Ginter: It’s a huge match for the fans. I felt that when I learned how quickly the tickets were sold out.
DFB.de: You netted two goals for BVB against Schalke in 2015/16. Are you a big-match player?
Ginter: Normally, as a defender, your role is to defend, but scoring is an unbelievable feeling. Goals in a derby match are even more special. The most important thing is to win though.
DFB.de: How big is your respect for Düsseldorf?
Ginter: It’s very tricky to lead the Bundesliga II. They will have huge belief from their league form. It’s an evening kick-off and they will be pumped up for it. We will have to be fully concentrated to reach the round of 16.
DFB.de: As well as cup winner, you’re also a world champion, have a Confederations Cup winners medal and an Olympic silver medal. What are your goals for the future?
Ginter: Titles are a reward for good team-work. We don’t talk about winning titles prematurely. We’re taking things day by day and our attitude is to constantly improve. That’s how you need to work to win titles.
Fortuna Düsseldorf against Borussia Mönchengladbach – this is pure football history. But for Matthias Ginter, the Niederhhein Derby is new territory. It’s the midfielder’s first season with Gladbach. In an interview with DFB.de, the 23-year old speaks about his first few months at Borussia, the second-round game against Düsseldorf (18:30 CEST) and the trust of Joachim Löw.
DFB.de: From the Phoenixsee to Niederhhein – how has the move been so far?
Matthias Ginter: Very good. My girlfriend and I have found a nice house and I’ve felt at home here from the first day. I also knew a few of the guys before I arrived, some from the national team.
DFB.de: You had to prove yourself to your new team early on…
Ginter: (laughs) Yeah, I had to sing “Hero” by Enrique Iglesias during dinner when we went to visit the Pope in Rome. All the time I was thinking, be brave, don’t pay attention to how you sound…
DFB.de: The Pope wasn’t listening in though?
Ginter: No, he had left by then. Thank goodness for that! (laughs)
DFB.de: Did you already know about the myth of the Fohlenelf?
Ginter: Of course, I knew about it before I moved to Gladbach. This team has a lot of history. I’m happy to be part of it.”
DFB.de: Borussia claimed their first away win of the season against Bremen. Is the match against Düsseldorf coming at a good time for the team to prove it can win away from home?
Ginter: We know we can win away. We had tricky games against Dortmund, Leipzig and Augsburg and didn’t take any points from them. The win against Bremen was an important way to build on the three points at home to Hannover. We want to carry that on against Düsseldorf. It shouldn’t make a big difference whether you’re at home or not.
DFB.de: You’ve played every minute in the cup and league. How have you felt in your centre-back role at Borussia?
Ginter: I came to Gladbach to play regular football and find a rhythm. It’s particularly important when you’re a centre back and when you want to be a leader on the pitch.
DFB.de: With Dortmund, you played as a midfielder, right-back, centre-back and as a number six…
Ginter: When I was a young player at Dortmund, I took any opportunity I got. I played almost 100 games for Dortmund, but I was ready to make the next step and establish myself as a regular in a team. I found that here.
DFB.de: What does this mean for your ambitions with the national team?
Ginter: It’s crucial for me to play regularly. I’ve spoken with the national head coach, who gave me lots of belief in the qualifiers. I want to pay that trust back. I want to continue to give back what I can so as to fulfil my aim of going to the World Cup.
DFB.de: Dieter Hecking is the fourth head coach you’ve worked under following Christian Streich, Jürgen Klopp and Thomas Tuchel. What distinguishes him for you?
Ginter: He always listens and speaks to every individual player. He’s very ambitious and wants to get the most out of every individual training session and because of his experience, Dieter doesn’t get disconcerted by a loss like our recent one against Leverkusen. That’s important for a young team.
DFB.de: You share something with Dieter Hecking. Do you know what?
Ginter: We’ve both won the DFB-Pokal?
DFB.de: Exactly. Dieter Hecking won the cup in 2015 with VfL Wolfsburg; you, this year with BVB. How does that experience last year help you?
Ginter: Yesterday’s success won’t help me for our next match. I’m not going to be complacent. Winning in Berlin last year only makes me want to win it again. Gladbach also nearly made it to the final last year and were unlucky to get knocked out on penalties. We achieved something special with Dortmund last season. Gladbach is a new experience. Berlin is the goal.
DFB.de: Have your team-mates told you about the importance of the derby game against Düsseldorf?
Ginter: It’s a huge match for the fans. I felt that when I learned how quickly the tickets were sold out.
DFB.de: You netted two goals for BVB against Schalke in 2015/16. Are you a big-match player?
Ginter: Normally, as a defender, your role is to defend, but scoring is an unbelievable feeling. Goals in a derby match are even more special. The most important thing is to win though.
DFB.de: How big is your respect for Düsseldorf?
Ginter: It’s very tricky to lead the Bundesliga II. They will have huge belief from their league form. It’s an evening kick-off and they will be pumped up for it. We will have to be fully concentrated to reach the round of 16.
DFB.de: As well as cup winner, you’re also a world champion, have a Confederations Cup winners medal and an Olympic silver medal. What are your goals for the future?
Ginter: Titles are a reward for good team-work. We don’t talk about winning titles prematurely. We’re taking things day by day and our attitude is to constantly improve. That’s how you need to work to win titles.
