Kevin Volland: "We have a score to settle"

Hello Kevin. TSG are undefeated in four games in the league. What kind of impact does this run have on the team's confidence?

Kevin Volland: We are all in a good mood and believe in ourselves. We, the team, also notice that after a positive set of results. We have won both of the last two home games and have a score to settle after an unfortunate 3-2 cup defeat to VfL Wolfsburg. It's a great incentive for us to try and win our third consecutive home game of the season. We are of course helped immensely by the fact that we go into this game against a strong opponent in a good frame of mind.

How would you describe the mood in the changing rooms after the game in Gladbach? To come back from two goals down doesn't happen every day…

Volland: It almost feels like a win coming back from two goals down. We battled hard and really wanted to get something out of the game. On the other hand though, we realised that at this level we cannot perform like we did in the first half. We were partly lacking in concentration and weren't clinical enough.

You missed a large part of January preseason with an injury to your big toe. How did you deal with that?

Volland: For every player, myself included, that kind of setback is stressful and annoying. Every sportsman wants to be fit, to compete and pursue their passion. Since then though, it's not been a problem. The club's medical staff did a great job and helped me a lot.

Are you back to full fitness?

Volland: I'm back to where I need to be. The last time out I realised that I have the necessary strength and stamina for the full 90 minutes again. It's a great feeling. It's important for my game to still be sprightly and quick at the end of the game.

In the cup against Wolfsburg, Hoffenheim suffered a 3-2 defeat. What can you take from this?

Volland: Despite the two penalties that Wolfsburg both scored, we battled hard and never gave up. That's one of the real strengths this team has. No side can be sure they've won the game when they play us. We can always come back. We can take that from the game, as we did last Saturday against Gladbach.

Where do you think Wolfsburg's strengths lie?

Volland: Wolfsburg have a lot of individual quality and are technically strong. Kevin de Bruyne has become a key player since arriving during the winter break. We've got to make sure we control him, as much as that's possible considering the type of player he is. But we want to win the game. We have a score to settle after the cup game. The key will be finding the right balance between good positional play and the necessary aggression.

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