Marcel Sabitzer prior to the Augsburg game: "We'll give it our all to win!" | OneFootball

Marcel Sabitzer played for Austria at youth international level for the first time in 2009 and made his professional debut in 2010. He has now played well over 500 games over the course of his career and is one of the most experienced players in the BVB squad – and a point of contact for the younger Borussia players: “You have to exude something,” explained the Austrian, who knows that every team-mate needs something different depending on their character: "Sometimes it's calm, sometimes it's getting louder, sometimes it's giving tips."

But Sabitzer receives support too. Not only from his team-mates but also from Niko Kovac, who recently expressed his confidence in his midfield man publicly. "I'm extremely happy with him; he's performing really well,” said Kovac of the Austrian, who has started all seven matches under the new BVB coach, at the press conference prior to the Bundesliga match away to FC St. Pauli. Kovac's confidence spurs Sabitzer on even more: “Of course it gives me a good feeling.” The 30-year-old wants to pay that back "with commitment, passion and quality on the pitch too."

These routines and these automatisms help not only Sabitzer, but rather the entire team. "That is an important factor," said the midfielder in reference to the improving form of the Black & Yellows, who have not tasted defeat in their last four matches across all competitions, scoring nine goals and conceding only one in the process. “It's very often been the same players on the pitch, in the same positions. Everyone has their role, which they try to implement in a way that helps the team."

With mutual support and automatisms in place, the aim will be to keep going that way against the next opponent: Borussia will host FC Augsburg at SIGNAL IDUNA PARK on Saturday. The fact that Borussia currently have to make a mental switch between the Bundesliga and Champions League every few days is not a problem for Sabitzer: “Every game is always full throttle for me.” In the current situation, in which Borussia are determined not to lose sight of the international places, the Bundesliga is “extremely important to ensure that we really stay in contention". Sabitzer and his team-mates are acutely aware that this is not just the goal of the 11 Black & Yellows on the pitch: “Everyone is aware of the situation and what it means to perform well at our stadium again: so that the people happier and us too, of course. That's the thinking."

Borussia lost the reverse fixture away to Augsburg by a 2-1 scoreline. But, Sabitzer explained, "now we're playing at home, we have different approaches, new approaches, different automatisms. I of course believe that we can win the game." In addition to the routines that have now been established, Borussia require something else in order to get three points on Saturday: “We need bite, liveliness up front and aggressive pressing so that we stress them a lot and then bring our qualities to bear. We will now prepare well for that."

The fact that former Borussia man Marius Wolf, a good friend of Marcel Sabitzer's, plays for Augsburg makes the game a special occasion for the Austrian – but: “There's rarely any banter or anything else this close to the game”. The most important thing for Sabitzer? “We want to win the game and we'll give it our all to do that!"