Fonseca: Kalinic is ready to start

With both sides having won their opening group games, the match in Graz already looks set to be an important match-up - with both sides looking to advance their prospects of qualifying for the knockout stages.

Here's what the boss had to say ahead of the game....

What kind of game are you expecting tomorrow, against a side that surprised everyone with their opening win?

“It’s going to be a tough match, against a side that beat Borussia Monchengladbach 4-0. They are a quality team. I had a chance to see that game and it really showed how good Wolfsberg are – they were aggressive in defence and strong on the counter. We’ve watched several of their games as we do prior to all our opponents. With that surprise win over Borussia, they showed that they’re a top-level group.”

Aleksandar Kolarov and Edin Dzeko are yet to miss a game. Could they be on the bench tomorrow? Is now the time to use Nikola Kalinic in attack?

“I will not reveal whether or not they’ll play – it’s a possibility. They’ve played every game and will need a breather.”

Will the absences of Lorenzo Pellegrini and Henrikh Mkhitaryan force you into some choices? Would you be confident of progressing should you win tomorrow?

“What matters is the next game. We’ll go out there with desire to win and we won’t be looking to far ahead. It’s important for us to win this game without making any calculations. As for those absentees, we’ve got other players I trust in and I’m convinced we’ll turn in a good performance.”

Has Mkhitaryan had an issue for some time or does this injury have nothing to do with previous problems?

“Mkhitaryan already had a thigh issue and the games in quick succession did not help him. We gave him a break against Atalanta as a precaution, to allow him to recover entirely. That’s what he did and he was fine. This problem then arose against Lecce – it’s a routine muscle strain.”

Has Kalinic’s time come?

“Do you want to force me to reveal my line up? I’ll give you something – I’ve said clearly that Kolarov and Dzeko need a breather, which means Kalinic will start. He’s in a better physical state.”

How is Davide Zappacosta?

“He’s trained with us over the past two days. He’s getting better but he’s not yet match-fit.”

Are you expecting a battle out on the field like the one against Atalanta?

“I’ve heard this same thing said in recent days, that we’re going to face the Austrian Atalanta. In a physical sense, they are strong and aggressive but I think they’re slightly different to Gian Piero Gasperini’s team. They don’t play man to man across the pitch. We’ve prepared for the match with these factors in mind. They are a reactive side, who press when they lose the ball and get stuck into physical battles.”

How is Chris Smalling?

“He’s played two games having not played for a while. He’s already shown a good level of performance but he can improve in the way he lines up with the rest of the defence. Then he’ll feel even more at ease with his team-mates.”

Do you want an established duo in defence or will you alternate?

“Central defenders are a bit like central midfield players. I’m not thinking about fixed partnerships but rather about each game and who is in the best shape to play.”