Question: How are you going to approach the DFB Cup final next Saturday?
Hummels: Obviously we want to win the game. I want to beat Bayern for as long as I'm still here. It's just this one game left and I will do everything I can to secure a win together with my team. We want to end the title drought that we've experienced recently. Winning the cup final is extremely important to all of us and I hope that you will be able to see that on the pitch. For me personally, it's going to be a big pressure situation, there is no denying that. It's a game where I will need 100 percent of my passes to reach a teammate and where I need to win 100 percent of my challenges, otherwise every mistake will be harshly examined. I can't do anything more than to promise that I will give everything, not shy away from anyone on the pitch and throw everything into it in order to help win this title. I hope that it will work out and that I can avoid statements being made after the game along the lines of, "He didn't give it his best" or "His mind was already in a different place". Obviously it wouldn't be accurate but nevertheless, some people would still feel obliged to make comments like that.
Question: You struggled in the last two games. Is the reason behind that a lack of excitement with the title was out of reach?
Hummels: Unfortunately, to a certain extent yes. We didn’t lose it on purpose, but twice we struggled to find a breakthrough against a back five. We scored two goals against Köln, but also had moments where we left our defence wide open for them to counterattack into. We were fortunate to only concede two goals, as they could've scored more. But the game against Bayern will be a completely different match. I don't expect them to park the bus with a five-man defence. If they do, we will come up with a solution. But I don't think you can draw any conclusions for the cup final based on our last two performances, because it's going to be a completely different ball game with different tasks for each individual player on the pitch.
World Champion Mats Hummels had an emotional farewell from the Signal-Iduna-Park following Saturday's 2-2 draw with 1. FC Köln on the final matchday of the Bundesliga season. The 27-year-old was glad that the fans showed no hostility towards him, unlike in their previous home game.
The Germany international was interviewed afterwards and spoke about emotions, his farewell from Dortmund and the DFB Cup final next Saturday against his future employers FC Bayern München.
Question: Mr. Hummels, what thoughts are running through your head after having played your last home game for BVB?
Mats Hummels: First of all, it's a strange feeling to know that this will be the last time you come out here to warm up, and the last time you say goodbye to your fans in the Südtribüne after the game. It has always been a permanent ritual for me these past five years, so it's a bit strange knowing that it won't be the case anymore in the future. I'm not a fan of doing things for one last time. I had my last dinner here yesterday, this is the last time I will drive by my old apartment in Dortmund... it makes you feel sentimental. But it's also part and parcel of it all. On the one hand it's a pity, but at the same time it's also a nice feeling because I know I had a great time here. Somehow you just have to deal with the fact that sometimes you have to say farewell.
Question: How important was it for you that the fans gave you a better reception compared with the last home match?
Hummels: I was obviously very happy about that, simply because I have spent a long and intensive time here. I also have complete understanding of their reaction. On the Thursday evening it was announced that I had declared my wish to leave the club and on Friday evening there was a rumour that I was desperate to leave. So I was able to understand that the whole situation was very emotional. I have also felt the positive side of these deep-running emotions over the past eight years and so you have to live with the fact that sometimes this can turn against you; it's part of the game. Even if the fans had jeered me today, it wouldn't have changed my personal opinion about my time here at all.
Question: You still have one very important game left to play in the DFB Cup final and your opponents are none other than your future employers FC Bayern München...
Hummels: ...and my first opponents with Bayern will be Dortmund (Supercup on August 14th).
Question: How are you going to approach the DFB Cup final next Saturday?
Hummels: Obviously we want to win the game. I want to beat Bayern for as long as I'm still here. It's just this one game left and I will do everything I can to secure a win together with my team. We want to end the title drought that we've experienced recently. Winning the cup final is extremely important to all of us and I hope that you will be able to see that on the pitch. For me personally, it's going to be a big pressure situation, there is no denying that. It's a game where I will need 100 percent of my passes to reach a teammate and where I need to win 100 percent of my challenges, otherwise every mistake will be harshly examined. I can't do anything more than to promise that I will give everything, not shy away from anyone on the pitch and throw everything into it in order to help win this title. I hope that it will work out and that I can avoid statements being made after the game along the lines of, "He didn't give it his best" or "His mind was already in a different place". Obviously it wouldn't be accurate but nevertheless, some people would still feel obliged to make comments like that.
Question: You struggled in the last two games. Is the reason behind that a lack of excitement with the title was out of reach?
Hummels: Unfortunately, to a certain extent yes. We didn’t lose it on purpose, but twice we struggled to find a breakthrough against a back five. We scored two goals against Köln, but also had moments where we left our defence wide open for them to counterattack into. We were fortunate to only concede two goals, as they could've scored more. But the game against Bayern will be a completely different match. I don't expect them to park the bus with a five-man defence. If they do, we will come up with a solution. But I don't think you can draw any conclusions for the cup final based on our last two performances, because it's going to be a completely different ball game with different tasks for each individual player on the pitch.
