Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga, Katharina Piljic,Leverkusen Appeal

21-year-old returns to her hometown to face her former club


Katharina Piljic, born in Essen, has made an impressive leap from the youth ranks of SGS Essen to the Google Pixel Women's Bundesliga.  She returns to her hometown to face her former club, SGS Essen, as a midfielder for Bayer 04 Leverkusen .


In an interview with DFB.de, the 21-year-old shared her thoughts about the upcoming game and her transition to Leverkusen.


When asked if she might accidentally walk into the wrong locker room at Hafenstrasse Stadium, Piljic laughed and reassured, "I think I can manage it and will take the right door." Returning to Essen will be emotional for her, as it marks the first time she has left both her club and hometown. "My family and many friends will be in the stadium," she added, acknowledging the significance of the occasion.


Although she has maintained regular contact with her former teammates, Piljic emphasized that friendships would be put on hold during the match. Piljic spent her youth years at SGS Essen and was the only regular player to depart before this season.


She explained that moving away from her comfort zone and hometown was a step toward personal and professional growth, with Leverkusen offering an appealing next stage in her career. Settling into her new environment in Leverkusen has gone smoothly.


Having her own apartment for the first time has allowed her to adjust to living independently, and the long pre-season helped her integrate well with her new team. In comparing her former club, SGS Essen, to Bayer Leverkusen, Piljic highlighted the differences in infrastructure, as Leverkusen is a larger club. However, she praised the excellent work done at Essen, particularly under Coach Markus Högner, who consistently builds competitive young teams.


Following in the footsteps of her former teammate Elisa Senß, Piljic is focused on making her mark at Leverkusen, hoping to develop her game further. Her experience playing for Germany's youth national teams from U15 to U19 remains a source of pride, as wearing the national jersey is an honor she deeply values. Reflecting on Bayer Leverkusen’s start to the season, Piljic expressed satisfaction with their performance, having secured four points from two matches.


Despite conceding a two-goal lead in their 2-2 draw against Eintracht Frankfurt, she believes the team showed resilience and the ability to compete with top teams in the league. Looking ahead, Piljic sees room for improvement in keeping clean sheets and converting more scoring opportunities.

With FC Bayern Munich being the only undefeated team after two matchdays, she notes that the Bundesliga is competitive and unpredictable, especially at the start of the season.


As for Bayer Leverkusen’s ambitions, Piljic is optimistic: “We want to improve on last season’s sixth place and attack as high up as possible.” When discussing SGS Essen, she acknowledged the team's tough start, but warned that their strong mentality makes them a formidable opponent. With both sides seeking victory in today's matchup,


Piljic is confident that Bayer Leverkusen’s current form and intense playing style under their new coach, Roberto Pätzold, will be enough to secure the three points.


Conclusion

Katharina Piljic’s journey from her hometown of Essen to Bayer Leverkusen has been one of growth, challenge, and new beginnings.


As she faces her former team her focus remains on continuing her development and contributing to Leverkusen’s success. Whatever the outcome, this duel will be a defining moment in her career, highlighting her dedication to both her past and future in the world of football.


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Mandarin / 汉语

尼 ### 上周末的意甲女足比赛回顾及赛程前瞻 在过去的这个周末，意甲女足联赛中所有10支球队参加了本赛季的第三轮比赛。每场比赛的结果都对积分榜产生了重要影响，突显出球 队表现的关键变化及整个赛季可能的发展轨迹。让我们来逐场分析比赛，并展望下周的比赛。 ---