“Bayern were frustrated”

Julian Nagelsmann on...

...the opponents.

One thing is certain – Bayern won’t underestimate us anymore. I think they’re treating this match on Saturday as a very important encounter, which most likely wasn’t the case in the second half of last season. They were a bit frustrated that they didn’t beat us last season; you could see it in the Telekom Cup, where they were much more prepared for us. They haven’t had a sensational start to the season, but they’ve been winning and that’s what’s important. I’m delighted that Niklas Süle and Sebastian Rudy are getting on so well there, but they don’t absolutely need an amazing day on Saturday. Bayern are the favourites for the title if they can stay fully focused over the remaining 34 matchdays.

...the players.

The situation isn’t looking so rosy at the moment. Adam Szalai will be out of action until further notice with a hip adductor injury. He’ll definitely be missing against Bayern and against Braga, too. Serge Gnabry will also be missing after he picked up an ankle injury against Liverpool. Stefan Posch has torn a ligament in his ankle and will be out for at least two weeks. There are also question marks over Steven Zuber und Benjamin Hübner; Steven has a pulled hamstring and Benni has been having thigh problems for a few weeks. Kevin Vogt is also unavailable for selection – he’s had problems with his knee since he was fouled in Leverkusen.

...the international break.

The break from the Bundesliga has done us all good. The players’ bodies and minds must adapt back to it. The players who were with us during the international break have also had a few days off and, apart from Nadiem Amiri and the other international youth team players, no-one played many minutes. It was good for me to get an opportunity to catch my breath as well. The phase of the season with the Champions League playoff games was very draining.

...beating Bayern Munich.

We can get under Bayern’s skin, which we proved we’re capable of in one-and-a-half matches last season. Nevertheless, the result against Bayern is always dependent upon their own performance. If they’re on top of their game, it’s very difficult to come away with anything. But if they’re not completely fit and we have a good day, then something could happen. It’s definitely in the back of our minds that we’ve beaten them and that we could pull it off again.

...the new signings.

I haven’t seen Florian Grillitsch because he was with the Austria national team, but he was training really well before the international break and had a good debut in difficult circumstances against Leverkusen. He reminds me of Sebastian Rudy. I told him he needs to be more aggressive and he took that to heart. One or two new signings need a bit more time, and I give them that; it’s no different to the situation at the start of last season. Robert Zulj came from the Bundesliga 2 and had to adapt and Nico Schulz didn’t get much game time when he was at Gladbach. I try to let the players know that I’m not taking anything away from them; I’m protecting them when they’re not yet 100% better.

Previous clashes

The last match between the clubs was at TSG in the WIRSOL Rhein-Neckar-Arena on 4th April this year, in which Andrej Kramaric scored the only goal. The goal gave Hoffenheim their first ever win over Bayern and their 100th Bundesliga victory. Before this, TSG had been beaten twelve times by Bayern and the spoils had been shared five times.

The opponents’ form

Bayern had a rocky pre-season, during which they lost more than they won. But they won the Telekom Cup and Super Cup, reached the second round of the DFB-Pokal and have scored six out of six points in the Bundesliga after this. Munich are doing what they do best – winning. So far in the Bundesliga, they’ve won 3-1 against Leverkusen and 2-0 in Bremen. Carlo Ancelotti’s team are the clear favourites for the title. But the performances haven’t been totally convincing, especially against Leverkusen when the Bavarians repeatedly stumbled into difficulties.

The key duel

TSG versus Robert Lewandowski. Of course, you can’t say that Bayern are a one-man-team; the quality runs deep for the record champions, who are aiming for another title and are one of the favourites in the Champions League. However, Lewandowski is something of a lifeline for Munich. The incredible Polish forward always looks likely to score, even when the game isn’t going too well. Therefore, it’s the same for TSG as it is for all the other teams – when the forward leaves the field, the chances of taking some points away from the match increase. Last season, he played against TSG two times without scoring.

Match facts and statistics »