Matarazzo: "We're staying in attacking mode"

Pellegrino Matarazzo on…

…Werder Bremen: "Under coach Ole Werner, they play offensively and consciously take risks. They have frequently been rewarded with points and have had a strong season so far. Werder have carried the energy from promotion with them. We will make one or two tactical tweaks, but they will be within the scope of our philosophy. We're focusing on our game."

…Bremen's forward duo: "Niclas Füllkrug and Marvin Ducksch are great at getting in behind. They can hold up the ball and distribute it. To enable both of them to work so well, the entire team uses its attacking structure to create space for the strikers."

…the victory over Hertha BSC: "We've learned from the failures over the past weeks, but the success against Berlin has showed that self-confidence grows through victories. We want to build on that and stay in attacking mode."

…the international period: "The lads have returned from their travels healthy and are making a good impression. That's the most important thing for us. The players who trained in Zuzenhausen are also bubbling with excitement and have worked hard. The international period has done us good."

…possible changes to the line-up: "The lads performed very well against Berlin. However, we want to give all players the chance to prove themselves in training. The whole team is fighting and giving everything. The lads know what's on the line. We all want to be playing in the Bundesliga next season."

The personnel situation

Grischa Prömel returned to the training pitch this week. If things continue to progress well, the midfielder could be a contender for a squad berth against Schalke. The same applies for Justin Che too. Kasper Dolberg is still suffering from the after-effects of a concussion; both he and Jacob Bruun Larsen are not an option for Bremen. Otherwise, all the players are fit.

Head-to-head record

This will be the 28th Bundesliga meeting between Werder Bremen and TSG Hoffenheim. Bremen have the better head-to-head record to date: the Northern Germans have won 11 games, while TSG have been the victors six times. There have also been 10 draws.

The opposition's form

With 26 rounds of matches played, coach Ole Werner's team occupy 11th position with 31 points. But their more recent form does not quite match their previous performance level: Werder Bremen have taken only four points from the last six games.

Match facts and statistics »