"We believe we have a chance"

Birk, the draw for the Round of 32 has pitted you against TSG Hoffenheim. What's your take on the draw?  

"I was absolutely delighted. Prior to the draw, I was hoping we'd face a German team. I haven't been back to Germany for a long time due to the corona pandemic. I'm delighted I can now go back for the game. It's going to be cool."

Team manager Max Vollmar was also at Cologne during your time there. Did you get in touch after the draw and do you know anyone else from the TSG squad?

"We obviously spoke after the draw. I'll be delighted if I see him again. I did once play against Dennis Geiger in a junior international match. I can still remember him but I presume he doesn't [remember me] anymore." (laughs).

The Norwegian league season is aligned to fit the calendar year and has been on hiatus since November. The new season doesn't begin until the start of April. Is that a disadvantage for you?

"We resumed training midway through January. So we should've had enough preparation time. In addition, we played friendlies to ensure we're in good shape to face Hoffenheim. Everyone is very happy to be able to test ourselves at this level. It's a big challenge."

What do you expect from TSG?

"The first half of the season did not go the way Hoffenheim would have wanted. The team has much more quality than their position in the table suggests. They've had bad luck with injuries and corona infections, but they have shown in several matches what they're capable of. We have a lot of respect for them."

How do you assess your chances before the tie?

"Hoffenheim are obviously the favourites, but we believe we have a chance and we want to go far. If we didn't, we shouldn't even turn up. We'll need to have a really good day and play without any fear."

What are your memories from your time in Germany? You left your family home at the age of 16 to move to another country with another language...

"The almost four years I spent in Germany shaped me as a person. I think back to that time every day and it makes me very happy. I still speak German so that I don't forget the language. I carry Germany in my heart and I really want to go back. Whether that is during or after my career remains to be seen. Germany became my home."

In the past, you regularly switched between playing as a left-back and a striker. But now you're being deployed down the left flank. Which position do you like the most?

"I noticed I'm better and more important for the team when I play at left-back and I also feel comfortable playing down the left flank. But if we're struggling for players, I can play as a striker at any time. I still have a 100% win rate as a striker in the Bundesliga (editor's note: 1-0 vs. VfL Wolfsburg). Who else can boast that?" (laughs).

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