Schalke coach David Wagner admitting he is getting impatient waiting for what is sure to be an emotional Revierderby against his former employers Borussia Dortmund.
Wagner experienced the fixture as a Schalke player and then as an interested observer while spending five years as coach of Borussia Dortmund II, but Saturday will be his first time in the dugout for the prestigious fixture.
“For me there is extreme anticipation,” Wagner said. “I am just as excited as everyone else for this game. We cannot wait and want the derby to finally start.”
“It is important that you focus on the essentials and try to separate yourself from the euphoria and the emotion,” he said.
“The emotion is incredibly important but it is just as important to focus.”
Wagner’s only injury concern for the match is American Weston McKennie, who missed last week’s loss to Hoffenheim with a muscle injury and will be assessed. Suat Serdar is fit again after also missing that match.
“We’ll see if he can play on Saturday, but he’s doing much better and there is a good chance he’ll play,” Favre said.
“Schalke have found stability,” he said. “They are very good at pressing, they are extremely athletic and they run strongly.”
“I expect that you will see from our team that they know the meaning of this game – of course for the table, but completely especially for our fans,” he said.
“I expect you to see that they really want to win the game. If Schalke runs one metre, we’ll run one metre more. We want to earn this win with every fibre in the body.”
