Badstuber: “I still need time”

Bayern’s 8-0 thumping of Hamburg was a particularly special occasion for Holger Badstuber. He started his first game back after five months out and put in a solid performance, which made it seem like he'd never been away. Badstuber played the full 90 minutes.

In an interview with DFB.de the 25-year-old discussed his comeback, his future aims and Tuesday’s Champions League round of 16 fixture against Shakhtar Donetsk.

DFB.de: Mr. Badstuber, isn’t it a great feeling when a comeback goes to plans?

Holger Badstuber: It is. I can’t complain. It was a good victory for us and it was also an important one considering what's coming up shortly. It was a good day and now we can look ahead.

DFB.de: Did you imagine your return would go like this?

Badstuber: As a defender I wanted to keep a clean sheet. We worked well as a team and the crowd was great too. We were good offensively and were aggressive when we needed to be, which made the difference. It’s always easier if you’re ahead at the break. It's also worth remembering that we have some excellent individual players.

DFB.de: And how did you personally feel?

Badstuber: It was great to know that the staff have faith in my fitness and ability. It feels good and is important to me.

DFB.de: How happy are you with your 90 minutes?

Badstuber: It went well. Matches are different from training sessions. It's good to be on the pitch again and to be on the winning side. I will keep improving – step by step.

DFB.de: Was it a step toward the form you used to have?

Badstuber: I’ve still got a long way to go. I’m grateful for the chance to complete the game. I want to keep playing and giving it my all. The game went well and I’m happy that the team worked together so well.

DFB.de: What are your views on your personal situation?

Badstuber: I’m not stressed out about it. We’ve still got a lot of games to play. I’ll just try to help the team. We need every single player. If I can contribute to that, I’ll give it my all to do so.

DFB.de: Would you like to start against Donetsk as well?

Badstuber: I want to always be available. However, I’m aware that we have amazing players, all of whom will help the team over the course of the season. I hope we have a lot of games to play because then we'll need everyone. If I can contribute my share, I’ll be happy about that.

DFB.de: What have you made of the recent criticism aimed at the team?

Badstuber: Of course there was criticism aimed at us by outsiders. However, we know what we can do and we know what we want to achieve. We’ve made an important step in the right direction. We can tackle the next challenges with self-confidence. The game on Tuesday will be completely different though.

DFB.de: What is it like to see Arjen Robben play from your vantage point?

Badstuber: He’s an amazing player and a top lad. He always pushes himself and that’s beneficial to the team. This time we worked well as a team though and by that I don’t just mean the lads on the pitch, but everyone. That was important. And like I said before: The game on Tuesday will be difficult so we all need to be ready for it.

DFB.de: What do you think about Shakhtar Donetsk?

Badstuber: It will be a tough game. They are tough to face and have really talented players among their ranks, particularly their forwards. That means we need to stay focussed.

DFB.de: Is it a disadvantage for Donetsk that it’s their first game after the winter break?

Badstuber: It might also be an advantage, because it means it’s difficult to anticipate how they’ll play. That means we just have to play our own game. We’ll be well-prepared and want to return with a good result.

DFB.de: As a footballer, do you just try to block out the events in Ukraine?

Badstuber: Of course you hear about it, it’s not like you shut out the world. However, we’ve got a hard game ahead so we need to fully concentrate on that. It’s a different situation there but we have to play there and we want to be successful.

Recorded by DFB.de