Ilzer: It only works if we do it together"

Christian Ilzer on…

…the DFB-Pokal: "It's the third wedding that we're dancing at. It's a wonderful competition. I won the cup two times in a row in Austria. In Germany, it carries even more significance. I'm looking forward to the knockout tie."

…VfL Wolfsburg: "They have gained a lot of self-belief thanks to a famous away victory in Leipzig. Wolfsburg have a lot of speed in attack. The team has found itself and is currently on a run. But what is more important is that we show a better performance on the pitch than last time out in Mainz."

…the lessons from the recent defeats: "We want to rectify the mistakes from the previous games and give the boys even more stability. There wasn't much time due to the short preparation period. We need to know very quickly and very exactly which adjustments we need to make. It's now a case of focusing on the simple things. It only works if we do it together."

…the personnel situation: "Umut Tohumcu unfortunately sustained an injury to his ankle yesterday. He will be out for a longer time period. In addition, we have to wait for the final training session to assess a few other players. Arthur Chaves was given a breather in Mainz, but he is an option again."

…changes to the starting line-up: "We will have another minor rotation, but not as major as the one in Braga. We want to settle on a starting line-up by the winter."

The opposition's form:

The season got off to a bumpy start in Wolfsburg, but coach Ralph Hasenhüttl's team are now fully on track. VfL are in eighth position in the league following a run of three consecutive wins and five matches without defeat, and knocked Borussia Dortmund out of the DFB-Pokal.

Head-to-head record:

The two clubs are about to meet in a competitive match for the 34th time. VfL have the superior head-to-head record: Wolfsburg have won 15 matches and lost only 10 games (plus eight draws). TSG remained unbeaten against the 'Wolves' last season thanks to a 3-1 home victory and a 2-2 draw in Wolfsburg.

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