It’s back to Hoffenheim for VfL Women, who open Matchday 16 of the Google Pixel Women’s Bundesliga against TSG on Friday 15 March. The She-Wolves won 3-0 at the Dietmar-Hopp-Stadion just over a week ago in the quarter-finals of the DFB Cup. At the pre-match press conference, head coach Tommy Stroot discussed…
…the personnel situation: “Lena Lattwein and Diana Nemeth are out. Ewa Pajor is doing recovery work today. We’ll make a late decision after training tomorrow on whether it’s the right decision – with regard to her knee – to take her on the long coach journey.”
…the opponents: “We know how big the challenge is against Hoffenheim, so there’s not much change from the cup game in terms of the approach. We now have the advantage of knowing exactly what to expect from our opponents. It's clear that details will also be important in this game. In the last game against Hoffenheim, it was mainly set pieces that made the difference.”
…the role of set pieces: “We know that set-piece situations can be the little factor that ultimately decides the game against teams like Hoffenheim, Frankfurt or Bayern. That’s why we’ve very deliberately decided to put more emphasis on this area in training during this stage of the season. It’s particularly about using our precision and our physical advantages, which we have in a lot of situations.”
…the team’s improved performances: “I feel a great sense of conviction in everything the girls are doing at the moment. That gives rise to a dynamic and a self-image, and makes it extremely difficult for teams to play against us. It’s also important that we have this conviction in the whole group, not just the first XI. The fact we have that is a key factor. The best proof of that is the DFB Cup game, when Ewa Pajor and Lena Oberdorf pulled out at short notice.”
