On Sunday mornings, the Reds gather for brunch at the 96 Arena before heading off to Braunschweig for the highly anticipated derby against Hannover 96’s arch-rivals, Eintracht Braunschweig. The sports director, Marcus Mann, is especially excited as he used to be coached by Braunschweig’s manager, Peter Vollmann, in his earlier years.
Mann cheekily tells BILD that there’s nothing he loves more than being insulted by the opposing team’s fans, winning the game, and leaving as a champion. Although this derby is not as well-known as Dortmund versus Schalke, it’s equally explosive and has gained momentum over the years.
Coach Stefan Leitl is looking to inspire his players and wants to rally them to give their best performance yet. He believes that derby games are more than just a football match, with the emotions and passion between rival teams driving the atmosphere.
Leitl has full faith in his experienced players and has benched two key players for this match, Julian Börner and Fabian Kunze. He trusts newer players like Luka Krajnc and Max Besuschkow to step up and ensure a victory over Braunschweig.
Despite the pressure on the players, Leitl wants them to enjoy the derby and hopes that they will approach the game with great joy. The 2100 Hanover fans in attendance will be cheering the team on, and with all players in good health, the team is raring to go.
Hendrik Weydandt is set to lead the team to victory, with support from Nielsen in midfield and Schaub in the starting eleven.
This derby is sure to be a thrilling game, with both teams determined to come out on top.
