Hoffenheim should take the upper hand

Kurz, who won the UEFA Cup in 1997 with Schalke, is not the only one to have been involved with the weekend's hosts. Sporting director Andreas Müller has a 20-year history with the club as a player, a manager and a sporting director. “It's obviously a period of time that I won't forget. As a result of it, I have been able to bring a great deal of experience here,” said Müller on Wednesday.

He is sure to be surrounded by familiar faces, but these relationships will be put to one side for 90 minutes. “My past takes second place. Saturday is all about getting points against Schalke.” Kurz believes Schalke's Achilles' heel is their switching from attack to defence and has recognised a weak spot in their attack-minded full backs.

“We have to cause them problems as well”

“A good performance is the basis for success,” he said. “Schalke make good use of the flanks but they also have a great deal of attacking momentum coming from behind the striker. That's why we need a fundamentally solid defence, but we also have to build on that, be courageous and cause them problems as well.” It's with his own attacking wide players that Kurz feels there is a chance to create opportunities and score goals.

The manager almost has a full complement to choose from in Gelsenkirchen. If Eugen Polanski, Luis Advincula and Stephan Schröck return from international duty on Thursday or Friday he will have a full squad for training. Saturday's game comes around too soon for the stricken Sejad Salihovic and Sebastian Rudy to make an appearance however. Every other player, apart from the long-term injured Chris, is available for the match.

Match facts and statistics »