Eichin ahead of Women's opener in Munich: ‘We’ve shown we can give them a game’

After a record-breaking season with a fourth-place finish, the Women’s team finally resume their Bundesliga campaign on Saturday. How can they build on that success?

Eichin: What happened last season no longer matters to us. We have to bring the same team spirit and aggressive style of play to the pitch that earned us a lot of respect. In order to show that sharpness again, we also need a strong running performance. We have a good coaching team and a good squad, but I would caution against expecting too much. We want to improve in certain areas and, above all, structurally in order to be able to have a go for third place again.

How do you rate the changes to the squad and the team's preparation?

Eichin: We had a well-organised preseason and we strengthened our squad in a focused way. The signing of Carlotta Wamser in particular is great. She was on our radar for several years. She embodies everything that is important in women's football: dynamism, strength in tackles, technique, shooting prowess and much more.

What will it take to get a result in Munich against the champions and cup winners?

Eichin: We're playing against an incredibly strong opponent who have just won the Supercup against Wolfsburg. Even without the special conditions, it's a huge challenge to get a result there. However, we've shown in previous clashes with Bayern that we can upset them. The players will be in top form and will give their all. That's the decisive factor, not what's going on in the stands.

How important could a good performance in the Allianz Arena be for the rest of the season?

Eichin: If we can hold our own against a team like Bayern Munich, regardless of the result, and cause them problems, then that certainly gives us momentum that can last for several weeks. The preseason was good, even if we unfortunately had a few absentees due to injury. On Saturday, it will be important we don't let ourselves to be distracted by the crowd at the game. It's a football pitch with the same dimensions as usual, and the pitch is no different. The team should enjoy it all without worrying too much about how many people are there. Because this game is also about three points.