Wigan Athletic v TSG 1899 Hoffenheim

Wigan Athletic face Bundesliga club 1899 Hoffenheim this evening in the final game of the week long preseason training camp in Austria

The first two games, which brought a win and a draw against local opposition, GW Micheldorf, and Bulgarian side PFC Botev Plovdiv, respectively have proved to be good work outs for the Latics, though tonight's match against Hoffenheim is the showcase game of the tour

In the two previous games, Latics striker Mauro Boselli, returning from a year long loan has found the net in two appearances and boss Roberto Martinez is delighted, Martinez say's - 'Mauro is a goalscorer and he needs to score goals

'It's great to see certain individuals developing in this period like Mauro who has been away from the Club for a whole year but looked very sharp in and around the penalty area which is what his game is all about.'

The season ahead is a critical one for the Argentine striker, he failed to find his feet in Europe at both the Latics and on loan at Genoa in Italy, this was largely put down to family issues, which have now been resolved, Boselli married his fiancé and she is now able to come to the UK to stay with her husband, obviously this will ease some strain on the home live and we could see a new man out on the pitch, lets hope so

Boselli isn't the only player looking to impress during the preseason, last year Dave Jones, Ben Watson and Conor Sammon all featured less in the starting eleven than they would have liked and they are all putting the work in to get noticed

Jones scored from a free kick during the week as the Latics drew with Plovdiv and he is determined to catch the bosses eye, Jones say's -'I learnt a lot from the last campaign that has helped me improve as a player, and my focus now is on getting those fitness levels up and competing for a place in the team of course.'

Talented midfield man Ben Watson also wants more game time, but he understands that when it's going well on the pitch it's difficult for the boss to change things round, he says -'Last season I worked hard but the team did so well that it was difficult for it to be changed.

'For me now it is just a case of having a good pre-season, working hard and hopefully impressing the gaffer and the management staff and getting back into that team.'

So tonight will be another chance to impress, Hoffenheim, as previously said are a strong side, so this will be a tough encounter, the match takes place at Bad Wimsbach with a 7pm (local time) kick-off, UK time for the game is 6pm

Live text from the game can be followed on the Latics Official website

















Latics and Proud



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