26.04.2022
Bundesliga

“Excitement and anticipation growing by the minute”

Tuta speaks about the semi-final against West Ham, anticipation ahead of the match and which team start as favourites.

Tuta on...

...preparing for their opponents: “We’ve been studying West Ham and I also watched their match against Chelsea. They’re a team of battlers and they keep their shape. We need to express our ideas and our gameplan out on the pitch and be ready to fight it out, with each player winning as many of his duels as possible. What really struck us about them is their compactness and counter-attacking play.”

...the growing tension and excitement: “We know that we’re facing top-quality opposition who’ll be really up for it in both legs. I’m absolute convinced that we’ve shown the right kind of positive energy and spirit ahead of every Europa League match – and that’s exactly the way it should be. The excitement and anticipation are growing by the minute.”

We know that we’re facing top-quality opposition who’ll be really up for it in both legs.

Tuta

...his expectations of the game: “We’ve faced opponents in the league who stay really compact and like to sit deep, and that’s meant that we’ve had to find the right answers. Our main focus is going to be on crosses and runs from deep. Physically, it’ll be a real war of attrition against West Ham and we’re going to be pushed to the absolute limit.”

...favourites and underdogs: “It’s tough to pick a favourite ahead of the match. Both we and West Ham will be giving it our all as both teams are desperate to get through to the final.”