Bailey: "It'll be an interesting match"

Leon, you have kicked off the season with six points and are currently in fifth place. How do you assess your start to the season?

"Perfect, actually, because we also won the first really demanding competitive match of the season away to Alemannia Aachen in the DFB Cup. But we obviously know that we need to continue to improve. Our performance in Düsseldorf recently was good, but not the way we wanted it to be for 90 minutes. We're going to work on that."

On Saturday, you're up against TSG Hoffenheim. What do you need to beware of?

"Hoffenheim are a very good team who made good use of their strength from set-pieces in their win over Bremen in the last round. It'll be an interesting match. As it always is when Leverkusen and Hoffenheim meet."

Last season, TSG managed to win both meetings 4-1. What was it that tipped the scales back then?

"Given the clear margin of the victories it might sound like a strange thing to say, but both games might well have had different outcomes. Hoffenheim were ultimately more consistent and efficient than us; that's what set their team apart. But that's not important anymore. We want to get the three points in Leverkusen in our stadium and in front of our own fans. That's all we care about."

The Bundesliga will pause for a two-week international break once this round of matches is over. Is it especially important to go into the break with a good feeling?

"Of course. Because then we as a club will have got it right and there will be no thoughts of mistakes or failures occupying our minds. We'll simply travel to our national teams with more self-confidence and be able to concentrate fully on the tasks awaiting us there."

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