Schalke boss hails Boateng

Ahead of the Champions League tie between Schalke and Steaua Bucharesti, the German side are hailing the impact of the Ghanaian playmaker.

Sporting Director Horst Heldt had some nice things to say about Kevin-Prince Boateng after he got the club three points at the weekend.

“We have noticed from the first training that he is an absolute quality player,” Heldt said.

The German outfit have been group winners in their last two Champions League campaigns, but they were surprisingly eliminated in the knockout round of the competition by Turkish side Galatasaray last season.

Steaua, meanwhile, are the only Romanian club to have won the European Cup, that success coming against Barcelona in 1986. This is the seventh time that they have made it into the group stages of the competition, but they have not appeared since 2008.

“The whole team worked well. But Boateng was the centre. He brings himself, has no airs and graces.”

“We are now looking at the Uefa Champions League game against Steaua Bucharesti on Wednesday and I know he will make a big impact.”

The Ghana international himself is hopeful Schalke can carry its newly found momentum into the group stage of Europe's premier club competition.

"I'm very, very happy that we collected a win today and I hope that it can continue like this," Boateng said after Saturday's win. "We were well organized and rarely afforded Mainz a sight of goal. Now I hope we can maintain our momentum going into the Champions League."

The Romanian club's record in the competition is disappointing, however, with just four wins from their 36 matches. Their last win came over Dynamo Kiev in September 2006.

Schalke have made a stuttering start to their league season with two wins, one draw and two defeats leaving them ninth in the Bundesliga. Meanwhile, Steaua currently occupy fourth spot in their domestic league, winning four and drawing one of their five matches.