Orban: "Hoffenheim are synonymous with good football"

The last few matches between TSG and RB have seen plenty of goals. How do you explain that?

''Both teams play bold, attractive, attacking football. For me as a defender it's actually somewhat frustrating seeing so many goals going in. But as long as we win then it's something I can live with.''

Last season, TSG ran out clear winners in both matches: 4-0 and 5-2. Why was this the case? What will Saturday's match come down to?

''I didn't play in the home match, but I can certainly say that Hoffenheim were the better team on the day. I think we had bad days at the office on both occasions and deserved to lose. On Saturday it's critical that we have a plan and that we keep it tight in order to avoid something like that happening again. I think the team that plays with more ruthlessness will win. We have to do all we can to make sure that's us, we have to take our chances in this away match.''

What makes TSG so strong?

''They have a lot of variety to their play and a lot of different options in their squad. This means that they can always give their opponents headaches. Hoffenheim are synonymous with good football. We're going to try to counter this and are determined to take points with us on the trip home.''

In just four weeks time the two teams will face each other once more, with Leipzig the venue for the DFB-Cup 2nd round clash.

''Both teams have a few matches before it's time for the cup. So I don't think it's really on anyone's mind for the time being. Having said that, a cup match always has something special to it, the knock-out element makes it completely different to a league match.''

How do you assess the way the season's started?

''I think both teams would have been hoping for a few more points to see them further up the table. The last few games have been a lot better for us than the ones that came before. We want to get more points on the board on Saturday and we're going to give it everything we've got.''

Both Hoffenheim and Leipzig are currently playing in Europe. When you add that to league and cup commitments, it makes for a lot of games each week. What impact does this have on the way you prepare for matches?

''Normally you have a full week free before each match, including a full day off to let you recover and maybe even take your mind off football for a bit. With the midweek fixtures though, you're always pressed for time and it's really tiring. Having said that, I think that both teams will have learnt a lot from last season and will have developed certain ways of recovering and preparing for matches.''

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