Our Dutch phenomenon Xavi Simons has taken the Bundesliga by storm, but how is it going for him? Our 20-year-old sat down with the Bundesliga for a longform interview to talk about everything from the Real Madrid and Bayern Munich matches, the start to the year, and his time in Leipzig.
Here are the best bits from the interview:
Xavi Simons on…
… being RB Leipzig’s top assist creator
“Basically, I’m not the type of guy to focus on that, I’m more interested in improving and helping the team. Although at the end of the day it’s nice to have this, but for me, the most important thing is winning games.”
… if he prefers to score or assist
“If you were to ask me this years ago, I would say providing assists. But nowadays I would say scoring goals. Just because when you score, the adrenaline rush you get is just different. So I would say scoring goals.”
Xavi Simons on…
… Leipzig’s start to 2024
“It was not good, not good enough to be fair with you. When you are here in the week that you have to prepare the games, it’s totally different. The atmosphere, obviously you’re losing so that doesn’t help, but at the end you have to recover and try to win next weekend. Now we won [against Union Berlin on Matchday 20] but we have to keeo going.”
… if he’s concerned about UEFA Champions League qualification
“Obviously we lost points but it’s not the end of the season now. We’re building something. We have to continue and you have to give everything. We obviously lost three games and that’s not good. We know that, but now what we can say is that we have to keep going.”
“Obviously we lost points but it’s not the end of the season now. We’re building something. We have to continue and you have to give everything.”
… if his goal against Leverkusen is his best ever goal
“I would say it’s in the top three goals because it was difficult to score it. I got the ball from Xaver [Schlager] and I saw two people on my side, so I tried to turn with the ball. I didn’t think about it and I shot with my left foot. I would say it’s my best goal. I enjoyed it. It was important, the first of the game. So, yes, it was a good one.”
… what he felt when he scored that goal
“A lot because that week I was just thinking about that game. I wanted to win it. I wanted to show with my team what we are capable of. We ended up losing, but for me personally, it was a game that was really marked on my calendar.”
Xavi Simons on…
… his goal celebration where he ‘calls’ his brother
“I decided to do this one when I made the step to France, to Paris. I was telling my brother that I wanted to do something that people would recognise as my celebration. I didn’t want to do something that other people were doing. We were playing FIFA and this celebration came on – and we added the finger. I would say that it came like this, spontaneous with him.”
… his expectations against Bayern Munich on Matchday 23
“I’m looking forward to it obviously, but before that we have really difficult games as well. We have Augsburg this weekend. That’s the first one and obviously, Bayern Munich is a big game. Everyone will be watching that game and we know that. Like you said, we lost three games in a row, but now after beating Union Berlin we have to follow this line, starting with Augsburg. That’s our priority.”
… his thoughts on Jamal Musiala?
“He’s a really good guy. I know him from the youth teams. We played against each other a lot. I know him, he’s a really good player, quality, technical. I think everything is really good, top I would say. We’re both the same age and good players.”
… if he and Musiala are similar players?
“Yes, I would say maybe in terms of technique, he’s a player that can make the difference, just like me, I would say.”
Xavi Simons on…
… Champions League matchup against Real Madrid?
“It’s the biggest stage and you have to go and you have to try to win. That’s it. First of all, you have to respect Real Madrid, everyone knows that. But I would say for me personally, these are the games that a player wants to play in and enjoy.”
… what Leipzig has done for him in terms of his career?
“I’m improving myself. I needed a club that would help me to improve my progression. I’m 20 years old, I know I can do a lot of things better, but yes, I just wanted to be competing every week against the best. I’m playing in the Bundesliga and the Champions League, so I cannot prefer another stage, I would say.”
… on if this is the step he was looking for in his career?
“Yes, this is the step that I needed now, to reach the goal that I want to reach. This is for me, it’s really good that I’m here and improving every day.”