Korb: "There have been bigger miracles in football"

It was almost nine years ago when Julian Korb joined the youth academy at Borussia Mönchengladbach. He’s had a successful journey since then: He made his breakthrough into first-team football last season and has now established himself as a key player with the five-time German champions.

After coming through all the DFB youth teams, taking part in the U21 European Championship in the Czech Republic (17th-30th June) will be another highlight in the right back’s career so far. In an exclusive interview with DFB.de, the 22-year-old speaks about his team’s chances in the Europa League second leg tie tonight (19:00 CET, live on Sky) against defending champions FC Sevilla, his time with the DFB youth teams and Borussia as well as his goals for the U21 European Championship.

DFB.de: Julian Korb, Lucien Favre likes to rotate the team. When you’ve played, Borussia still haven’t lost in 2015. Have you made the manager aware of this fact?

Julian Korb: (laughs) No, I haven‘t. It obviously isn’t a bad statistic and looks good for me. I always give everything and simply try to do my best. I’m pleased that I can do my part for the team.

DFB.de: As a player, what do you think of team rotation?

Korb: As a player, you obviously always want to play. When you think about it though, it’s beneficial for the whole team. It’s especially helpful in situations when you lack energy or your concentration suffers. It’s a good position for a manager to be in when he can change the team without a loss in quality.

DFB.de: How do you cope with the pressure of midweek fixtures? What do players do differently?

Korb: Every now and then you have ice baths, massages or other treatments. It’s also important to get lots of sleep, watch what you eat and simply try to get as much rest as possible.

DFB.de: The second leg against Sevilla is tonight. Are you optimistic that you can make it through to the last 16?

Korb: There have been bigger miracles in football than coming back from a 1-0 deficit. We played well in the first leg but just couldn’t get a goal. However, we have shown that it’s possible to beat Sevilla. It’s obviously tricky being 1-0 down. However, we shouldn’t go in all guns blazing and charge forward without considering our defensive duties. That could happen too much over the 90 minutes. Therefore, we’re going to take a reasoned approach and keep a cool head.

DFB.de: You need to score two goals to progress in the competition. Borussia have only scored a maximum of one goal per game up to now in 2015. How do you explain the team’s inability to make the most of goal scoring opportunities?

Korb: That is difficult to say. Sometimes teams go through such phases. Then you also have bad luck, like in Hamburg, when you hit the post. Although we’ve scored fewer goals, we’ve still got a lot of points.

DFB.de: The team is currently third in the table. Borussia only think about one game at a time. As a player, how much do you secretly think about qualifying for the Champions League?

Korb: Everybody knows that third place means Champions League qualification. It would be amazing if we can hold onto our current position. However, I’ve been around long enough to know that it’s all very tight and lots can still change in the table. It would be counterproductive if we say now that “we’re definitely going to claim the Champions League spot.” We are advised to just focus on the next game. Things have gone well for us so far following that plan.

DFB.de: Borussia are still involved in three competitions. Do you have a favourite?

Korb: I don’t actually. The Bundesliga is the main competition because it’s the one that everybody works for the whole time. Your chances of winning the DFB-Pokal can be over before it has even begun. With a little luck of the draw and performing at the right times, it’s possible to go far. The Europa League is all about international flair and those typical evening games that you used to watch as a child.

DFB.de: People say that Lucien Favre makes players better. Which elements of your game has he helped you improve?

Korb: I’ve learnt a lot from him with regards to tactics, including recovering possession, carrying the ball, 1v1s and stopping crosses. They are all small but key details to him. For example: when I’m trying to prevent a cross, I need to stand at the correct angle to the attacker and the ball. As a right back, I shouldn’t use my left foot but my right because then if the opponent feints one way, I can still react quickly.

DFB.de: When are you going to score yourself?

Korb: (laughs) I've come close on a few occasions. I hope that I have that little bit of luck on my side soon so that the ball hits the back of the net and I can put an end to my goal scoring drought. The manager has clear expectations of every player. If he demanded that I charge forward and score every two games, then I would probably not play anymore. We have the second best defence in the league so we’re not doing much wrong.

DFB.de: You’ve not done a lot wrong in your career planning either. You’ve been at the club for nine years. You were a youth player first of all then you were on the verge of a transfer before becoming a regular in the first team. What advice would you give to other young players?

Korb: Lots can happen in football. It’s different for everybody; you don’t all follow the same path. It was always tricky to remain patient because you want to always be playing and take the next step in your career. I’m happy that it worked out for me here at Gladbach. However it's then difficult to say “stay for so long at this club or leave sooner.” That always depends on the individual case. It is important that you’re in a good environment where people are happy to advise you. It’s mainly about staying patient but also requires a little bit of luck.

DFB.de: The Borussia youth academy has received awards on a regular basis. How do you remember your time there?

Korb: When I joined Borussia (in 2006, editor’s note), it was all still new. Borussia is running one of the best academies in the country now. That’s obvious in the opportunities for progression to the first team and the interest our players get among other clubs, as was the case for Marc-André ter Stegen who signed for Barcelona. The hallway outside the changing rooms is decorated with pictures of players who turned professional. I caught myself thinking that I want to be on that wall on quite a few occasions. I learned a lot as a youth player and I’m really grateful for that.

DFB.de: You also played for all of Germany's youth teams. How did the DFB youth programme help you and how did it change over time?

Korb: Tactics were one of their top priorities. Their training camps and the international fixtures provided us with the opportunity to measure ourselves against an international level of football at such a young age. They were a great experience and definitely helped me. It was obvious that they had developed the programme and it became more and more professional, be it in terms of medical services or the video analyses. The further we advanced, the greater the level of attention paid to being tactically astute and the game became a lot faster.

DFB.de: The Under-21 European Championships are set to take place this summer. What are Germany’s chances?

Korb: If we go to a European CHampionships as the Germany Under-21 national team, then we’re in it to win it of course. We know that there are other strong teams in the tournament. Reaching the semi-finals is the first step because it means we’d qualify for the Olympics and then we’ll already be close to the title. We’ve definitely got the ability.

DFB.de: What’s special about Germany’s team?

Korb: We’ve got team spirit. We all get along really well and we’re about the same age. When new players join we make them feel welcome immediately which shows the team’s character.

DFB.de: How would you describe your coach Horst Hrubesch?

Korb: Horst Hrubesch talks a lot to the players. Communication is important to him and he’s outspoken when he’s not happy about something. He also expects us to openly voice criticism. He has his mind set on the way he wants us to play and he sets clear boundaries on our behaviour. We are close though. He’s good at finding the right approach.

DFB.de: Is the senior national team already on your minds when you play at Under-21 level?

Korb: If you’ve moved through the youth ranks to play at Under-21 level, then the first team is a dream, of course. That’s applies to nearly everyone who plays at Under-21 level. However, it’s not something I spend too much time thinking about at the moment. The most important thing is the European Championships in the summer. If I get called-up at some point then I’d be happy of course.