Domenico Tedesco: The die is not yet cast for HSV!

“The die is not yet cast for HSV,” warns Schalke head coach Domenico Tedesco, as despite Hamburg’s poor run of form there is still hope for them to avoid relegation. Since their change of manager a few weeks ago, the team from northern Germany have changed their style of play, “They now play with a high press and have been bolder in their build-up play,” explained Tedesco. In fact, the 32-year-old was impressed by the instant impact Christian Titz has had and the changes he has brought about in such a short space of time in charge. In their game against Hertha BSC, HSV showed more fight and were unlucky not to walk away with more as in the end the team from Berlin won the game 2-1. “We will have to be patient. HSV don’t have a lot to lose but everything to gain and so will play with freedom,” explained Tedesco.

A win over HSV would be the seventh in a row for Schalke and would mean a new club record. No Schalke side of old has every gone seven Bundesliga games without dropping with a single point. However, Tedesco explained that such a record does not interest him, “We are heading into the game as we do every other; we want to win!” The coach even admitted that their current run spurs them on even more, “I would be lying if I were to say that it doesn’t feel good.”

The fact that Naldo, Benjamin Stambouli, Matija Nastasic, Breel Embolo and Daniel Caligiuri are all one yellow card away from a suspension, which if picked up this weekend would mean missing the derby against Dortmund, is frustrating but nothing more. Tedesco admitted that risk of suspension would be no reason to change the modus operandi for the Hamburg game. “We speak a lot about tactics but avoiding suspensions never comes into our discussions,” explained Tedesco. “It would be a huge mistake to go to Hamburg and be less aggressive than usual. We want to put the pedal to the metal and not back out because there is a chance that someone could get a yellow.”

Tedesco will be able to draw upon the full depth of his squad for the game against HSV. Daniel Caligiuri, Bastian Oczipka, Naldo and Matija Nastasic have been nursing some minor muscle problems in the days prior to the game but the coach stated that these problems were “nothing major”. Guido Burgstaller did sit training out to control muscle fatigue but in the sessions just before the game the whole squad should be together.