“We want three points and we are ready to get them!”

Lois Openda on …

… the upcoming match against Leverkusen.

• “Bayer Leverkusen is a top team. In the first matchup of the season we lost three two. We actually had the chance to win the game, but unfortunately, we came up short. Xabi Alonso was a top midfielder with great vision and passing game. And now as a coach he is becoming as good as he was as a player. Leverkusen has not lost a single game this season, not in the Bundesliga, not in the German Cup, not in the Europa League. That says it all about their quality. We are looking forward to playing against Leverkusen on Saturday. We know it won’t be easy for us, but with our fans, in our stadium, we will be ready. We want the three points, and we are ready to get them.”

… the conditions at RB Leipzig.

• “Since the first day it felt perfect for me at the club. The club, the team and the entire staff put me in a good condition to perform on a high level. Everything here is set to maximize the talent of all players. It’s really important for me to feel good and to feel like I am at home. If everything is set up around me, I think I can do just what I’m doing now. And I know that I can do more for sure. Our coach Marco Rose knows where to put the players to show the quality. We have the perfect mix of young and experienced players. In training everybody gives 100% to be in the starting 11. But still, in the team we try to help each other, no matter if you are challengers for the spot in the starting 11 or not. That is the mentality of the club: everybody together.
   

… his role models and his goals.

• “When I was young, Didier Drogba was my idol. I was watching all the games when he was playing for Chelsea and also with the national team. The way he was scoring goals, protecting the ball against defenders and also giving assists, was impressive. He had a big impact on each team he played for. I hope that I can become a top striker like him. I have to work very hard for that, and I will.

  It was a great move for me from Club Brugge to Vitesse Arnhem in the Netherlands because I had a lot of playing time there to develop. I built a lot of confidence. Then I decided to go to RC Lens because it is a good team in a bigger league. And now RB Leipzig is the perfect fit for me, being with a top club in a top league, playing Champions League and competing for titles. My family encouraged me to make this move since Leipzig is well known to develop young talent to stars of the game, giving them confidence and trust. If you look at the team now, with young talents like Xavi, Sesko, Lukeba, just to name a few. You just know that this is the right spot for me. I want to become the best version of myself, and I am confident that RB Leipzig can help me do that.”

… playing Real Madrid in the round of 16 of the UEFA Champions League

• “Real Madrid is one of the best team in the world. In 2018, I played against Real with Club Brugge in the Champions League. And I can tell you that it’s not easy to win a game against them. But we have shown in the Champions League group stage that we can perform great on that level. When we played Manchester City, we showed our mentality and that we have a chance to play those teams if we play on our highest level. Madrid have so much experience to win big games. Their players, like Vinicius, Kroos, Modric and many more just know how to win those games. However, we will play them with confidence, we won’t be scared because we also want to stay in the competition. That’s our goal, that is our mentality. The last few years, Leipzig showed that we can compete with the best teams out there. I think we can develop into an even bigger club as we are already, especially by taking on those teams and showing what we are made of. Because we truly believe that you can do anything.”