With great respect, but also high hopes, TSG Hoffenheim travel to the record champions in Munich.
Sebastian Hoeneß has been impressed by Bayern’s recent performances. “They also showed impressively in Lisbon (4-0, ed.) how good they are at the moment. They’ve got going, our respect is great,” says the TSG coach, “but that doesn’t change the fact that we’ll still try. We’re all up for upsetting them and presenting them with problems.”
Like the game in Lisbon, the Munich side’s recent home loss to Eintracht Frankfurt “showed that here and there there is also a chance for the opponent. After standards or switching situations,” said Hoeneß, “it will simply be important to strike then. To be extremely efficient and cold-blooded, fully focused. “
“You have to live for these situations “
The Hoffenheim side had also created these opportunities in their first appearance in Munich under Hoeneß, but had just let them slip away. Ihlas Bebou, in particular, had two great chances to put TSG in front in the game they ultimately lost 4-1, but first failed to clear Manuel Neuer and later just missed heading the ball in from close range.
“There are moments in these games when we have to be wide awake and greedy. We had those last time too, but missed them a bit. We were well in the game for a relatively long time, but failed to take the lead,” Hoeneß recalls and warns: “If you want to get something at Bayern, you have to live exactly for these situations.”
And be well prepared mentally for the waves of pressure that inevitably roll towards you in Munich.
“It’s a big task, we’re already expecting something, but for that we need 90, 95 minutes of the highest concentration, full focus and total conviction,” Hoeneß explains, “it’s about the ability to suffer. Of course, we’ll have to get through pressure phases, you have to mentally plan for that and not let it knock you down, but stick to what we’re doing. “
Possibly the omens are not so unfavourable. After all, Bayern were asked to do everything in Lisbon for longer than they would have liked. In addition, the record champions will now have to do without the effective coaching of their coach Julian Nagelsmann, who has tested positive for Corona and is in domestic isolation, both in preparation for the match and in the game. “I wish Julian a speedy recovery,” said Hoeneß, “I do believe that it is better when the head coach is on the line and is present in the direct preparation. And yet the game in Lisbon showed that it’s possible. “
