Schwäbe: "We still owe them one"

Marvin, Cologne will host TSG on Sunday. What sort of game are you expecting?

"I hope it will be a good game to watch. Both teams look to play the ball forward and are aggressive. Hoffenheim have a lot of quality up front. We need to be careful of that."

Hoffenheim won the first match this season 5-0. Are you confident that things will be different on Sunday?

"It was a slip-up from us. Since then, however, we have become much more solid, and we owe TSG one. Hoffenheim had some problems at the start of the season, but with the win in the first game, things improved for them. They have consistently earned points and are a strong opponent."

You have been very good at home this season. On Sunday, 25,000 spectators will probably be allowed inside the stadium again. How important is the support of the fans for you?

"Hugely important. It's very nice when the spectators roar us on and take the load off our backs. We look forward to games like this one. With a victory, we can decide our own destiny in terms of where this season will take us."

You started the season as the backup goalkeeper, but you are now Cologne's number 1. How did it feel being in goal for the first time in the Bundesliga?

"I was so pleased. It was a special game and we won 4-1 against Borussia Mönchengladbach. Everything just went right. But not much has changed for me. I still do everything in training and prepare for every game the same way I did before."

You played for TSG between 2013 and 2015. What are your memories of that time?

"We became German champions with the U19s, and I was given my first taste of professional football. I do look back fondly on my time there. Of course, you know some of the other side, but on Sunday you try to hide it and make it a normal game."

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