Last 96 Home Game of the Year - A Difficult Farewell for Leitl
Over 26,000 spectators are predicted to attend Hannover 96's final home game of the year, including 700 supporters from Karlsruhe. This number, however, falls below the average attendance (38,800) and even the attendance for the opening match against Elversberg (29,200).
Not Just the Weather to Blame
The fall in attendance might not be solely attributed to the weather. Hannover 96 has not won three consecutive games this season, succumbed to a 1-0 defeat in Paderborn, and, as a result, has temporarily lost touch with the league's top contenders.
Three points against Karlsruhe are crucial for Leitl's side. The fans should be able to celebrate a victory at the season's end, providing an ideal conclusion to the home campaign.
Leitl Sets Clear Goals: "We want to give our fans a proper goodbye. We aim to bounce back after the loss in Paderborn, gather three points, and claw our way back towards the top. Top 5 by Christmas is our mission."
Injury Concerns for Hannover 96
Brooklyn Ezeh, Louis Schaub, Taddel Momuluh, and Cedric Teuchert are known to be unfit, with Teuchert likely to miss both this match and the fixture against Kiel due to a mysterious thigh issue.
A Tough Blow for Teuchert: "As feared, Teuchert's year has come to a premature end, and he won't feature in next week's game in Kiel (16.12.)", revealed Leitl with regret.
Competition for Schaub's Position
Sebastian Ernst, Christopher Scott, and Kolja Oudenne, surprisingly, are fighting for the ten-man position vacated by Louis Schaub due to his red card in Paderborn. Mo Damar and Antonio Foti's hopes of securing a starting berth have been dashed.
"We will decide based on our observations of these three players", stated Leitl, reserving the right to make the final call on Friday morning.
Debut-Anticipated Clash
The clash between Hannover 96 and Karlsruher SC is essential for both sides. Karlsruhe, currently stuck in the danger zone with 17 points, remains unbeaten in their last three games. Hannover 96, on the other hand, is currently ranked seventh. Leitl aims to end the year in the top five, but the team must win both the remaining home fixtures against Karlsruhe and Kiel to achieve that goal.
Positive Home Record for Hannover 96
Encouragingly, Hannover 96 has a better home record against any other current second division team. In fact, they have remained undefeated against Karlsruhe on home soil in eleven competitive matches, with a total of three draws and eight victories.
Former captain for Hannover 96, Marcel Franke (30), will be unavailable for KSC due to gastrointestinal issues. Karlsruhe coach Christian Eichner (41), who is linked to Hannover's sporting director Marcus Mann (39), anticipates a challenging encounter, praising Hannover's ball-controlling ability and offensive potential.
The match promises a reunion with former 96 captain Lars Stindl (35), who moved back to his hometown club Karlsruhe from Gladbach in the summer.
Relative News and Highlights
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Enrichment Data:
Expected Lineups for Hannover 96 vs Karlsruher SC
Hannover 96 Lineup:
- Ron-Robert Zieler (C) (Goalkeeper)
- Jannik Dehm (Defender)
- Phil Neumann (Defender)
- Boris Tomiak (Defender)
- Marcel Halstenberg (Defender)
- Fabian Kunze (Midfielder)
- Enzo Leopold (Midfielder)
- Lars Gindorf (Midfielder)
- Rabbi Matondo (Midfielder)
- Jessic Ngankam (Forward)
- Nicolo Tresoldi (Forward)
Substitutes:
- Josh Knight
- Hyun-Ju Lee
- Max Christiansen
- Håvard Nielsen
- Jannik Dehm
- Leo Weinkauf
- Andreas Voglsammer
- Brooklyn Ezeh
- Monju Momuluh
Karlsruher SC Lineup:
- Justin Heekeren (Goalkeeper)
- Taylan Bulut (Defender)
- Derry John Murkin (Defender)
- Aymen Barkok (Defender)
- Tan Jerico Schmidt (Defender)
- Paul Seguin (Midfielder)
- Mauro Zalazar (on international duty) (Midfielder)
- Marlon Ritter (Midfielder)
- Ragnar Ache (Forward)
Substitutes:
- Moussa Sylla (muscle strain) (Forward)
- Emil Højlund (thigh injury) (Forward)
- Mauro Zalazar (on international duty) (Forward)
