Same again, Stani!

“I know what it feels like to beat Bayern, and it's a feeling that stays with you“, said the manager. He is well aware of their opponents' superb recent record against Hoffenheim, and of the fact that the last time he faced Bayern as St Pauli manager, he was on the wrong end of an 8-1 thrashing. “They have hit a great spell of form. The whole team is set up extremely well from the back, and that allows them to press hard further up the pitch. It's going to be tough, but of course we want to win.”

Clear words after Köln

The demons of last week's defeat to 1. FC Köln have been been and truly banished according to goalkeeper Tom Strake. “In training this week you could tell that the manager's words after the game last week had made an impression. The team have responded well to the result in Cologne, I think.” Manager Stani agreed that the team have discussed at length what went wrong in the RheinEnergieStadion. “I showed the boys how easily they gave the game away. We didn't play as a team; it's as simple as that. It will be interesting to see how they react to the setback.” For Stani, the result is less important than the performance against the league's best side right now. “We need to play collectively and not as individuals. The game will be a big test and a good marker to assess how far we've progressed.”

“Vorsah! Play like Stani”

‘Stani' knows what he is taking about. Nine years ago he played in the St Pauli side which defeated FC Bayern 2-1 in the German Cup final, a game which has gone down in St Pauli folklore and made a hero of Stanislawski. And at Friday's press conference he said loudly, “Vorsah! Play like Stani did!” in relation to his own performance against Carsten Jancker all those years ago. It was a quip which prompted much amusement among journalists and pressmen who were gathered at the club's training ground at Zuzenhausen. Nevertheless, Stanislawski is relishing the game, especially as his team have last week's performance to make up for.

Ibisevic back in the squad

Hoffenheim are still battling with a lengthy injury list. Last week Bosnian striker Vedad Ibisevic returned to first-team training. Last Sunday came too soon for him to feature, but his comeback is certainly closer and could even be this weekend. “We'll see how the next few training sessions go”, said the manager. Tobias Weis and Boris Vukcevic are also back from injury, but not fit enough to feature, as are Manuel Gulde and Sejad Salihovic. Fabian Johnson and Matthias Jaissle are still injured, and Stani will decide whether to give new signing Knowledge Musona a first start. “He would have started the game last week, but unfortunately he forgot that we eat together. But he's a good alternative for the Bayern game, so we'll see.”

Old friends

For two Bayern players, it will be a return to their former stomping ground. Brazilian Luis Gustavo transferred to FCB in January and has since held down a regular place in midfield next to Bastian Schweinsteiger. And David Alaba, on loan at Hoffenheim for the second half of last season will also be in the squad for the away side. “I'm looking forward to seeing my old teammates”, said Alaba in an interview with achtzehn99.de yesterday. Edson Braafheid, TSG's left-back, is also a former Bayern player, making twelve appearances in an 18-month spell.

Facts and Stats

This is the seventh Bundesliga meeting between Hoffenheim and Bayern. TSG are without a win against the nation's most successful club side (two draws, four defeats). 1899 are, however, slightly stronger at home, having managed two draws and a 2-1 defeat in this fixture since gaining promotion to the Bundesliga in 2008.

Match facts and statistics »