‚A really tough away game‘

Isac had a good week. It’s not a structural injury. Tomorrow we’ll decide whether it makes sense to take him with us. That also includes whether we give him another week so he’s fully available for the Düsseldorf match. That depends on tomorrow’s training session. Currently, the chances are 50/50. If he can play, I don’t see any limitations on his playing time. Isac is a top striker in this league, and we’re grateful for every minute he’s available.

It’s great to see that we have such a diverse attacking setup. We’re capable of scoring from different positions and in many different ways, and that means we have several goalscorers. Nevertheless, I’m naturally longing for the moment when Isac is back playing and in the starting eleven. It’s all the more pleasing, then, that the guys who don’t always start are ready when needed. We’ve talked a lot about Fynn, and rightly so; he’s a very good example of that.

Eintracht Braunschweig has collected 14 points from their last eight games. Only Magdeburg and we have earned more in that period. They lost one or two key players in the winter transfer window, but they also brought in a lot of quality.

They have a lot of power and pace in their back line. They play a physical game and have fast wingers. They are very good at winning second balls. Furthermore, they are a team that plays exactly the kind of game that we sometimes struggle with.

A huge challenge awaits us. We are aware of this and have great respect for Braunschweig. This is a matchup that doesn’t suit us perfectly. That makes it all the more important that we are aware of this and have the right answers.

The most important thing is that the starting point is the same: We’re traveling to face a brutally dangerous opponent. It’s going to be a really tough away game.

What’s different is that we’re not only traveling with more players than last year, but we’re also a year further along in terms of team stability and the knowledge that we’ve built a strong core. Many of the players who are important now went through this phase. But the biggest difference is that we’re traveling to Braunschweig with 20 players, not 11.

I don’t sense any signs in the team that anyone is taking things lightly. If you focus on the games week after week, deliver the performance, and win those games, it will inevitably be reflected in the standings. But that’s not a topic of conversation in the locker room. I didn’t notice any euphoria, just a focused continuation of our work. That’s why we’re handling it calmly. The fact is: we’re unbeaten in eleven games. That’s good for a team, but what’s crucial is how we deal with it. You have to draw confidence from it and know that you can trust the things we’re doing. Just because we’re top of the table now doesn’t mean our approach has changed.

I was very pleased with what we showed against Kaiserslautern. We’re in the fortunate position of having had another week of training, which has created excellent competition for places. If we look at Isac, Niklas, and Killian, we’re talking about three players who haven’t been in the starting eleven recently, but who absolutely have a legitimate claim to a starting spot. We had a very good training session yesterday, full of energy, intensity, and quality. The battle for places is on.

There are moments when players are disappointed by a decision and need a moment to realize that their role is important in the bigger picture. We address this through conversations. My goal is for everyone to know their role and be ready to contribute to the team’s success. With this clear understanding of roles, the team has developed a team spirit that can handle things a coach or manager can’t. That’s what we mean by building a core and stability. We’re reaping the benefits of that today.