Darmstadt's trainer Torsten Lieberknecht about his dream player from TSV 1860, the Corona wave in his team - and the upcoming duel in the DFB Cup.
On Friday at 8.45 pm (Sky live), the lions will receive second division Darmstadt 98 in the first round of the DFB Cup. The interview with “Lilien” coach Torsten Lieberknecht.
Mr. Lieberknecht, how is the Corona situation in the Darmstadt 98 team? Recently there have been numerous failures due to positive tests and quarantine orders.
Lieberknecht:
The situation remains tense.
Tobias Kempe, Tim Skarke, Mathias Honsak and Erich Berko are still in quarantine at home due to their positive results.
In the course of the week, three players, Patric Pfeiffer, Frank Ronstadt and Braydon Manu, will return from domestic isolation after their positive cases.
But as a club we also have a responsibility and we are not allowed to burn the players.
It is now a matter of carefully introducing them to the team after their illnesses.
Health is the most important thing, it should not be treated lightly.
With so many failures, is it even possible to speak of a favorite role of the lilies, who play a league higher?
Lieberknecht:
That is actually difficult in this particular case, but overall it is not important to me either.
I don't want to make us any smaller than we are either.
Despite all the personnel worries, our goal is to move into the second round of the DFB Cup.
A big topic in Munich was Dennis Dressel's flirtation with your club. How would you have liked to have Dennis on your team?
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"The lions are a challenge": Darmstadt coach Torsten Lieberknecht.
© dpa Bernd Thissen
Dennis Dressel is an exciting player who, with his style of play, would fit in well with Darmstadt 98 and our team.
Lieberknecht:
According to advisor Hermann Hummels, Dressel really wanted to change.
Does that coincide with your feeling after personal conversations with Dennis?
We had and still have the feeling that Dennis would have loved to do that. Let's see what the future brings.
Subtle question: do you see an eight or a six in it?
Lieberknecht: A
nifty answer: I see him as a polyvalent player in the central midfield area with enormous potential.
Your personal coaching record against sixty is impressive: of the last five duels you have won four, first with Braunschweig, then with Duisburg. Do you like lions particularly?
Lieberknecht:
We're talking about the past here.
I don't care much about statistics like that.
How do you rate the current team of lions?
Lieberknecht:
The lions are well-rehearsed and didn't have to deal with any major fluctuation this summer.
You yourself set the realistic goal of wanting to move up this year.
In the past Corona year you had an unfavorable start with Duisburg: Dortmund at home, but in front of only 300 spectators. Final score 0: 5. How much are you looking forward to a solvable task in front of halfway well-filled stands on Friday?
Lieberknecht:
We are currently talking a lot about our current challenges that need to be overcome.
And the TSV 1860 can definitely be described as such.
But games under floodlights on Grünwalder Straße have their special charm.
Back to you: In the spring you also had to struggle with a corona infection. How bad was it and are you fully restored?
Lieberknecht:
Everything has now been restored.
But I don't need that again.
