Matarazzo: "There's a different energy"

Pellegrino Matarazzo on….

…the significance of the game: "We're up against a direct rival in the relegation battle. We want to build on the energy we've shown in the last two matches. The lads know what lies ahead and are up for the match. We want to deliver an amazing performance."

…the opposition: "Schalke are doing very well at the moment, they had an unbelievable run. They're especially stable in defence and then switch quickly. We want to impose our game and shift the play into the opposition half. If we do that consistently, I'm very confident we can pick up the three points."

…the victory in Bremen: "Every triumph is a step towards our goal. We've improved our position in the table but we're of course not satisfied with the situation. The lads can feel the trust and feel vindicated by the victories. You could see what we were trying to do offensively, but we were too passive in the second half. We need to improve upon that on Sunday."

…Grischa Prömel: "Grischa is delighted to be back on the training pitch with the team. Of course, he is not in contention to play 90 minutes. We'll wait for the two remaining training sessions to see if he makes the squad. With his aura, he'll be a big help for us if he's back."

…the mood in training: "The boys are pitching in very well. Every stimulus is well received, whether it's tactical or mental. The entire team is very capable of learning and implements the demands well. The players have shown a different energy on the pitch in the last weeks."

The personnel situation:

Robert Skov has made some good progress in training but he, like Stanley Nsoki, is still a doubt for the match on Sunday. Grischa Prömel, Justin Che and Kasper Dolberg have trained the whole week and are options for the squad again, as is Kevin Akpoguma, who will complete a session with the team for the first time on Friday. Jacob Bruun Larsen is still out.

The opposition's form:

Under coach Thomas Reis, FC Schalke 04 look like a different team to before. However, they did suffer their first defeat of the second half-season at the weekend (3-0 to Bayer Leverkusen). Due to their improved form before that, S04 have edged closer to safety and currently sit in 17th place with 21 points – two places and four points behind TSG.

Head-to-head record:

This will be the third time this season that the two clubs have faced off. TSG enjoyed the upper hand in both games in October, winning 3-0 in the Bundesliga and 5-1 in the DFB-Pokal. Hoffenheim also have the better record overall: TSG have come out on top 11 times in the Bundesliga, while Schalke have won nine meetings (plus seven draws).

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