Fanshop
Markus Gisdol: "We won't sit back"
"It was a liberating feeling for me,“ explained the 26-year-old. Even more important was the reaction of the team. “I noticed how everyone, even those on the bench, celebrated. This emotion is one we must bring onto the field in Leverkusen.”
Hoffenheim's head-to-head against Leverkusen isn't great though. They have yet to win a game against their hosts on the weekend. “Previous encounters against Leverkusen haven't proved fruitful, evidently,” said Beck. “Come Saturday though, when we step onto the pitch that will be irrelevant.”
Daniel Williams, David Abraham and Tobias Weis are all likely be out for the game in the BayArena. “They are all doubtful going into the game. The weekend looks like it will come too soon for them,” explained manager Markus Gisdol at the press conference. “For those coming in to replace them, it's certainly a chance to return to the starting eleven,” said Gisdol. Who those might be, the manager refused to say.
Andreas Beck: “We can hurt Leverkusen”
The manager gave praise to the upcoming opponents: “Bayer have great ability and bring a lot of pace with them on the flanks through Sidney Sam and André Schürrle. On top of that, Stefan Kießling is in good form and Daniel Carvajal is a dangerous attacking full back. The team has Champions League quality and deservedly sit third.” Another thing is also clear: TSG will be looking to build on their own strengths. “We won't sit back,” explained Gisdol.
Last week, the manager said he wanted to “swarm over Wolfsburg like bees.” Looking back, it is clear that he has no intention of allowing his side to curl up in a ball.
Andreas Beck is also positive about the new demeanour of the two games under Markus Gisdol. “Our recent playing style suits us. We're playing freer and there is less pressure. We're the underdog for this game but we've filled that role quite well in the past few weeks. If we implement our ideas in this game we can hurt Leverkusen.” The captain has internalised the manager's mindset: If you adopt your own playing style and perform well, you will be rewarded with points.
Match facts and statistics »
