“We’ll need our entire repertoire”

Oliver Glasner on ...

… the task at hand: “Another tough challenge awaits us tomorrow, but our approach doesn’t change. We want to get three points and feel we’re capable of doing just that, even though Leipzig are in outstanding form and have collected the most points in the Bundesliga since Marco Rose’s appointment. They have tremendous quality and pace and are in great form. They’re active in defence, alert to misplaced passes and try to force their opponents into errors so they can counter quickly. We’ll need our entire repertoire to win in Leipzig.”

… personnel: “It’s encouraging that despite all our games in 2023, almost all our players are fit. Sebastian Rode is feeling better again too. Only Junior Dina Ebimbe is missing.”

… handling defeats: “We were frustrated to lose in Cologne and didn’t let that defeat knock us off course either. The same goes for the game against Napoli. Almost every opportunity Napoli created resulted from our mistakes. We use defeats to deal with issues and to readjust. That goes for the players and myself. I question myself all the time so that we can improve together. If we make the most of these periods in the aftermath of defeats, we’ll reach the next level.”

… the fans’ support: “We’re brimming with ambition as we battle on three fronts and are sometimes too quick to forget what we’ve achieved. That’s why I’d like to say a big thank you to our fans. On the back of defeats, it helps the players regain focus for the tasks ahead. Their show of support was a wonderful gesture – the players deserved it.”

… the Bundesliga: “The tight battle at the top of the table is fun at the moment because we’re right in the middle of it. German football is in an excellent place in all areas, with teams who are capable of competing in Europe.”