Baumann: ''We can be proud''

Oliver, no other player made more Bundesliga appearances than you in the last decade. Now you have to watch on from the sidelines for the last two games of the season against Bielefeld and Hertha. This must be an unusual experience for you?

 ''I've rarely been unable to play in my career thus far. But at the moment I'm having problems with an inflammation of my pubic bone. So it's better to take it easy for a while.''

You've already played 40 competitive matches for TSG this season - in the league, the DFB Pokal and the Europa League. That must have been a challenge, even for you? 

''It was by far the most unusual season of my career. No spectators in the stands, huge fixture pile-up at the start of the season and lots of Covid and injury-related problems in the squad. It really wasn't easy and it had a big impact on us on the pitch. Not every game went the way we would have hoped. But we always stayed together, as a team and as a club we overcame these challenges with a lot of calm and concentration on the important things. I think we can be proud of ourselves for that."

As of last Saturday, survival is mathematically guaranteed and TSG sit in mid-table...

''...And that deserves respect. Of course we were all hoping for more before the start of the season. But in evaluating the campaign, we have to take account of the unbelievably challenging circumstances that accompanied us throughout. For instance, we often had to make do without ten, sometimes even as many as 13 players. That made it more or less impossible to find any sense of consistency and stability. That's why it was so important for me, as club captain since the injury to Benni Hübner, to put myself at the service of the team and the club. That went well, and it had a lot to do with close coordination with the coaching team, the medical staff and the physios. In the time between my last few games, I really focused on regeneration and self-care more than ever before. Now that Bundesliga survival is guaranteed, it has been decided that I won't go to the mandatory quarantine training camp and will instead take a break to let the injury heal. We have two excellent young goalkeepers in Philipp Pentke and Luca Philipp who will now take over.'' 

TSG are now looking forward to their 14th season in the Bundesliga and you to your eighth season in Hoffenheim. It's not often you find such loyalty these days. 

''There are reasons for that. Hoffenheim and Baumann - it's a good fit. I'm looking forward to exciting new challenges with TSG after the summer break. But for the time being it's all about staying focused and doing the best we can in the two remaining matches.''