#WOBTSG preview: “I’m delighted with how the team is playing.”

Julian Nagelsmann on...

... the opponents.

It’s not a pleasant sight when you look at our record against Wolfsburg. The game we played against them last season was very annoying. If we defend in the organised fashion that we did yesterday, it’ll allow us to be on the front foot and create chances going forward. If you look at the Wolfsburg squad, they’ve got a lot of quality. They’re a team that are hard to break down, so we’ll need to play well when we have possession. They also play with a lot of pace, which causes problems. Not only that, but they also have about three or four players on the bench who would probably start for other teams. Their last few results and current position in the table might make you think that things will be easy, but that’s not the case. We have to be at our best on Sunday.

... Martin Schmidt.

Before I got to know Martin myself, I heard a lot of good things about him. He has a clear way of doing things as a coach and is always well prepared. He’s that kind of person who is really easy to get along with too. So it’s always fun to go up against a team that he is coaching. I’m a big fan of his and I’m very happy that he go the chance to coach at Wolfsburg.

... the squad.

In terms of the injuries that we have at the moment, it seems that Stefan Posch will also miss some time as he has picked up a muscle strain. I haven’t spoken with the doctor yet, so it still might only be a bit of muscle cramp. He’s questionable for this weekend. Howie Nordtveit and Ermin Bicakcic are also injured, and seeing as they’re both central defenders, we’re going to be a little bit thin at the back. Some players who aren’t as up to match speed will have to step up to the mark. We’ll be okay though.
Nordtveit is dealing with a fairly standard knee injury, although it’s still keeping him out of training. We’ll decide today whether he’ll be ready for the weekend or not.

Serge Gnabry will not feature against Wolfsburg. He’s had an MRI and we’ve found the muscle isn’t fully recovered yet. He’s uncomfortable at the moment, so we’re not going to force anything at the moment. He knows his body best so we’ll listen to him. We have to patient and let him recover fully. He’s back in training though, and is working hard with our fitness coach Otmar Rösch.

Lukas Rupp is also back in training, but he’s only completed one session so far. His injury hasn’t got any worse as such, but he’s still missed two weeks.

... the sporting situation, part 1.

I slept tonight at the training complex in Zuzenhausen. I always need a bit more time there until I can go to sleep after we’ve played a match, no matter whether it was a historic victory or not. I watched a lot of game footage using our video analysis system to pick out what we need to improve upon going into the game against Wolfsburg.

... the sporting situation, part 2.

It’s already very clear that we have a lot more on our plate this year in comparison to last season. You have to remember though that we have the opportunity to play in a beautiful stadium with a fantastic atmosphere like there was yesterday. It’s obviously harder to prepare for a Bundesliga game on the weekend when you have a Europa League game on a Thursday at 21:05 CEST. I’m sure Cologne or Hertha would back me up there. It’s obviously a lot easier when you’ve only got games to prepare for on Saturdays. Our squad is strong enough to deal with the increased workload, however. 

... the sporting situation, part 3.

Wins always give you a little boost, and that’s no different in the Europa League. I was obviously really happy about this one in particular though, because it was our first ever in Europe. It was even better thanks to the criticism we’ve been getting recently for our league performances. Fourth place really isn’t that bad, so it was great to quieten those critics tonight. We belong in Europe.

The recent ties

This will be the 18th Bundesliga meeting between the two sides. The head to head record isn’t great for TSG. Wolfsburg have won ten, Hoffenheim five, while four ended in draws.

The opponent’s form

Wolfsburg have started slowly in the new season. They only managed to earn four points from their first four games. As a result, the club parted ways with Andreas jonker and appointed Martin Schmidt to take on the managerial responsibilities. They are yet to lose after four games under Schmidt’s control, but they are also yet to win. They currently lie in 14th place.

The key battle

Wolfsburg have scored eight goals in eight games, and Daniel Didavi was directly involved in five of them. The 27-year-old attacker is always at the centre of Wolfsburg’s attacking threat, and has to be shut down to beat this team. Kevin Vogt’s defensive play in the back line will be the key to victory as a result. If the Wolves are forced to cross the ball in from the wings, TSG have the type of players who can deal with that and protect Oliver Baumann’s goal.

Match facts and statistics »