Derby time!

Leonardo Bittencourt on the importance of the Nordderby

Leonardo Bittencourt is looking to pick up three points on Sunday
Leonardo Bittencourt is looking to pick up three points on Sunday (Photo: nordphoto).
First Team
Thursday, 24.02.2022 / 16:10

Leonardo Bittencourt has competed in several derbies already in his career, but hasn’t featured in a Nordderby yet. Sunday’s match against Hamburger SV (27.02.2022, 13:30 CET) will therefore be a special game for the 28-year-old. “Every derby is different, which is why I’m very much looking forward to Sunday. I can feel that there’s a lot of chatter about it here, both at the club and in the city. That automatically makes you more excited for it, when you know there’s a derby coming up on the weekend and that it means a lot to the club, the city and the fans,” Bittencourt said during a press conference on Thursday. “I’m looking forward to being on the pitch and feeling what it’s like to play in a Nordderby and I hope that we win the match.”

In order for that to become reality, the team have been “training hard” in recent days in preparation for this weekend’s opponents. “We have thoroughly analysed the opponent and know what we need to do,” said Bittencourt. He added, “Every team has its weaknesses. No team is unbeatable. HSV are a team with a lot of quality and they are deservedly near the top, and have been for many years. The team will demand a lot from us, but we want to do the same to them, which is why we are hoping for a great game with a good result for us.”

"Each derby has its own rules"

Leonardo Bittencourt is looking forward to his first Nordderby
Leonardo Bittencourt is looking forward to his first Nordderby (Photo: W.DE).

Bittencourt isn’t worried about the fact that HSV are yet to lose at the Volksparkstadion this season. “Every team is beatable. Even if HSV are enjoying a strong run at home and haven’t lost for a while, there will come a time when that ends, which is what we have been working so hard towards this week. We want to take on this game and win it,” Bittencourt said emphatically.

However, derbys are very unpredictable, as the 28-year-old underlined: "Derbys have the feel of a cup tie,” suggests Bittencourt, “anything can happen. It is irrelevant as to which team is going into the match in the better shape. The form table goes out the window. The emotion and gravity of the match is brought to the fore. It’s a game where you leave everything out on the pitch. That’s what derbys are all about.”

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