Hapoel Tel Aviv vs Schalke 04 preview - Howedes: Champions League can help

Posted Tuesday, November 02, 2010 by PA

Schalke defender Benedikt Howedes is optimistic the Champions League can provide further help to his team amid their ongoing domestic struggles.

Saturday's 1-0 defeat to Bayer Leverkusen left Schalke off the bottom of the Bundesliga only on goal difference and with seemingly no end in sight to the miserable run of form which has seen them win just once in 10 league outings this term.

Life in the Champions League has been a little kinder, however, with back-to-back wins at the Arena AufSchalke over Benfica and Hapoel Tel Aviv lifting Felix Magath's men to second place in Group B behind leaders Lyon, who boast a 100% record.

Tuesday sees Schalke travel to Israel for the return fixture against a Hapoel side who are propping up the group after three straight defeats, and Howedes is confident his team-mates can learn the lessons from Saturday's narrow loss to Leverkusen.

"It sounds corny, but we must not bury our heads in the sand. We must take the best bits of that game and implement them in the game against Tel Aviv," Howedes told club website www.schalke04.de.

"We must now prove our strength and come out fighting down there.

"In the Champions League we have actually delivered more good games, even if the league did not go so well.

"We take our situation seriously, absolutely all of us. No one underestimates the situation and no one speaks of something beautiful."

Despite his optimism, the 22-year-old expects Hapoel to be a different proposition on home turf at Bloomfield Stadium.

"Tel Aviv acted very reserved at our stadium. I expect that they will try to act differently at home," he added.

Magath will be without Jermaine Jones (ankle), Hao Junmin (appendectomy) and Lukas Schmitz (hip), while long-term victims Alexander Baumjohann, Christian Pander, Nicolas Plestan, Tim Hoogland and Levan Kenia remain unavailable.

Hapoel come into the match on the back of a fourth straight domestic triumph at the weekend which has lifted them into third place in the Premier League.

Coach Eli Guttman will be without striker Etey Shechter (hamstring) as his side bids to arrest a poor European run which has seen them ship eight goals in three games.

Another defeat will end the Israeli champions' hopes of reaching the last 16, and midfielder Avihai Yadin has called on the team to raise their game, saying: "We must be more disciplined and stronger in defence, as we will pay a heavy price for every small mistake."