DFB.de: Which BVB players are you looking forward to playing against?
Andrich: The whole of Dortmund’s team is filled with international experience. It’ll be a lot of fun to come up against them. It’ll be an enormous challenge to go into tackles with Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gündogan or Nuri Sahin.
DFB.de: You’ve already knocked out two teams from the Ruhr region in the previous two rounds in FC Schalke 04 and VfL Bochum. Did you follow the first two games? What are your chances of getting through?
Andrich: I watched both games and I have to say that everything went well. The team were carried by the fans and showed that they could hold their own against opponents like that. No one is expecting an upset against BVB but anything is possible.
DFB.de: What will decide the game against Dortmund?
Andrich: Everyone will have to stand up and be counted if we’re to have a chance. We’ll do a lot of running and put in a battling performance and we’ll have to defend exceptionally well in order to keep Borussia at bay. We won’t get many chances going forward so we’ll have to make the most of them.
DFB.de: How much of an advantage is it to be playing in Dresden?
Andrich: The whole stadium will be yellow and black and the fans will get behind us. That’ll spur us on.
Yellow and black against yellow and back: both colours will dominate in Tuesday’s DFB Cup last 16 tie between third division Dynamo Dresden and Champions League side Borussia Dortmund (20:30 CET). Dresden have already knocked out two clubs from the Ruhr region in the first two rounds: FC Schalke 04 (2-1) and VfL Bochum (2-1 after extra time).
Germany Under-20 international Robert Andrich from Dynamo Dresden spoke to DFB.de about the upcoming game in the DFB Cup, his record crowd to date and how the 3. Liga is a springboard.
DFB.de: Have you been able to sleep over the last few days in the build up to your game against Borussia Dortmund in the DFB Cup Mr Andrich?
Robert Andrich: We have been looking forward to this fixture but our focus was on Saturday’s league game in Regensburg. It was made even better by the fact that we came away with all three points. Now we can look forward to the game against BVB.
DFB.de: Is the game against the Champions League side from the Ruhr region the high point of your career so far?
Andrich: Yes in every way. It’ll be something special for everyone, for the club and for our fans.
DFB.de: Have you ever played in front of 30,000 fans before?
Andrich: Not yet up to now. The most number of fans that I’ve played against was 20,797 during our league game against SV Wehen Wiesbaden. I played in front of 7000 or 8000 for Hertha reserves in Magdeburg.
DFB.de: Which BVB players are you looking forward to playing against?
Andrich: The whole of Dortmund’s team is filled with international experience. It’ll be a lot of fun to come up against them. It’ll be an enormous challenge to go into tackles with Mats Hummels, Ilkay Gündogan or Nuri Sahin.
DFB.de: You’ve already knocked out two teams from the Ruhr region in the previous two rounds in FC Schalke 04 and VfL Bochum. Did you follow the first two games? What are your chances of getting through?
Andrich: I watched both games and I have to say that everything went well. The team were carried by the fans and showed that they could hold their own against opponents like that. No one is expecting an upset against BVB but anything is possible.
DFB.de: What will decide the game against Dortmund?
Andrich: Everyone will have to stand up and be counted if we’re to have a chance. We’ll do a lot of running and put in a battling performance and we’ll have to defend exceptionally well in order to keep Borussia at bay. We won’t get many chances going forward so we’ll have to make the most of them.
DFB.de: How much of an advantage is it to be playing in Dresden?
Andrich: The whole stadium will be yellow and black and the fans will get behind us. That’ll spur us on.
DFB.de: Your move from Hertha BSC to Dynamo went through smoothly but at the last minute at the end of January. What tipped the balance for you?
Andrich: My contract in Berlin was going to run out in the summer and something was lacking for me going forward. I was in the squad in the 2. Liga twice but I didn’t get any more chances. I didn’t want to play in the Regionalliga permanently. When Dynamo Dresden’s Sporting Director Ralf Minge got in contact, we agreed things very quickly. Dynamo is a quality club and Dresden is an attractive city. The philosophy of the club, the fact that they are aware of youth players in Germany, was what convinced me to sign here long term.
DFB.de: You lost the first game after your move. Manager Stefan Böger left and now there’s a new man on the touchline in Peter Nemeth. That wasn’t easy for you was it?
Andrich: That’s right. Our poor start after the winter break was surprising after how well the first half of the season went. But I hope that we’ve sparked a turnaround with the win in Regensburg and we can start to look upwards again in the table. Anything is possible in the 3. Liga.
DFB.de: What aims did you set out for your time in Dresden?
Andrich: They were quite clear: I want to get promoted with Dynamo into the 2. Bundesliga as quickly as possible in order to establish ourselves in that league again. We’ll have to see whether it can happen this season. Everything is still possible. It’ll only come about if we perform at our maximum capacity for the final eleven games. Then we’ll see where we’re at.
DFB.de: What impressions do you have of the 3. Liga so far?
Andrich: The league is exciting as anyone can beat anyone. A lot of long balls are used which is something I had to get used to. But I’m looking forward to the challenge and will do everything I can in order to help the side.
DFB.de: You currently play for Germany’s Under-20s. Some of your teammates also play in the 3. Liga. Does that show the quality of the league?
Andrich: It shows how high the quality is and that a lot of good work has been done at the clubs. The 3. Liga has already been a springboard for players to reach the Bundesliga. My chances are certainly not over yet.
