Pfannenstiel: “The biggest game in the club’s history“

Lutz, did you watch Liverpool’s home game against Crystal Palace?

Lutz Pfannenstiel: Absolutely, It was essential viewing! They were absolutely dominant. The way the game went was similar to the TSG game against Werder. Ultimately, Liverpool managed to get their first league victory, but you could clearly tell that the upcoming game against Hoffenheim was playing on their minds. They were clearly the better team though, and deservedly came out with a narrow 1-0 victory.

What are the key lessons that Julian Nagelsmann and his team can learn from this season’s home opener against the reds?

Pfannenstiel: The game this Wednesday will have a totally different feel to it. TSG Hoffenheim are a totally different prospect to Crystal Palace. For Palace, it was all about defending and not letting Liverpool play how they want to play. TSG will be livelier and pose much more of an attacking threat. Julian Nagelsmann and his team will look closely at how they played in the first leg.

In the first leg it felt like Hoffenheim had it all under control. Why do you think it ended in a narrow defeat?

Pfannenstiel: TSG definitely did enough to win, no question about it; their performance deserved a victory. But unfortunately the football gods were on the side of the Englishmen this time around. TSG exposed Liverpool’s defensive weaknesses, but it was very clear that the Reds have some explosive attacking firepower. Liverpool played intelligently, but they also got the luck to get a result that didn’t really reflect the way the game went. With that away victory behind them, and with the second leg being at home, they have every reason to feel good. That also presents an opportunity for TSG though, because no-one is expecting anything less than for Jürgen Klopp’s team to progress.

What do TSG have to do to turn around the deficit from the first leg?

Pfannenstiel: They just have to do what they did last week – play good football. Even though they lost the home tie, TSG can still get a result in Liverpool. Liverpool are still the favourites, just as they were in the first leg, but last week “Hoffe” showed that there isn’t a big difference between the two sides. Liverpool aren’t an overly strong team. It’s the fourth placed team in the Premier League against the team who finished fourth in the Bundesliga. It’s an even matchup. TSG can take a lot of hope from their performance at home. The squad is very deep and strong for this early point of the season.

You’ve watched lots of games at Anfield. How can TSG prepare for the stadium and the atmosphere?

Pfannenstiel: In a sense it is similar to being in a Bundesliga stadium, in that they will be the away team and it won’t be made easy for them. I’d say Köln, Frankfurt or most of all Dortmund are examples of that but Liverpool is just special. I’ve never played in goal there but I’ve experienced a few games from the bench and when the Kop sing “You’ll Never Walk Alone”, even the most experienced players get goosebumps. Anfield has this unbelievable energy. It will be a great experience for our team. The atmosphere will be extraordinary. But I don’t think that the boys should be intimidated by it. They’ve got to use that energy. It is obviously brilliant to play there. I think they’ll enjoy it. It will be the biggest game in the club’s history.

The TSG players travel to Liverpool with a great amount of self-confidence and a prevailing mood of positivity. Why do they have every reason to be upbeat?

Pfannenstiel: TSG had a really good pre-season with a great training camp and impressive performances in the friendlies. The team are much further ahead than where they were at this time last season. The philosophy of the way they play is more ingrained in their minds now. As well as that, Julian Nagelsmann has a good squad with depth at his disposal which allowed him to make changes for the cup win, the season opener win in the Bundesliga and for the great performance against Liverpool in the first leg. All of this means that the team go into the second leg full of confidence. And rightly so. In England people say, “It ain’t over till the fat lady sings.”

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