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Paqarada: "It's a question of being fired up and ready on the dot"

Leart Paqarada did not recover in time to face Eintracht Braunschweig but will be ready for the home derby on Friday evening (18.30 CET). The St. Pauli skipper took time out after training on Tuesday afternoon to look ahead to the game in conversation with the Hamburg media.

Leart Paqarada on…

...his physical shape: "I feel good. My body is playing along again and I'm happy to be back on the training ground with the boys and ready to help the team."

...the first day of training in derby week: "We're all aware of the situation and we're approaching it accordingly. Your attitude, vocalness and physicality in training is one way of doing that. You take what you practise and how you practise into the game. We're already trying to flip the switch. You could see that in training in the tenacity on show. We have to keep that going until Friday and then take it up another notch."

...the tension ahead of the game: The players are fired up, but everyone deals with it differently. The situation isn't what we envisioned. For us the game less about pressure and more of an opportunity, one that comes at the right time to turn the ship around. There's also a chance to draw some euphoria from it for the next few weeks."

...potentially going up against Bakery Jatta: "I'm not preparing specifically for him. I know his strengths and his weaknesses, too. He's a good player and the most recent derby at the Volkspark was one of my weaker displays. It's about turning it around again. I'm in good spirits and full of confidence. I don't feel any pressure, I want to perform well, help the team and take all three points. Ultimately, whether I face Jatta, Kittel or Königsdörffer is irrelevant."

Leart Paqarada under challenge from Bakery Jatta, who scored HSV’s winner in a 2-1 victory, in the most recent derby.

Leart Paqarada under challenge from Bakery Jatta, who scored HSV’s winner in a 2-1 victory, in the most recent derby.

...the position going into the derby: I don't think the league table or current form play much of a role in games like these. We were top when we lost the second of the two derby games last season. It's a question of being fired up and ready on the dot. Your form on the day, your bite, your attitude towards the derby, your willingness to put everything on the line, and understanding what the derby is all about are bigger factors. We have to take what we practise during the week into Friday evening's game and be willing to cover every blade of grass. We all know what the derby means for both clubs and the whole city. There's a huge sense of anticipation. The Millerntor is sold out, it's a Friday night game - it doesn't get any better."

...the first sell-out crowd of the season: The last few years have shown what we're capable of with the fans behind us at the Millerntor. It can give you a huge lift, especially when things aren't going so well during a game. I do think a packed Millerntor can be a bonus for us."


Photos: Witters

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