Salihovic fears relegation scrap

Midfielder admits struggling side are lacking confidence

By Thomas Zocher.   Last Updated: February 7, 2012 12:07pm

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Sejad Salihovic: Admits Hoffenheim need to raise their game to stay up this term

Sky Bet

Bosnian midfielder Sejad Salihovic has called for more from his Hoffenheim team-mates if they want to avoid a Bundesliga relegation battle this season.

The German club, who gained promotion to the top-flight in the 2007-08 season, have won just one of their last 10 league games.

They remain eighth in the table but sit just seven points clear of the relegation zone.

Salihovic, who joined Hoffenheim in 2006 and helped them to back-to-back promotions from the third tier to the Bundesliga, insists his side need to up their game if they want to beat the drop.

Difficult

"We are in a difficult situation inside this club," he told Cologne-based tabloid Express.

"We are lacking confidence and we have not won much in front of our home crowd this season.

"Many things have gone wrong with this club and transfers in recent seasons. We have lost many, many good players. This has not been easy to handle.

"If we want to avoid fighting the drop, everyone needs to improve by 20 or 30 per cent. We need to enforce our luck, otherwise it will be a close call!"

Salihovic, who is out of contract with Hoffenheim at the end of the season, has scored five goals in 13 appearances for the German side this term.