Zinsberger: You should not write off Frankfurt by any means. That would be a big mistake. To put it bluntly, no one has won the championship after 12 match days. The second half of the season will be long and hard, as a lot can happen.
DFB.de: What did you think about the match in Frankfurt?
Zinsberger: Firstly, I am absolutely convinced that the victory was deserved. We showed, especially in the first half, that we were better at putting pressure on the ball. Not once did I have to seriously intervene. It was clear that Frankfurt would throw everyone forward after the break when they were 2-0 down but we also did well to well to resist them and overall we let very little past us.
DFB.de: Was it your best performance of the season so far?
Zinsberger: Probably, as we were very, very strong, especially in the first half. Everything worked.
DFB.de: Is your strong defense currently the centerpiece of your team?
Zinsberger: The fact that our defense is so good at the moment is certainly one of the reasons for our success. It is important to have a good defense and I think that is the basis of a good team. But going forward we always have good quality and can score goals.
DFB.de: In the New Year, important players will return from injury. Leonie Maier has just come back. Will FC Bayern therefore get stronger?
The FC Bayern women’s football team have made their first big mark on the Bundesliga. After a 2-1 victory at 1. FFC Frankfurt, FC Bayern have finally joined the favourites for the Bundesliga title. Coach Thomas Wörle won the game with goals from Kathrine Stengel und Mana Iwabuchi, while goalkeeper Manuela Zinsberger also played a decisive role in the win. In an interview with DFB.de, the first 19-year-old Austrian national team player spoke about the victory and the two last games before Christmas.
DFB.de: Ms Zinsberger, after the win in Frankfurt, do you know think you can win the Bundesliga with FC Bayern München?
Manuela Zinsberger: We do not look that far ahead. We know that we have started really well but the only important thing is the next match against Freiburg. That’s what matters.
DFB.de: And on the 21st December you play against Frankfurt again…
Zinsberger: That’s right, for the German Cup quarter-final. But once again, we are not thinking about this right now. Sure, it would be great to still be in the competition over winter but first we need to do our homework for the game against Freiburg. That requires another concentrated performance and we cannot let up.
DFB.de: What makes you so strong at the moment?
Zinsberger: We are good as a team and speak a lot with one another. That is incredibly important. Apart from that, we have a lot of trust in each other. It’s actually working very well at the moment but, once again, we must not rest on our laurels.
DFB.de: Frankfurt are now quite far back. Does that point towards a three-way battle for the title between Wolfsburg, München and Potsdam?
Zinsberger: You should not write off Frankfurt by any means. That would be a big mistake. To put it bluntly, no one has won the championship after 12 match days. The second half of the season will be long and hard, as a lot can happen.
DFB.de: What did you think about the match in Frankfurt?
Zinsberger: Firstly, I am absolutely convinced that the victory was deserved. We showed, especially in the first half, that we were better at putting pressure on the ball. Not once did I have to seriously intervene. It was clear that Frankfurt would throw everyone forward after the break when they were 2-0 down but we also did well to well to resist them and overall we let very little past us.
DFB.de: Was it your best performance of the season so far?
Zinsberger: Probably, as we were very, very strong, especially in the first half. Everything worked.
DFB.de: Is your strong defense currently the centerpiece of your team?
Zinsberger: The fact that our defense is so good at the moment is certainly one of the reasons for our success. It is important to have a good defense and I think that is the basis of a good team. But going forward we always have good quality and can score goals.
DFB.de: In the New Year, important players will return from injury. Leonie Maier has just come back. Will FC Bayern therefore get stronger?
Zinsberger: I hope so. We are happy about every player that comes back from injury. It not only increases the quality in the squad but it also increases competition in training. We push each other because no one is sure that they will play at the weekend. It is a great situation for our coach Thomas Wörle to be in. He is the boss and must decide how we can achieve our goals as a team.
DFB.de: You came to Munich in the summer. How has it been so far?
Zinsberger: There was quite an upheaval in the squad over summer and a lot of the players are new. I am a bit surprised that we have been able to get along with each other so quickly and get used to each other’s game. I expected it to take longer for us to get used to each other but I have seen for myself how quickly you get integrated here. I feel great and am happy that I have taken this step.
DFB.de: You come from Austria. How is Germany different?
Zinsberger: Everything is extremely professional here and that is great for us players. You also realize that the level of the Allianz Frauen-Bundesliga is very high. There are no easy games here and a lot is demanded from you every week.
