"No bonus game": Kniat's signature as Bielefeld's hope

The mentality is extremely important to him: Mitch Kniat. IMAGO/Picture Point

"When I take over a club, I first have to look at what the existing problems are. And I try to close them before I open up new ones." The Bielefeld coach still remembers the advice that Mitch Kniat received at the beginning of his coaching career very clearly. On Tuesday, the advice could come back to haunt the then "lecturer" Ole Werner.

Kniat, who took over the DSC in 2023 after relegation to the 3rd division with only one player under contract, stabilized Arminia last year and led them to the cup quarter-finals against Werder, coached by Werner, this season.

There is still a lot of respect for the SVW coach ahead of the "absolute highlight". Kniat does not believe that he can surprise his opponent - even though he did not want to reveal his cards. "I believe that Ole Werner will prepare them for everything we have planned," explained the DSC coach at the press conference.

The things that you can influence without having any talent are really important to me.

As an outsider, Kniat will probably go for a more defensive approach than in everyday life. That is why Bremen have probably chosen Bielefeld's cup games against Hannover, Union and Freiburg as a model for their preparation.

The coach's signature was visible in all three surprises. "The things that you can influence without having any talent are really important to me. We will never meet a Bundesliga team on equal terms in the cup. But in terms of fighting spirit and working against the ball, we are at the top level," explained Kniat, who will have to do without Isaiah Young in an interview with DeichStube.

The virtue, coupled with the fans behind them, gives Arminia hope for the next cup coup. "For us, this is not an extra or bonus game. We are approaching this thing in such a way that we want to get through to the next round in order to be able to continue writing history," explained Kniat.