Women's top match against Hoffenheim: ‘With great self-confidence’ in next clash

GET YOUR TICKETS HERE

"Before the three games against Frankfurt, Köln and Hoffenheim, we said that there were some crucial weeks ahead. After the important win against FC Köln, we now want to go one better at home against a direct rival and leave them behind us under our own steam," said coach Roberto Pätzold: "Then we can go into the break with a very good haul of points from the early phase of the Rückrunde." After the match against TSG, the team will have a week off, while the national team players have international fixtures coming up. The Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga resumes on Sunday, 15 March (kick-off: 18:30 CET), with the matchday 20 game at VfL Wolfsburg.

Pätzold: "only positive pressure"

One more reason for the special significance of the clash between third in the table (31 points) and TSG in fifth (29 points, but with a game in hand): "We only put positive pressure on ourselves," said Pätzold: "We beat Hoffenheim in the Hinrunde and we are also in a good phase now. The pressure will be different at Hoffenheim." The coach is not just referring to his team's 2-0 away win last October, but also to TSG's recent 4-0 defeat against Hamburger SV. "That showed once again that unforeseen things can happen on any matchday in the league," said the coach: "Given the quality and ambition of the team, the result will have caused a clear reaction internally. They will try to show a different side in terms of running, physicality and play. It's important for us not to let that affect us, but to build on our performance in the previous meeting and believe in our own strengths."

The defeat does not change the high quality of TSG. "They've had too many good games and collected points for that. Something like that can happen," said the 46-year-old: "I expect a close, competitive game with a high tempo and a lot of attacking quality." The club's ambitions are high. "At home, we have to go out onto the pitch against every team with the intention of winning the game. We've shown that throughout the season and there's no reason to lower our expectations," said Pätzold: "We have the desire and ambition to approach this game against a direct rival with great self-confidence."

Fudalla not in germany squad again: "stick to her guns and let actions speak for themselves"

Vanessa Fudalla has been one of the guarantors of the recent successes in the Rückrunde. Although the 24-year-old currently tops the Bundesliga scoring charts with twelve goals, she has once again been left out of the Germany squad for the upcoming World Cup qualifiers. "She has no choice but to show time and again, through consistency and quality, that the national team assessment of her is not correct," says Pätzold: "The argument that she lacks international class provides potential to get on the front foot. Vanessa regularly asserts herself in the league against opponents who play international matches. I can't follow that argument." That goes hand in hand with an appeal to the striker: "She would do well to stick to her guns and let her actions speak for themselves. She did that impressively again recently and we very much hope that she can continue to do so."

Against TSG, Pätzold will have to manage without Amy Wrigge, Claudia Wenger (both injured),Vanessa Haim (muscle injury), Friederike Repohl (ligament), Charlotte Voll (shoulder) and Shen Menglu (still in rehab training after torn cruciate) as well as Estrella Merino Gonzalez (muscle injury). Katharina Piljic is back in training after suffering a shoulder injury in the clash with FC Köln.

Tickets online and from amtchday ticket office

Tickets for the home game on Sunday at the Ulrich Haberland Stadium are available HERE. There will also be matchday ticket office open one hour before kick-off from 13:00 CET.

Werkself Live for TSG match: