Markus Gisdol: “We have to put Dortmund's situation to the back of our mind”

Markus Gisdol on…

…the opponents:

Dortmund and 18th in the table; those two things do not go together. That is the wrong way to think about it. I still believe that they can win ten games on the trot at any point. There is no chance that Dortmund will go down; they will be fighting for a European spot this season. But at the moment it's not only about playing football; it's also about the mind and nerves. The BVB have recently missed chances that they would have taken in previous years and they have struggled somewhat defensively. They are not used to this kind of situation and therefore we now have the chance to get something off them away from home. It will come down to the difficult conditions and how we can block out Dortmund's situation and their 80,000 screaming fans in order to produce a good performance. That is a big challenge.

…the personnel situation:

We have a fully-fit squad. On the one hand that is good for a coach, but on the other hand it is difficult because there will be seven players who aren't in the matchday squad even though they gave their all in training.

…the sporting situation:

We have been guilty of letting teams off the hook towards the end of recent matches. We have to put an end to that and defend consistently. We showed we could do that at the beginning of the season. Oliver Baumann knows that things were not perfect in our last game but he is one of the best goalkeepers in the Bundesliga and a top professional. At the end of the season, everyone will agree that we have a quality goalkeeper.

Sven Schipplock on…

…the opponents:

For us, it is a normal away match against a strong side. It will be very difficult. Dortmund have not been clinical with their chances of late and have let in silly goals. That is what happens when you are at the bottom. Nearly all of us can say that from personal experience. It is all in the mind. However, the Dortmund side has unbelievable quality. Every now and then we speak about the last match of the 2012/13 season. We will never forget that day. That was about the club and every individual's career. That is why Friday night will be a completely different match.

…the sporting situation:

We have three strikers almost on a par. It is not easy for us and the coach when we are all fit. It is often to do with the little things. I currently feel fully fit and our way of playing is tailor-made for me. I love to run and make the opposition nervous and hurt them.

Previous meetings:

Over the last six years, Hoffenheim vs. Dortmund has been a close Bundesliga game. Both TSG and BVB have won four times each, while there have also been four draws. The goal record from those encounters is also even at 17-17. There really isn't much to separate the two teams. Hoffenheim fans will certainly have fond memories of the last game of the 2012/13 season, which took place on 18th May 2013. Thanks to a 2-1 win in Dortmund, TSG snatched the relegation play-off spot at the last moment and went on to secure Bundesliga survival. Last season, the two teams drew 2-2 in Sinsheim, while the home team won 3-2 in Dortmund.

The opponents' form:

BVB celebrated two victories in their first three matches this season, but have won just once since then – on matchday 11 against Mönchengladbach. They already have eight defeats to their name, as many as they had in their 2010/11 and 2011/12 title-winning seasons combined. Dortmund are 18th going into the game against TSG. Over a third of the season has passed and both experts and fans are rubbing their eyes in amazement. Almost everybody expected Jürgen Klopp's team to be right towards the top of the table. However, Dortmund are still searching for their form and are currently a long way off the great team of recent years. But, surely it's just a matter of time before everything falls into place.

Key battles:

Dortmund have revealed unfamiliar weaknesses during the course of the season. Firstly, their chance-conversion rate, secondly their problems against sides sitting deep and thirdly their individual defensive lapses. It's up to TSG to capitalise on those frailties. How? Markus Gisdol and his coaching staff will study Dortmund carefully and come up with a plan for their team.

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