Howedes: Schalke desperate for maximum points

4 December 2012 03:08

Benedikt Howedes is desperate for Schalke to beat Montpellier on Tuesday and be first in the standings in Champions League Group B.

The Bundesliga side go into the fixture just one point above second-placed Arsenal, knowing they will need to match the Premier League club's result against Olympiacos to win the group.

The Germany international hopes to clinch top spot which he believes would ultimately reduce their chances of facing the hardest teams in the last 16.

"We desperately want to win the game so that we win the group," he told reporters ahead of the clash at Stade de la Mosson.

"If we win then we are separated from the toughest opponents in the next round. It is a good feeling already to be through and that enables us to play without any pressure."

Since the club have already progressed through to the next round, this has helped Huub Stevens make his squad selection for the encounter.

"Jefferson Farfan took a knock to his ankle and had pain this morning, so I decided not to take him," Stevens said on Monday.

"Kyriakos Papadopoulos is not so badly injured, he will just rest for a few days. We do not want to risk him as we are playing a lot of games."