Last November, the Germany women won 2-1 against England in front of 78,000 fans at Wembley. This year, the game will take place under very different conditions, with the game taking place behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Although Tuesday’s friendly in Wiesbaden will not be played in front of the fans, the importance of the game remains the same.
In the lead up to the match, defender Kathrin Hendrich, who provided an assist against England last time out, spoke about the upcoming game, her summer move to VfL Wolfsburg and the current state of women’s football.
Kathrin Hendrich on...
…the injuries within the national team: Of course it’s being talked about, also because we feel for those who are injured. However, we have a lot of squad depth and will have to try and compensate for those who are missing. It’s not easy because they’re key players, but that’s part of the game.
…playing behind closed doors after playing in front of 78,000 fans at Wembley: It’s too bad that there will not be any fans there. It’s something that we as players draw from. However, we have to accept it. I think we can be happy that we’re even able to play football at the moment. We will make the best of it.
…the growing rivalry with England: I think that both teams are on the same level. The last games were very intense. Given that so many of us play for the same clubs, it’s become something special. Personally, I really enjoy games like that.
…room for improvement on the pitch: So far, we’ve done a pretty good job. We can still work on improving our dominance during the game and our confidence on the ball. With the players that we have, we should be able to do so. We want to be more focused in possession, as well as create chances and take them.
…her move to Wolfsburg in these uncertain times: It all happened very quickly, we didn’t have a lot of time. I had boxes everywhere still needing to be unpacked and pre-season had already started. With the Champions League tournament still to play, it was clear that I’d have to move immediately. Of course we would have liked to have won the tournament but I’m still very happy to have taken this step and feel very at home here so far.
…the competition between Wolfsburg and her former club, Bayern München: Right now we’re just behind them, but that can change. I hope that we will soon overtake them again. If we win against them in two weeks time then the table will look very different once again. It’s still early on in the season, so there’s a lot that can happen still.
…Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands’ joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup: Of course I was really excited when I heard the news. I have a connection to all three countries. If it’s successful then it would be a huge moment for all of women’s football. I’m crossing my fingers.
…the current state of women’s football: Many people are talking about the hype surrounding the game in countries like Spain or England. Women’s football is a fast growing market, if it’s given full support. Hosting an event like the 2027 World Cup would be a big step and would give us players the feeling that something big is happening. It’s also raises awareness. I think we’re on the right path but that there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Women’s football deserves more recognition.
[dfb/mmc]
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Last November, the Germany women won 2-1 against England in front of 78,000 fans at Wembley. This year, the game will take place under very different conditions, with the game taking place behind closed doors due to the Coronavirus pandemic. Although Tuesday’s friendly in Wiesbaden will not be played in front of the fans, the importance of the game remains the same.
In the lead up to the match, defender Kathrin Hendrich, who provided an assist against England last time out, spoke about the upcoming game, her summer move to VfL Wolfsburg and the current state of women’s football.
Kathrin Hendrich on...
…the injuries within the national team: Of course it’s being talked about, also because we feel for those who are injured. However, we have a lot of squad depth and will have to try and compensate for those who are missing. It’s not easy because they’re key players, but that’s part of the game.
…playing behind closed doors after playing in front of 78,000 fans at Wembley: It’s too bad that there will not be any fans there. It’s something that we as players draw from. However, we have to accept it. I think we can be happy that we’re even able to play football at the moment. We will make the best of it.
…the growing rivalry with England: I think that both teams are on the same level. The last games were very intense. Given that so many of us play for the same clubs, it’s become something special. Personally, I really enjoy games like that.
…room for improvement on the pitch: So far, we’ve done a pretty good job. We can still work on improving our dominance during the game and our confidence on the ball. With the players that we have, we should be able to do so. We want to be more focused in possession, as well as create chances and take them.
…her move to Wolfsburg in these uncertain times: It all happened very quickly, we didn’t have a lot of time. I had boxes everywhere still needing to be unpacked and pre-season had already started. With the Champions League tournament still to play, it was clear that I’d have to move immediately. Of course we would have liked to have won the tournament but I’m still very happy to have taken this step and feel very at home here so far.
…the competition between Wolfsburg and her former club, Bayern München: Right now we’re just behind them, but that can change. I hope that we will soon overtake them again. If we win against them in two weeks time then the table will look very different once again. It’s still early on in the season, so there’s a lot that can happen still.
…Germany, Belgium and the Netherlands’ joint bid to host the 2027 Women’s World Cup: Of course I was really excited when I heard the news. I have a connection to all three countries. If it’s successful then it would be a huge moment for all of women’s football. I’m crossing my fingers.
…the current state of women’s football: Many people are talking about the hype surrounding the game in countries like Spain or England. Women’s football is a fast growing market, if it’s given full support. Hosting an event like the 2027 World Cup would be a big step and would give us players the feeling that something big is happening. It’s also raises awareness. I think we’re on the right path but that there’s still plenty of room for improvement. Women’s football deserves more recognition.
