Dino Toppmöller
Eintracht FrankfurtXabi Alonso
Leverkusen
Meeting Highlights…THE OBJECTIVE
So far no team has managed to beat Bayer Leverkusen this season. This is a nice and great incentive for all of us. We know that this will be a very, very difficult task. Anyone who saw their game against Rome on Thursday was once again confirmed that Leverkusen has been putting in a sensational performance all season long. It will be a very high hurdle, but we want to demand everything from our opponents. We won't go into the game and settle for a draw. We know it will be difficult, but our aim is to win the game at home. We have a good idea, the boys are fresh and fit. We approach the task confidently.
...HOME RECORD AGAINST LEVERKUSEN
The home record in recent years against Leverkusen speaks for unity. This can play a role as the game progresses. We want to build up pressure straight away, but the opponent also has the quality to playfully free themselves from a lot of pressure. But we also know that it is a completely different Leverkusen that will appear here on Sunday. They have developed gigantic self-confidence over the season. It's up to us - how we come in and keep the opponent busy.
…ABOUT THE MATCH
We need a good mix. We have to keep trying to put the opponent under pressure early on, but we also know that with Boniface and Schick - one of whom we expect to be in the starting line-up - they have target players who can hold onto the ball well. This is dangerous. The key will be to show maximum discipline when it comes to defensive behaviour. The processes must be clear and the responsibilities must be defined. If we don't do that, the opponent will punish us. I think that if we get one or two opportunities in the transition game, then we have to be efficient and take advantage of this chance. We need ball security, transition moments and want to get deeper with our fast players. Then we can pose problems for the opponent. We also have weapons to hurt the opponent and it is important for us as a team to use them. It is certainly more difficult to prepare for an opponent because you want to give the team a clear plan of how you want to do things when running up and playing with the ball. But Leverkusen always focuses on the opponent and prepares game by game. Sometimes they start from a 4-4-2, sometimes from a 5-2-3. It's similar for us, we also have different ideas and approach the matter in a very solution-oriented manner. We should be prepared for anything.
...INJURY REPORT
With the exception of Nnamdi Collins due to an irritated knee capsule and the long-term injured Sasa Kalajdzic and Seppl Rode, we have everyone on board.
Dino Toppmöller
Manager on Eintracht Frankfurt…THE OBJECTIVE
So far no team has managed to beat Bayer Leverkusen this season. This is a nice and great incentive for all of us. We know that this will be a very, very difficult task. Anyone who saw their game against Rome on Thursday was once again confirmed that Leverkusen has been putting in a sensational performance all season long. It will be a very high hurdle, but we want to demand everything from our opponents. We won't go into the game and settle for a draw. We know it will be difficult, but our aim is to win the game at home. We have a good idea, the boys are fresh and fit. We approach the task confidently.
...HOME RECORD AGAINST LEVERKUSEN
The home record in recent years against Leverkusen speaks for unity. This can play a role as the game progresses. We want to build up pressure straight away, but the opponent also has the quality to playfully free themselves from a lot of pressure. But we also know that it is a completely different Leverkusen that will appear here on Sunday. They have developed gigantic self-confidence over the season. It's up to us - how we come in and keep the opponent busy.
…ABOUT THE MATCH
We need a good mix. We have to keep trying to put the opponent under pressure early on, but we also know that with Boniface and Schick - one of whom we expect to be in the starting line-up - they have target players who can hold onto the ball well. This is dangerous. The key will be to show maximum discipline when it comes to defensive behaviour. The processes must be clear and the responsibilities must be defined. If we don't do that, the opponent will punish us. I think that if we get one or two opportunities in the transition game, then we have to be efficient and take advantage of this chance. We need ball security, transition moments and want to get deeper with our fast players. Then we can pose problems for the opponent. We also have weapons to hurt the opponent and it is important for us as a team to use them. It is certainly more difficult to prepare for an opponent because you want to give the team a clear plan of how you want to do things when running up and playing with the ball. But Leverkusen always focuses on the opponent and prepares game by game. Sometimes they start from a 4-4-2, sometimes from a 5-2-3. It's similar for us, we also have different ideas and approach the matter in a very solution-oriented manner. We should be prepared for anything.
...INJURY REPORT
With the exception of Nnamdi Collins due to an irritated knee capsule and the long-term injured Sasa Kalajdzic and Seppl Rode, we have everyone on board.
Xabi Alonso
Manager on Leverkusen…SUSPENSION
I won’t have any direct influence during the game. It’s a new situation. However, I’m able to be with the team before the game and at half-time, where we can discuss tactical things. Sebastian and Alberto know how they can control the game. And the team’s also intelligent enough to make its own decisions on the pitch.
...FRANKFURT
They have a very good coach and good players. They often play with high tempo and are flexible in their system. It’ll be a hard game. Matches in Frankfurt aren’t easy. That game was a good lesson for us. We could see why we weren’t in a good situation. We lacked structure and concentration. We’ve learned from that. The development wasn’t immediate, but we gradually improved.
…UNBEATEN
Obviously every team wants to be the first to beat us. It gets a bit tougher every week to remain unbeaten. But we obviously want good results in these final three league games as well.
...ABOUT THE MATCH
We don’t have any injured players. Everyone’s ready. It’s important because we don’t have much time to prepare. We’ll see who starts on Sunday. We have enough options.