Jerome Boateng: "We have to engage our brains"

Jerome Boateng is set to win his 30th international cap in Kaiserslautern on Wednesday (live on ZDF from 20.45 CET) against Paraguay, and the 24-year-old defender is keen to savour this small milestone. In a DFB.de interview with reporter Steffen Lüdeke, the defensive specialist from treble winners FC Bayern Munich discusses last season's success, the hype surrounding FCB coach Pep Guardiola and his special relationship with national coach Joachim Löw.

DFB.de: Mr Boateng, many have said that winning the treble last season lifted a weight from the Bayern players' shoulders. Have you found life easier since the finals in Wembley and Berlin?

Jerome Boateng: No, but every now and then it hits me again. I laugh to myself and think: "Wow, did we really win that? That's crazy!" But I also know that we can't live on past successes, so I always try to push those thoughts to the back of my mind. We've got a new season and new targets, and I'm concentrating on that.

DFB.de: Has the UEFA Champions League final been mentioned here at all? Has any banter been directed towards the Dortmund players?

Boateng: Not at all, and the Dortmund players didn't do the reverse when they won the league twice either. We're here for the national team so club affiliations don't really matter. Everyone wants to win when we meet each other in the Bundesliga or other competitions, so the matches are always explosive, and that's how it should be. But all that is forgotten immediately here when we're with the DFB – I get on really well with all the Dortmund players, they're great lads.

DFB.de: In Munich, much has been said about switching to a new system. What new things have you had to learn under Pep Guardiola?

Boateng: We have to engage our brains. Things have changed slightly even for defenders; we now have different targets, but I think we're on the right track. It's not perfect yet, but it's not going to be perfect after only six weeks.

DFB.de: There are no major changes expected when it comes to the national team. When you're playing a pass into midfield, is it good to know who you're playing the ball to and how?

Boateng: At Bayern I also know who's playing in front of me, the run he's got to make and the type of pass he's expecting from me. But it's also clear that we're very used to playing together as a national team, we know exactly how to pass and move and, in general, we instinctively work well with one another.

DFB.de: What do you make of the hype surrounding Guardiola? Could it perhaps be a good thing because it takes a little of the focus away from the players?

Boateng: I think so, yes. He's got so much pressure on his shoulders and uses that to protect us. He made it clear to us very early on that he's completely behind us, that he'll protect us as much as he can. In my experience, he's very communicative and he's extremely keen to explain his exact philosophy to us. Training under him is a lot of fun, he radiates energy and drive and his enthusiasm is rubbing off on all of us.

DFB.de: In the Bundesliga, many are predicting a duel between Bayern and Dortmund, but your former club Hertha BSC are currently at the top of the table…

Boateng: That's right. (Laughs) But we've only played one round of matches, so you can't read too much into that. I've never made any secret of the fact that I still have a lot of affection for Hertha, so I'd be pleased if the club were actually able to compete at the top of the league. But I've got to be careful there. Of course, I'm a Berliner, and as a Berliner I'm prone to having a big mouth. So, to put it simply, you shouldn't set expectations too high after just one match, but I've got my fingers crossed that they have a good season.

DFB.de: As you did with Bayern last year. You got singled out for praise from the national coach for that.

Boateng: Really?

DFB.de: Joachim Löw said in kicker: "I've hardly seen him play better than he has in the last six months." How pleased are you with a statement like that?

Boateng: Of course, it's great to hear that, and I'm pleased with that assessment. All in all, I've got so much to thank Joachim Löw for. He brought me into the national side very early on and always included me even though I was still very young. From an early stage, he gave me the feeling that I was an integral part of the team, and that was so valuable for my development. The national coach and Hansi Flick were always very open with me; they told me what they expected from me and what I still had to work on. It's even better to have confirmation now that I have put that into practice and taken another step forward.

DFB.de: On Wednesday, you're playing with the national team in Kaiserslautern against Paraguay. How important is that first game with the national team?

Boateng: It's the start of a World Cup season, so every match counts. It's important for us that we come together and have another opportunity to play a friendly before we face potentially decisive World Cup qualification matches in September.

DFB.de: You're playing against Paraguay and Roque Santa Cruz, who you played together with at Manchester City. How did you get on with him back then?

Boateng: He's a great guy; very funny, very positive, always in a good mood. And he's a fantastic striker with phenomenal skills.

DFB.de: But he didn't get to play much.

Boateng: That's right, but initially he spent a lot of time injured, and then he had incredible competition. Carlos Tevez, Mario Balotelli, Edin Dzeko – as a striker, having team-mates like that means you spend a lot of time on the bench.

DFB.de: In general, what are you expecting from the match against Paraguay?

Boateng: South American teams generally have very technically strong attacking players, and they're very solid at the back. I hope we can gain some momentum in front of the fantastic fans at the Betzenberg and head into the new season with the wind in our sails.