Holstein Kiel is approaching Saturday’s first competitive match of the new football season with a great deal of respect for their opponents, Alemannia Aachen. A week before their Bundesliga debut against 1899 Hoffenheim, the “Storks” will be tested in the DFB-Pokal against third-division newcomers Alemannia Aachen (Saturday, 6:00 PM/Sky).
“A formidable force is coming our way,” said coach Marcel Rapp on Thursday, acknowledging the strong fan support at the Tivoli. Over 23,000 spectators attended Aachen’s first third-division home game last weekend against SC Verl, reflecting the traditional club’s deep roots and passionate following.
Despite consecutive test match losses, Rapp remains confident in his players, emphasizing that they created numerous scoring chances in their recent games against 1. FC Kaiserslautern (0:1), Borussia Mönchengladbach (0:1), Mainz 05 (0:2), and AS St. Etienne (2:3). “I trust the guys. They’ve shown before that they can find the back of the net,” said the 45-year-old coach.
For the Aachen match, Rapp will be without offensive player Steven Skrzybski (calf injury), who is also likely to miss the Bundesliga opener. The participation of new midfielder Armin Gigovic (heel injury) remains uncertain.
