Gaziantep FK
Hatayspor
Başakşehir
Kasımpaşa
Galatasaray
Sivasspor
Altay
Adanaspor
Çorum FK
Şanlıurfaspor
Manisa FK
Boluspor
Bandırmaspor
Keçiörengücü
Bodrum FK
Kocaelispor
Sakaryaspor
Tuzlaspor
Ümraniyespor
BB Erzurumspor
Gençlerbirliği
Giresunspor
Chelsea
West Ham
Liverpool
Tottenham
Brighton
Aston Villa
Union Berlin
Bochum
E. Frankfurt
B. Leverkusen
Heidenheim
Mainz 05
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Almeria
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Heracles
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Twente
Feyenoord
PEC Zwolle
Finn, pre-season is drawing to a close, the season will finally start up again with the DFB-Pokal tie away to VfB Lübeck on Monday. Are you looking forward to the opening competitive game?
“It’s really time for it to get going. VfB Lübeck are a really cool opponent for the first round of the DFB-Pokal. In addition, the game is taking place just around the corner from my hometown of Elmshorn, hence why I’m really looking forward to the match in Lübeck.”
You mentioned it there: Lübeck is only 70 kilometres away from your hometown. Will your family and friends be at the stadium?
“Ten people from my hometown want to watch the game in Lübeck. I hope I can get them all tickets (laughs). It just makes me very happy to be playing a game close to them again – since my transfer, I haven’t played a match so far north.”
What do you need to be prepared for in Lübeck?
“There will be an outstanding atmosphere at the Lohmühle, it definitely won’t be an easy game. We have to step on the gas and go for it right from the start. Lübeck should sense that we are the Bundesliga team and that we want to win the match at all costs.”
What’s been your take on pre-season – are you ready for the competitive restart?
“We’re definitely ready. Pre-season was fun, we had some very enticing friendly opponents. We saw a few things on the pitch against Fulham that we can learn from. It was also really cool to play against Rangers at the season opening event. Additionally, we played a really good game against Feyenoord during the training camp. That’s why I’m confident that we’ll go into the season well-prepared.”
You’re now heading into your second year at TSG. What are your goals for the new season?
I needed a bit of settling-in time in my first season. It was an adjustment for me, being away from my family and away from my home and swapping the north for the south. It then went better and better for me in the second half of the season, in what was a difficult campaign for us overall. I hope that we can now go on the attack together and that I can help. Maybe the game on Monday and the northern air will help me.” (laughs)
