“We need to deliver our best performance of the season tomorrow.”

Anything is possible!

The situation is clear to all those involved: after a 1-1 draw in Leipzig nearly three weeks ago, the winner of Tuesday’s match will have booked themselves a spot in the quarterfinals of the Champions League.

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Marco Rose: “Heidenheim is a tough task”

Castello Jr.: “I can learn a lot from him”

Not afraid of big names | Heidenheim preview

Ahead of the second leg against Manchester City, RBL head coach Marco Rose and goalkeeper Janis Blaswichspoke to the media during the pre-match press conference. The two touched on the possibility of a penalty shootout, the opponent’s strengths and pre-game rituals.

Read on for all the key quotes.
 

Team news:

• Rose will have a full squad to choose from, with the exception of those players carrying long-term injuries, as well as Xaver Schlager, Christopher Nkunku and Abdou Diallo. 
   
• Find all the latest team news here. 
   

MARCO ROSE ON …

… Penalties

• “It’s been two days since our game against Gladbach. We haven’t had any time to train, but have instead focused on our recovery work. Janis proved this weekend that he knows what to do when faced with a penalty, so he doesn’t need any practice to prepare.”
   

… Man City’s strengths

• “We played against Man City three weeks ago. We know what we’ll come up against – it’s nothing new. City will certainly look to refine the details, because we didn’t allow them many chances in Leipzig. We were, however, too passive in the first half and didn’t know what to do when we had possession.

  We want to be more active in defence and have more possession. In theory, that always sounds good. In the end, you have to find the right balance against a top team like that. We can’t go wrong if we have trust and confidence. The fact is that we will need to deliver our best game of the season tomorrow.”
   

… Dani Olmo

• “Dani Olmo came out of the game against Gladbach feeling good. He will likely be an option tomorrow and can play for 20 to 30 minutes. However, we’re talking about a Champions League round of 16 game here, and he’s not back to full strength yet. He will still be able to help us out tomorrow and we’re glad to have him back.”
   

… Erling Haaland

• “If I start talking about him, then I have to continue on with the rest of the City squad. We all know Erling is exceptionally talented. We were able to defend well against him in the first leg, but you’ll never be able to keep him completely quiet.

  He’s one of the best number 9s in the world. Strikers like Erling can fill many roles on the pitch, whether it’s with their back to goal or as a target man in the box. We need to be extremely alert.”
   

JANIS BLASWICH ON …

… Penalties

• “Of course we’ve prepared ourselves for the possibility of a penalty shootout, but in the end it’s nothing different to how it would be in the league.” 
   

… Manchester City

• “We won’t be handed anything here. We need to find the right balance between pressing them and remaining compact in defence. If we can do so, then we’ll be ready for City.“
   

… Erling Haaland

• “City aren’t just made up of Erling. Yes, he is very talented, but we won’t change our approach.“
   

… Pre-game rituals

• “It’s a normal routine. The processes are the same and we haven’t changed anything about our rhythm.“