Hoeness: "The lads are really up for it"

Sebastian Hoeness on…

…the personnel situation: "Ishak Belfodil has returned to team training and is making a good impression. It may well be that he returns to the squad. Otherwise, nothing has changed."

…the opposition: "Wolfsburg play with great intensity. We'll need to deal with that. It'll be important be keep a good structure off the ball. We cannot allow them to get into the game. They also showed their quality against Leipzig in the cup. Wolfsburg perform with a high degree of consistency and have recently fielded the same starting XI. They're tactically well-drilled and are getting a lot of things right at present."

…Wolfsburg's positive numbers since the turn of the year: "Wolfsburg have not conceded a goal in the league for several weeks now and they have been the best team since the second half of the campaign started. That serves as motivation for us. We want to inflict the first defeat of the second half-season upon them. But ultimately, they're just statistics. We're focusing on how they achieved them and on analysing Wolfsburg strengths." 

…his impressions of training: "The team is highly motivated and is performing well in training. I sense that the lads are up for it and will keep going all out. They've reacted well to our elimination from European competition. We'll need to show that on the pitch on Saturday too and be present in the decisive moments."

…his goals for the rest of the season: "There are still 11 matches and 33 points up for grabs. We obviously want to get the maximum. You can see we're now more consistent with the healthier personnel situation. We will not state any clear objectives for the season. Our possible aims are no longer in our hands. We'll see what happens."

The opposition's form:

Wolfsburg are currently the team of the hour, having taken 19 out of a possible 21 points from their last seven games. The Wolves suffered a 2-0 defeat away to RB Leipzig in midweek in the DFB Cup quarter-finals.

Head-to-head record:

VfL Wolfsburg have proven to be a formidable foe for Hoffenheim in recent years. TSG have claimed victory in only one of the last nine meetings – a 3-0 win in March 2018. Wolfsburg have beaten Hoffenheim four times since September 2016, while there have also been four draws.

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