Matarazzo: “We’re going to Munich full of confidence”

Pellegrino Matarazzo on…

…FC Bayern: “They’re one of the best teams in the world. Under Thomas Tuchel, they play with slightly more control defensively and are more dangerous after winning the ball back. When your opponent possesses such footballing strength, it is primarily in our case about defending as a team and having one or two spells where we relieve the pressure.”

…the significance of Bayern’s defeat in Manchester: “That plays no role whatsoever for us. They also showed after their cup exit that they’re capable of reacting. They played well against Manchester City. There’s a lot at stake for Bayern tomorrow, so the Champions League game is not relevant.”

…his team’s development: “I’m very satisfied with the team spirit. When you see how the bench cheers, how we celebrate our goals, you see that the team is sticking together. In our current phase, we’ve found a good tactical adjustment that gives us stability and allows our strengths to come to the fore. But the idea of play changes continuously; it’s always a process. We’re on a very good path.”

…the wing-backs’ form: “Pavel Kadeřábek and Angeliño are playing more tidily and with a positive energy. Pavel is going about his business well. The assist in Bremen of course did him a lot of good. Angeliño is an unbelievable technician, and his team-mates are currently giving him more options to get into his game. The spaces are being created for him differently. Both are doing very well at present.”

…Grischa Prömel’s comeback: “Grischa needs a certain level of form and a good feeling to get back onto the pitch. The doctors have given him the green light. He didn’t feel completely ready last week, which is why he was not in the squad for the Schalke game. We’ll discuss with him how he feels after the final training session.”

…the tension in the run-up to the game in Munich: “For me, it’s a privilege to be a Bundesliga coach. Hence why every match is special for me. I don’t feel any more tension than I do before other games. The players are ready and we’re going to Munich full of confidence.”

…the current headlines about the opposition: “I will not make a judgement from afar. I only recognise it and acknowledge that Sadio Mané will not be in the squad. Bayern have sufficient attacking options.”

The personnel situation:

Jacob Bruun Larsen remains sidelined, while Kevin Vogt misses out with knee problems. Robert Skov has trained with the team all week and is an option for the squad again.

The head-to-head record:

The record champions have the clearly superior record. FC Bayern have won 19 of the 29 previous Bundesliga meetings, while TSG have four victories. Hoffenheim have won on only one occasion at the Allianz Arena: 2-1 in October 2019 thanks to a Sargis Adamyan brace.

The opposition’s form:

FC Bayern might have won both of their Bundesliga matches under new head coach Thomas Tuchel (4-2 against Dortmund and 1-0 in Freiburg), but the Munich outfit have suffered painful defeats in the DFB-Pokal (2-1 against Freiburg) and in the Champions League (3-0 at Manchester City).

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