Ilzer: "We need to work well together"

Christian Ilzer on…

…the importance of the match in Kiel: "It is a defining match. Every single player has to show what he can do and what we can do as a group. We want to show that we can cope with the situation. It needs a joint reaction. We can take a big step forward in the table. The best statement that we can make is to put in a good performance and to win."

…the opposition: "Kiel will go into the game on the back of a successful result against a big opponent. That was very impressive against Dortmund. They're a very cohesive unit that defend together and are strong on the counter-attack. The team covers a lot of ground. You have the feeling that the team comes above all else in Kiel. That's what makes them so dangerous. But we must believe in ourselves. The signs are completely different for the two teams but that doesn't have to mean anything."

…the defeat in Munich: "We felt the dominance in its full force. You can lose heavily in Munich but it's about the manner of it. We need to show different body language. It's a difficult period mentally. We cannot start to hide ourselves; we have to show ourselves. Every player must feel that everyone is giving everything. We were knocked down on Wednesday but the reaction to that is always the decisive factor."

…Andrej Kramarić's criticism: "We had a very open, very honest conversation. Andrej was very frustrated after the game – like we all were. If anyone is entitled to that, it's him. He is a very worthy player in Hoffenheim. We want to pool our energies in order to finish the season together in the best-possible manner. We want to work together in a solution-oriented manner. To that end, we need key players like Andrej Kramarić. I'd prefer to keep the rest in-house."

…the personnel situation: "Diadie Samassékou is out for the time being. It's looking likely that Anton Stach will be available again. As for the rest, we'll have to wait for today's training session to see who will be an option for the starting line-up."

…the development as a unit: "You have to be very clear as a coach. That said, it's about striking a balance. We have to adapt the approach too. I might want to go somewhere, but sometimes you have to take a detour to bring the players on board. We need to work well together. We want to go in the right direction together. We're giving less away and have increased our number of chances. That increases the likelihood of success. At some point, we'll fire the ball into an empty net again."

…his own way of dealing with the situation: "I need to make sure that I stay with myself and well balanced. I want to use the power to change things and to recognise what I can't change. I want to lead the way. It's a challenging situation, you don't have to play that down. Nonetheless, it's part of life. Such phases shape you."

The opposition's form:

Holstein Kiel claimed a surprise victory in midweek: coach Marcel Rapp's team beat Borussia Dortmund by a 4-2 scoreline and celebrated their second win in three matches. The triumph leaves Kiel in 17th position and only three points behind TSG, who are in 16th position.

The head-to-head record:

The two clubs have only met on two occasions thus far. TSG Hoffenheim won 5-1 in the DFB-Pokal in 2021 and ran out 3-2 victors in the first half-season.

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