"Top match with passion & emotion"

On Saturday at 8.30 p.m. there will be a real tingling sensation, certainly for Tim Walter as well. On Thursday (23 February), however, the coach was still sitting very relaxed in the press conference room of the Volksparkstadion, answering journalists' questions ahead of the eagerly awaited top match between league leaders Darmstadt 98 and their pursuers from Hamburg. In this round Tim Walter spoke about...

... the condition of his team: "The boys are constantly developing and getting better and better in the details. The balance between defence and attack is right, we are becoming more and more stable at the back and offensively we have scored the most goals of all teams in the second half of the season. In addition, we are becoming more and more consistent and have absolute conviction. I am very happy with the work, the will and the development of my team.

"If we can call up everything, we have a good chance."

... the current opponents Darmstadt 98: Darmstadt has an experienced and clever team that plays very intensively. Their offensive efficiency is impressive and they concede few goals. That's why they are rightly at the top. 

... our own approach to this top match: We want to have the ball and press the opponent at the back with a lot of possession. If we can do that on the pitch and show everything we've got, then we have a good chance of winning the game. 

... his expectations for Saturday night: "Of course, it's a special game in which there's a lot at stake between two very good teams. You could already see that in the first leg. And now, too, I expect an intense game in such a top match, because football lives on emotion and passion. And that is a good thing.