Bülter: "Now is the decisive phase"

It's a clash between 15th and 14th: TSG Hoffenheim will play host to 1. FC Union Berlin on Saturday (15:30 CET / Live Ticker at tsg-hoffenheim.de). A man who knows the Iron Ones well is former 1. FC Union Berlin player Marius Bülter. The speedy forward has recently returned to action following his injury lay-off and spoke about the crunch match in this interview.

TSG are currently three points behind Union Berlin; it's an important game in the fight against relegation. What kind of match are you expecting?

"It will certainly be a difficult match. Both teams are fighting to avoid relegation and both will give it everything they've got. We can expect an intense match, in which it will ultimately be a case of making fewer mistakes than our opponents."

Is it even more special for you because you used to play for Union?

"You can't completely factor that out; it's still special to some degree. I had a good time in Berlin. Of course, there aren't so many of the players that I played with back then, but I still know some of the staff and am looking forward to seeing them."

What will it come down to at the weekend?

"We have to be 100% on the ball and embrace the fight. We need to implement what we've done in the course of recent weeks even better and then make the most of our chances. And it would also do us good if we could keep a clean sheet again."

The overall trend in the course of recent weeks has been positive. Do you agree?

"Absolutely, and now is the decisive phase; now we have to turn it into something tangible. Only then will it become clear whether we are really on a positive track. I'm optimistic, the past few weeks have given us more courage. But the next few games are very important."

How are you doing and how do you feel after your comeback following the muscle tendon injury in your left thigh?

"It's getting better day by day. It was my first major injury, so the situation was unusual for me to begin with and gradually working my way back to fitness was new as well. It felt good to play from the start again for the first time in Leverkusen."

TSG signed three more players shortly before the end of the transfer window. What is your impression of the new boys?

"They're making a great impression, they're good guys. We now have to integrate them quickly so they feel as comfortable as possible here. And I'm trying to help them as much as I can."