FIRST TEAM
08/07/2021

Risse: "It'll be damn tough"

Marcel Risse moved from Bundesliga club 1. FC Cologne to third-tier side Viktoria Cologne in the summer. In total, the 31-year-old midfielder made more than 170 appearances in Germany's top flight for Leverkusen, Mainz, Nuremberg and Cologne. In an interview with tsg-hoffenheim.de, the Cologne native spoke about the start to the 3. Liga season, the upcoming cup clash with TSG Hoffenheim on Monday (18:30 CET) and his delight at having spectators back in the stands for the match.

Marcel, you've started your third division season with one loss and one draw. How do you assess your start?

"In terms of points, we'd of course have liked a lot more. But it should be noted that our squad was not yet complete for the opening match in Berlin. Daniel Buballa was suspended due to a red card from the previous season, and other players had only returned to us shortly beforehand – with varying fitness levels. With that in mind, you couldn't expect too much. But the way in which we improved from the first game to the second gives us a lot of courage."

What are your goals for this season?

"I believe we can achieve big things. We're a young team and we have a clear tactical approach. If we manage to perform at 100% on the pitch consistently, then my outlook for the season is very positive. But fundamentally, it's still too early in our case to define our objectives more clearly."

Unlike TSG Hoffenheim, you're already in match rhythm. To what extent could that be an advantage on Monday?

"It's true that we have played two competitive games already. And perhaps at first glance that's a small advantage. But that obviously doesn't make up for the quality that Hoffenheim undoubtedly have. In the cup, I believe that the outcome depends on who manages to produce the best performance on the pitch on a certain day. If we played 10 games against TSG, we'd definitely lose most of them. But that's not how it works. It's about who plays better on Monday. However, if Hoffenheim do manage to really get into their stride, it'll be damn tough."

Fortunately, there will be fans in the stadium. How much are you hoping that the support in the stands will give you an additional boost?

"Last season, we only had two opportunities to play in front of spectators at Sportpark Höhenberg. Now I'm looking forward to the fact our team can finally play in front of a crowd again. Because the support from the fans brings heart, soul and emotion back into the stadium. Our team all sensed that during the first home game of the season. The spectators will drive us on even more against Hoffenheim, because we have nothing to lose. In that sense, they will be an important factor."

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