‘Regensburg will push Bayern all the way’

The past will interrupt the present on two occasions this weekend for Tobias Schweinsteiger, the older brother of FCB vice-captain Bastian Schweinsteiger. On Saturday, Tobi appears for FC Bayern II against Rosenheim, the club where he played as a youth, and on Monday he will travel to Regensburg to watch the DFB Cup first round tie between SSV Jahn and Jupp Heynckes’ side. Schweinsteiger captained Regensburg last season as they won promotion to the German second division, but the striker opted for a switch to the Munich reserves this summer.

FCB II have scored eight goals in seven fourth division matches so far, and Tobi has contributed two goals and three assists. Interviewed by fcbayern.de, he spoke about the season so far, returning to Rosenheim, and what Bayern can expect at the Jahnstadion in Regensburg.

Interview: Tobias Schweinsteiger

fcbayern.de: Tobi, Bayern travel to Regensburg on Monday. How hard will it be to get the right result?
Tobias Schweinsteiger: Regensburg will push Bayern all the way. In their early second division fixtures, they’ve showed they’re very well organised and good in defence. They have quality up front too. They've taken their first three points of the season against Duisburg, so they'll be confident. It'll be important to take an early lead and calm the match down.

What can Bayern expect at the Jahnstadion?
The stadium will be sold out. The dressing rooms, the showers and the toilets are all not exactly new. You need to find the right approach to a match like this. I recently spoke to Dante, who travelled to Regensburg in the first round of the cup last year with Gladbach [and won 3-1]. He told me it wasn't easy playing there, and it will be just as hard for Bayern.

Are you still in touch with anyone at the club?
We had a fantastic group at the club last season and I'm still in touch regularly, mostly with Michi Hofmann and Jim-Patrick Müller. We text each other every day or two.

You were captain in Regensburg. Who are you rooting for on Monday?
Blood is thicker than water. I hope Basti and Bayern make it through, although I'm also hoping it won't be a crushing victory.

Turning to FC Bayern II, you’re third in the table after seven matches. Are you satisfied?
Over the last three to four weeks, we've found out where we still have work to do. The lads are all trying hard to continue developing. We've found our best shape on the field, and we need to keep up the good work.

You have the best defence in the league with only two goals against. Is that the foundation for a successful season?
Defending is the most important thing at every level. If you don't concede, you can't lose. And we have quality in attack, even on days when it's not going so well.

After a series of draws at the start, coach Mehmet Scholl wrote off your chances of the championship. But now you're up to third…
We’re there or thereabouts at the top, but the coach is right to say it's not all come together yet. There's no way we can think we’ll stride clear at the top or definitely win promotion. We have to fix the details first.

You meet your former club Rosenheim on Saturday. Are you looking forward to it?
I left Rosenheim as an under-16 and I've only played there again once, in a local cup tie with Regensburg last season. Rosenheim keep it tight at the back and they'll try and hit us on the break. We'll have to be patient. And we're up against a senior men's side [reserve teams in the lower divisions are U-23 teams], which always means a bit of adjustment. It'll be a really difficult match.