Alemannia Aachen will face Hannover 96 II on Saturday (November 2, 4:30 p.m.). Soufiane El-Faouzi will also be back in the squad.

This signing came as a surprise to some Alemannia Aachen fans in the summer: Soufiane El-Faouzi was brought in from Fortuna Düsseldorf II. He was a relatively unknown regional league player who had scored two goals and set up six more in 48 fourth division matches.

But Aachen coach Heiner Backhaus knew exactly who he was getting. The 22-year-old central midfielder fits perfectly into his playing style and philosophy. The former SC Paderborn youth player has started in eleven of eleven possible games. El-Faouzi missed the 12th matchday, a 1-1 draw at Arminia Bielefeld, due to a yellow card suspension.

He will be back in action on Saturday (November 2, 4:30 p.m.) against Hannover 96 II. “I’m fit and looking forward to the game. The coach will decide whether I’ll start,” said El-Faouzi, who was born in Siegen and once made his senior debut for Sportfreunde in the Oberliga.

Backhaus, who sat next to El-Faouzi on the podium at the press conference before the Hannover II game, praised and criticized his shooting star.

He’s on the right track, but that’s all. He still has a lot of potential for improvement. He doesn’t yet have the clean first touch of a Bundesliga player. But he has heart – more than that. And that’s very commendable. But he still needs to work on everything else.

Backhaus on El-Faouzi

“He’s a talent. I don’t want to say top talent, because that’s the biggest burden a young player can carry around with him. When I was a U21 national player, they used to tell me that I was going to be the next Olaf Thon. In the end, I was a very impatient and mediocre second division player who didn’t want to listen and had no humility,“ said Backhaus.

The aspiring soccer coach went on to say: ”I know how to prevent that with young players. And Soufiane was still playing for Sportfreunde Siegen just a few years ago. I’m satisfied with his progress. But he can still learn a lot here at Alemannia. He’s on the right track, but that’s all. He still has a lot of potential to improve. He doesn’t yet have the clean first touch of a Bundesliga player. But he has heart – more than that. And that’s very commendable. But he still needs to work on everything else.”

It’s all very overwhelming here. It’s just amazing to play for this club and these fans. It makes you want more and want to continue to be successful.

Soufiane El-Faouzi

El-Faouzi was very subdued after his coach’s comments. Backhaus should be pleased with that.

El-Faouzi: “I can only agree with the coach. I can still improve in all areas. I’m here at Alemannia so that the coach can help me improve. I’m on the right track in Aachen. I quickly felt at home here. I also think that I fit in very well with the playing philosophy and the counter-pressing.”

The former Düsseldorf player had this to say about his first few months at Tivoli: “It’s all very overwhelming here. It’s just amazing to play for this club and these fans. It makes you want more and want to continue being successful.”