Krösche: “We won’t lose our focus”

Third-tier club SC Paderborn 07 have written club history. The side had never reached the quarterfinals of the DFB-Pokal until this season. Even the die-hard fans of the club are allowing themselves to doubt whether another chapter can be written into the history books after the draw in the German Football Museum in Dortmund, where former Bundesliga side Paderborn were drawn against FC Bayern Munich. The match will be played on either 6th or 7th February in the Paderborner Arena, which has a capacity of approximately 15,000.

Paderborn’s sporting director Markus Krösche speaks to DFB.de about the moment the club was drawn, the “walkover” draw against Bayern Munich and the underdogs’ chances.

DFB.de: What went through your mind when FC Bayern were announced as your opponents at the draw?

Markus Krösche: All the teams in the draw were dreading one possible opponent – FC Bayern. It’s a huge challenge to beat them. However, we’ll take the challenge and we’re really excited to play a competitive match against Bayern and their many star-players.

DFB.de: So you were hoping for more beatable opponents?

Krösche: As the only remaining third-tier side in the DFB-Pokal, we would be the underdogs in any game. Now we’re facing the most formidable opponents possible.

DFB.de: Immediately after the draw in Dortmund, you joked that Bayern should be a walkover...

Krösche: At the same time, I was being serious. We finally really have nothing to lose. The team can play totally freely. No one is expecting anything of us.

DFB.de: How many requests for tickets have you alone received?

Krösche: I could fill a stand by myself (laughs). The interest is tremendous. My phone is constantly beeping.

DFB.de: You could definitely sell more tickets than places that the Paderborner Arena has. Does relocation come into the question?

Krösche: We haven’t planned to do so. We want to enjoy this highlight together with our fans in our own stadium.

DFB.de: How did the team react?

Krösche: With a realistic attitude, just like myself. We all know that progressing to the semifinals is a highly unlikely event and the DFB-Pokal generates extra income for us. The league remains our primary goal and we won’t lose that focus.

DFB.de: What must happen for SC Paderborn 07 to have a chance to pull off the unthinkable?

Krösche: We need to have a very good day and for Bayern to have a less good day – that and luck are what we need. But one thing is clear – despite Bayern’s dominance, we will also get our chances. We’ve had a lot of excellent home games so far this season and Bayern know that too. No team, Bayern included, travels to Paderborn having won before the kick-off whistle has even sounded. We have a lot of confidence as a team.

DFB.de: Do you think the excitement for the DFB-Pokal match will affect the team?

Krösche: That won’t happen to us. We’ll be solely focused on the league up until the Bayern game, then we’ll prepare for the DFB-Pokal game as well as the clash with FC Rot-Weiß Erfurt. The league is what matters the most to the club at the end of the day.

DFB.de: If you could only choose one, would you pull off a win against Bayern or be achieve promotion to the Bundesliga 2?

Krösche: I’d take both anyway (laughs). But really, we want to defend our second place in the table with all our might.

DFB.de: SC Paderborn 07 have already made a lot of extra income through the DFB-Pokal. How will it be used?

Krösche: We’re happy to have this extra money. It doesn’t, however, mean that we’ll be going on a mad shopping spree. We’ve already made a winter signing in the shape of Phillip Tietz from Eintracht Braunschweig and we’re happy with this signing. We have faith in our squad and it’s well-balanced at the moment. Should there be another opportunity or should we need to, we’re well placed to react.