source: www.dpa.com
