Matarazzo: "The team have a great mentality"

Pellegrino Matarazzo on …

… the opposition: "The Union defence will make life very uncomfortable for us. They rarely allow us to really get going. We need to find the depth at the right moment and win the one-on-one battles across the pitch. There will be moments that we want to take advantage of. That's what we did on Matchday 33 of last season."

… Union's defeat in Madrid: "I was picking up my son from training, so I saw the game a bit later. But I am a football fan and would have watched even if Union had not been our next opponents. As a fan of German football, you wish them success, so it is a pity that they conceded a goal in the last minute. Yesterday was a big highlight for them, but the Bundesliga remains very important for Union Berlin. We won't underestimate them, because this team have big ambitions."

… the reasons behind the latest run of TSG wins: "Each game had different characteristics that led us to victory. The team have shown unity over the past few weeks and are playing with a great mentality. We have guys on the pitch who can decide a game. We want to increase the likelihood of getting a lot of victories. To do that, you need good quality, and we've shown that on the pitch recently. As coaches, we can only offer incentives. The team have learned from last season. We do not want to go through that again. We have signed players who are coming in with an excellent mentality. All of that is helping us."

… the Bundesliga season so far: "I'm excited to be part of this incredible Bundesliga season. The atmosphere inside the stadiums is exceptional. We are seeing a lot of goals. Long may it continue, as far as we're concerned!"

… Julian Nagelsmann as a possible coach of the national side: "I wouldn't put anything past him. Julian is very intelligent and very ambitious. He's a great choice for the DFB and I wish Julian every success."

The personnel situation 

Stanley Nsoki has a slight knee issue and will miss the match on Saturday. Otherwise, the rest of the squad – with the exception longer-term absentees Dennis Geiger and Marco John – are all fit.

Head-to-head record

Thanks to the 4-2 victory on Matchday 33 of last season, TSG Hoffenheim have evened up the head-to-head record against 1. FC Union Berlin. Both clubs have won three games in the Bundesliga, with two matches ending in a draw.

The opposition's form

In their last home match, Union Berlin suffered their first defeat in 24 games at the Alte Försterei, losing 3-0 to Leipzig. On Wednesday, coach Urs Fischer's team lost 1-0 at Real Madrid. It was the first Champions League match in the history of the side from Berlin.

Match facts and statistics »